Around 25 million tourists pour into the lagoon city each year, of whom around 14 million spend just one day there. Many take picnics with them, bringing no income to local businesses.
Councillors overwhelmingly endorsed the entrance fee at a meeting on Tuesday evening, saying day-trippers would now have to pay €3 (US$3.42) each this year to enter Venice.
The sum will rise to between €6 and €10 from the start of 2020, depending on whether tourists come in high or low season.
