Venice Mayor Luigi Brugnaro has hailed as a success Thursday's debut of a five-euro entry ticket introduced as part of efforts to limit the tourist flows that risk suffocating the Lagoon city.
    The city is imposing the charge on a trial basis for 29 days this year when visitor numbers are set to be especially high.
    Thursday was the Liberation Day national holiday in Italy.
    The city said 15, 700 visitors paid the ticket on its first day.
    Residents, commuters, students, children under 14 and people visiting for sporting events are exempt from having to buy the ticket, as are people staying in the city overnight, as they already pay a tourist tax.
    "I apologize for the inconvenience but we must do something to preserve the city," Brugnaro said.
    Hundreds of local residents staged a protest against the ticket, saying it effective turned the city into a sort of 'Veniceland' theme park.
    The ticket was enforced with checks at points of entry around the city.
    Day-trippers without a ticket risk a fine of up to 300 euros.
   
   

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