Rome Mulls Charging €2 To Enter Trevi Fountain

ROME, Sept 9 (Bernama-dpa) -- At the Trevi Fountain in Rome, it is tradition to throw a coin backwards over your shoulder into the water, reported German news agency (dpa). 

But soon tourists could lose coins in a very modern way when entering the fountain, as the Italian capital is considering charging an entrance fee.

"Our idea is to introduce a €2 (US$2.20) ticket to enter the area around the fountain's water basin," the Roman city councillor responsible for tourism, Alessandro Onorato, announced on Monday on social media.

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Rome, like many other cities in Italy, is struggling with mass tourism. This summer, tourism in the city hit record figures. 

Venice has responded to mass tourism by introducing a trial entrance fee of €5 for day visitors.

The Trevi Fountain is one of the most famous sights in Rome. The area around the monumental fountain, which was built in the 18th century, is constantly overcrowded. Tourists bustle around the piazza in front of the water basin from morning to night. 

"We want to make the visit a real experience and not a chaotic jostling between tourists in search of the best selfie," said Onorato.

"But now, we have to ensure that tourism is compatible with the lives of Romans," said Onorato. 

The entrance to the fountain will remain free for Romans. Onorato said the proceeds from the tourist tickets would be reinvested to protect the fountain and hire security staff and to manage the tourist flow, thereby, creating jobs.

So far, this is still just an idea, the city administration said. But Rome's Mayor Roberto Gualtieri said, according to the ANSA news agency, that it is a "very concrete idea" that the city is investigating and exploring. It is not yet clear when such an entrance fee could be decided and take effect.

-- BERNAMA-dpa