Venice tourism row erupts in over 'secret' £1.70 gondola rides

Venice locals have erupted at tourists and influences for revealing the "secret" gondola rides that allow them to navigate the city cheaply. Four crossings on the Grand Canal offer trips for just 70 cents for residents and €2 (£1.70) for tourists - much cheaper than the £68 shelled out on average by visitors for a 30-minute ride.

Known as traghetti, the ferries are now one of Venice's most popular attractions thanks to viral social media videos showing holidaymakers how to save money in Venice. One YouTuber told her followers: "With this gondola, for only €2, in four minutes you can cross the Grand Canal, just the time to take a photo to send to your friends." Another Instagram suer posted: "It is a really quick ride, but it's great for solo travellers or anyone who doesn't want to pay €80-100 to experience a gondola ride."

Local artist Andrea Morucchio said this "latest trend" is causing residents to suffer. He told The Times: "The ferries have become the latest trend for tourists who want to spend little and get in a gondola.

"Thanks to influencers and bloggers it has become one of the most popular things in Venice and as a result Venetians are suffering."

Simone Venturini, Venice's councillor for tourism, revealed that the city mulled upping the price for tourists above €2, using the money to open two new routes across the canal.

He told the outlet: "An increase would be justified since tourists are using the service as a substitute gondola ride."

This comes after Venice, which welcomes 30 million people every year, was urged to increase its entry fee for day-trippers.

Visitors without hotel or Airbnb reservations in Venice currently have to pay €5 (£4.20) to visit. However, local businessman Setrak Tokatzian has proposed a new €100 (£86) entry fee.

Data shows that seven out of 10 visitors only stay in Venice for a day and often don't spend any money in the local shops.

Tokatzian, president of the St Mark's Square residents' association, said the charge would help fight against overtourism, which is threatening the city with a "state of calamity".

The current Venice entry fee was introduced on April 25 last year, but following an "explosion of overtourism", there are calls to make it 20 times more expensive.

Tokatzian told local newspaper Corriere del Veneto: "This tourism is obscene, there's a complete explosion of overtourism like never before, with a type of people wandering around without entering shops or even knowing where they are."