rate

Venice established a rate to combat tourism hordes. Japan has copied the strategy: the one that arrives, pays

by

It happened recently with the arrival of the “Holy Week.” Venice enhanced a little more That pioneering toll years ago. The figures that threw the input rate had gone so well, that the city He folded his price. A measure for which Italy sought to restore the balance between the rights of residents and the massive arrival of visitors. A nation has followed the popular enclave: Japan. Mass tourism and fiscal burden. We have been telling: Japan does not stop Receive touristsand given the unstoppable increase, a growing number of Japanese municipalities It has begun To look at the rates used in other enclaves Like Venice: Implement specific taxes for foreigners, in an effort to compensate for the growing costs that tourism activity imposes on local communities. According to Nikkeithese measures mainly include accommodation taxes per night, but are also expanding towards more innovative taxation forms that seek to exclude local payment residents, applying the principle of “who causes, pays.” The objective is clear: preserve fiscal viability of towns and cities that face a reverse demographic pressure (populations in decline in front of booming tourism) and sustain fundamental public services without moving the burden to those who live there permanently. Accommodation tax. Since Tokyo pioneered a pioneer fixed tax per person And by night in the accommodations, others 11 locations They have joined, the most recent of them Atamiin the prefecture of Shizuoka, which began to collect a tribute from 200 yen per night April 1. This tax, which will generate about 600 million annual yen, will serve to finance the new Atami Tourism Office and local activities such as fireworks festivals. The model adopted by most cities consists of fixed rates, staggered depending on the price of accommodation, to facilitate their collection and minimize the administrative load on hotels and hosts. However, there is a unique case with Kutchanin Hokkaido, which since 2019 imposes A 2% tax On the cost of accommodation in its resort area, a pioneering measure that other municipalities, such as Rusutsuthey study to replicate. Miyajima and the model. One of the most significant developments has been the tax applied by Hatsukaichi for access the island of Miyajimathat since October 2023 gravel with 100 additional yen to each ferry passenger. The measure, inspired by the principle of the so -called as “cause pays”seeks that visitors (not residents) absorb the costs derived from their presence, such as waste management, traffic and water and sewerage services. Unlike other rates aimed at promoting tourism, this is a general tax that can be used for any area of ​​the local budget. With a population of just 1,400 people and 4.85 million visitors in 2024, Miyajima was has become a symbol how mass tourism can overflow the operational capacity of a heritage enclave without adequate corrective measures. Biei: Combined taxes. Another illustrative case occurs in Bieialso in Hokkaido, who proposed A double taxation to balance the impact of tourists: a 200 yen accommodation tax per night and a parking charge in the Shirogane Blue Parkone of its main tourist attractions. With 2.39 million visitors in 2023 but only 158,000 overnight stays, most tourists are one -day hikers, which motivated A mixed scheme For everyone to contribute. Both measures are expected to collect more than 239 million annual yenresources that will be used both to maintain services and to support agricultural policies, in an attempt to reinforce the local economy from multiple fronts. Challenges and risks. As both prefectures and municipalities adopt their own variants of these taxes, new challenges arise, including the double taxation risk in areas where regional and local rates coincide. In addition, given that the fiscal performance of these measures depends directly on the concentration of accommodation facilities, the regions with the highest proportion of visitors without prolonged stay can be at a disadvantage, accentuating territorial inequalities. Solution? Some local governments (such as Sadoin Niigata) have considered alternatives such as Input taxes generalized to the island, which would simplify the collection and guarantee a more equitable distribution of the tax burden between short and long -term visitors. Local response to a global phenomenon. In short, the backdrop of this proliferation of tourist rates is still A paradox Increasingly common: destinations of international fame that at the same time face the collapse of their resident population and the overload of their services for the massive influx of those tourists once longed for their economies. As He counted in Nikkei Mneaki AokiProfessor at the University of Kanagawa and advisor to the tax systems of Miyajima and Biei, the “cause pays” adapts well to places where tourists exceed largely in number to the permanent inhabitants. Faced with tourism as a blessing and burden, these mechanisms seek a more pragmatic solution: conserve hospitality without sacrificing tax sustainability (or local quality of life). In that sense, Japan, with its meticulous normative approach, becomes a RARE Av of policy laboratory that could inspire other countries under the same dilemma, going from “copying” Enclaves like Venice to become a pioneer with their own initiatives. Image | Pexels In Xataka | Venice has just activated his plan against mass tourism: an entry rate that doubles its price In Xataka | Japan has realized that to welcome 60 million tourists, something lacks: workers in the hotels

an entry rate that folds its price

by

Economic, Venice had a problem: his geography did not give for more (tourists), much less if a large number of these hordes that arrived at the enclave daily did it to disappear when the night arrived without leaving any benefit to the city in addition to a large amount of garbage. This was how a series of regulations were born where it was put Bumper to the groups big, se They tracked phoneSo was imposed A pioneering toll. It went so well that they announced Redouble the bet. They did not go lantern. A fragile city against hordes. Since its origins, Venice has fought the forces of nature, raising stone walls against the sea to make its unique lagoon habitable. Today, however, the enemy that threat is not water, but the unstoppable wave of visitors who travel it as if there were no tomorrow with backpacks, sandwiches and, in many cases, little interest in contributing to its economy or preserving its delicate ecosystem. To contain these so -called tourists “Mordi e fuggi” (literally, “eat and run away”) the city has Reinstasurated and expanded Its controversial access rate, a measure destined to discourage overflowing tourism on days of high influx. First applied last year for 30 days, and that, As we countnow it will extend to 54 days (since April 18), and will penalize with a higher rate (10 euros compared to 5) To those who reserve with little or zero in advance, have been active for a few days. The measure, more than a drastic brake, seems to send a message to the world: Venice is unique, fragile and requires more conscious and respectful tourism. Between protection and pragmatism. We have explained before. The entry into force of this rate is justified both for symbolic reasons and for concrete urban management demands. In 2023, Venice was on the verge of being included in the list of patrimonies in danger of UNESCO, threatened by mass tourism, climate change and excessive urban development. Thanks to initiatives such as the rate, the city has achieved (for now) Avoid this ominous label, although the experts of the organization will re -evaluate the situation next July. Meanwhile, the income generated last year by the rate amounted to 2.8 million eurosa figure for mainly to cover the cost of implementation of this system still in an experimental phase. Although the impact on the tourist influx has been questionable (the local government itself admits that the days with a rate registered, paradoxically, More visitors) The authorities insist that the tool has a crucial operational value: it allows more precision to plan municipal services, from garbage collection to urban transport. Criticism, surveillance and tensions. Of course, critical voices are not lacking. Had the New York Times That for figures such as the opposition councilor Monica Sambo, trying to govern Venice as if it were a theme park with a paid entrance is a simplistic and symbolic solution to a much more complex structural problem. Sambo claims more comprehensive policies: A clear limit to the number of hikers allowed per day, firm regulations on tourist accommodation and strategies that promote access to housing and stable employment for residents, thus fighting the “tourist monoculture” that suffocates the Venetian social fabric. To this is added the concern for the control and privacy that we have months ago: to monitor tourist flows, the city uses Location data Telefónica and security cameras, measures that some see as steps towards intrusive surveillance. Plus: They have also been forbidden The megaphones And he has limited to 25 The number of people per tourist group. Imperfect tool to an urgency. As We count A few weeks ago, the rate applies only to single -day visitors between 8:30 and 16:00, and They are exempt Those who stay in registered hotels or rentals, already subject to a tourist tax, as well as those who work, study or visit relatives in the city. All visitors They must register and get a QR code before arrival. For its defenders, such as Simone Venturini, Councilor for Tourism, this rate represents not only a control measure, but a declaration of principles: Venice is not a dead postal or a tourist decoration, but a living city that demands respect. One thing seems clearly clear: its practical effectiveness may be in debate, but in a context where tourism threatens with devour To the city, any attempt to restore the balance between the rights of residents and the desires of visitors becomes not only legitimate, but urgent. Image | Jorge Fraganillo In Xataka | Given the risk of extreme saturation and weather, Spanish tourism already knows where to grow: winter In Xataka | Italy Veta One of the great symbols of mass tourism: the use of keys to make auto check-in is prohibited

Rate has more than 40,000 tons of algae and does not know what to do with them. So you will try to monetize them

by

Desperate and without knowing very well what to do, the Tarifa City Council began to transfer Asian algae (Rugulopterix Okamurae) that they were invading their beaches in a landfill near the deputy of the municipality. It was 2019. Since then, 40,000 tons have accumulated and, like They themselves recognized in October“They don’t know what to do.” The landfill begins to stay small and the cost of treating all that huge hill of algae exceeds five million euros. Something that the Cadiz Consistory cannot afford. Therefore, for months, they ask that some administration help them out of that dead end. Without much success, really. But what do so many algae do there? Is it normal? It depends on what we understand as normal: the Rugulopterix Okamurae It is an invasive plant And, therefore, it is not a traditional problem. However, in recent years, its impact has not stopped growing. That is an ecological problem (they reduce the biodiversity of each place they arrive), economic (prevents fishing) and aesthetic (produces damage to tourism). But it is also a waste management problem. Because, when they pile up on the beach, they become urban waste. And accumulate wildly. To put figures, “only in Ceut Antonio Vegara Jiménez said in Newtral. Now they have had an idea. And, tired of passing the ball from one another, the City Council has approved the installation of an experimental bioreactor of a Valencian company (Poplac Development) With the idea of ​​testing if it is viable to convert that mountain of waste into a mountain of money. Money? Well, if we want to be precise, it would be in a “mountain” of biogas, electricity and fertilizers. But yes, in general terms, it is about testing if the “public-private collaboration” can give an exit to all that biological material that accumulates near the Strait. As explained in the economistthe installation that PLACAC DEVELOPMENT prepares could generate a megavatio room for every 15,000 tons. And, in addition, produce fertilizers for agricultural use. And will it work? Well that is the big doubt. From what we know, there are already projects like this in Mexico and it seems that the results are good. But the sector is very incipient and regulation is very different in Europe. However, there is something clear: something must be done. The invasive species They are the order of the day And if we do not look for solutions, we will have many more problems than a landfill with 40,000 tons of algae rotting. Image | Geoff Dude In Xataka | Cultivating seaweed in the sea is one of the plans of Geoingenieria to get rid of climate change. Maybe it’s not a good idea

What changes in the rate and prices

by

Let’s tell you What changes in the 50% Max discount. Because the platform has already informed everyone of the changes that there will be for those who They kept the discount at the time of go from HBO Max to Maxand they are a bit bittersweet news. The first thing you should know is that The 50% discount is maintained. It should be remembered that this discount was for those who hired HBO Max on his arrival in Spain, and that the platform promised to maintain it. He then became Max, and said the discount would remain temporarily. Now we know that, despite maintaining it, there are changes in the prices of these users. What changes are in the Max discount Those who went from HBO Max to Max with the 50%discount did so with a Legacy plan that maintained the characteristics of this platform. The discount is going to be maintained, but Legacy Plan users get the characteristics worse hired when passing to the standard plan. Come on, that users with the Legacy plan will have the standard plan, which is worse than they had. If you had a legacy plan you will lose the quality 4K and the HDRreturning to the FullHD and SDR qualities of those who prefer to pay less and have a basic image quality. The 50% discount will always be applied, but for the 9.99 euros of subscription converted into 4.99 euros, from now on the image quality of the contents will be worse. You will also have a simultaneous screen less, going from being able to see Max on 3 devices at the same time to be able to do it only in 2. If you want to keep your current image quality you will have to pay more. Specifically, you will have to go from the standard plan of 9.99 euros to the Premium Plan of 13.99 euros. In this case, you will have 4K again, and Dolby Atmos will be added. Simultaneous screens will pass to 4, and content downloads rise to 100. The important thing is that if you do not cancel the subscription and change to the premium plan You will keep the 50% discount. Of course, for practical purposes it means that to have the same image quality you have now You will have to pay two euros more a monthsince with the discount the rate stays at 6.99 instead of 4.99 euros. Remember that The 50% discount disappears forever if you cancel your subscription Even if only temporarily. Therefore, if you have been having the discount from the launch of HBO Max, now you have to decide between having a worse image quality or paying 2 euros more to maintain the one you had and gain some improvement. Finally, you should know that The offer to move on to the Premium plan keeping 50% discount is temporary. You will only have Until March 24 of 2025 to decide. In Xataka Basics | Max: 21 functions and tricks to squeeze streaming service to the maximum

Apple Watch technology in headphones. Measuring heart rate is no longer just a clock

by

Apple bought Beats Music and Beats Electronics in 2014 and, although the AirPods are still the most recognizable headphones of the company, the development of Beats has not stopped since then. The Powerbeats pro 2 They are the new beatic headphones and, in addition to respecting the hook format that works so much in the sports market, these are the first headphones under the Apple umbrella that land with A curious function: heart rhythm monitoring. These headphones, at a technical level, arrive with cancellation of active noise, adaptive equalization, space audio, Apple H2 chip and total compatibility with Apple devices (hands -free with Siri, network search, link with a single touch, etc.) They promise an autonomy of up to 10 hours Of continuous reproduction, they work with Qi wireless loaders and are resistant to both sweat and water. What is expected of beats that are launched at a price of 299.95 euros. What does a cardiac monitoring sensor paint in headphones Made the presentations, the clear doubt comes in its key specification. These powerbeats are capable of Measure our frequency in real time. They become the first Beats product to incorporate this monitoring. But how do they work in headphones? According to Beats, a lot of development has been invested to design and locate these control sensors. In this case, They are located right next to the padand make green light more than 100 times per second. The company details that the years of research in heart rate control of Apple Watch have been used to continue this development in the headphones, reducing technical architecture to 1/16 of its original size to integrate it into a headset, without compromising comfort or precision. Beyond marketing, Apple has trimmed Apple Watch sensors to implement them in these headphones. And, yes, they will only work if you have both positions. The goal is to offer an alternative to the smart watch, so that athletes can measure their heart rate while wearing headphones. They are a solution for those fashionable sports, such as Crossfit or Hyrox, in which it is not possible to train with a clock placed. Headphones as a health complement Apple has not been the first to introduce heart rhythm sensors into headphones. Amazfit got it in 2020 with its Powerbudssome headphones of less than 100 euros, and Anker sells his Soundcore with a “similar” technology. The quoted is mandatory because, to date, Apple Watch heart rate measurement is one of the most reliable proposals. If Beats has managed to take this technology to its headphones, at least on paper, They should lead this land. Beyond this particular case, these headphones They will be an excellent thermometer. They can be the door that, in the near future, Apple Airpods incorporate heart rhythm sensor. A movement that would make enough sense, seen the clear health approach that the company’s products have. Image | Beats In Xataka | Apple Watch 10. Who is who in the Smart Watches range of Apple

Venice invented an entry rate to stop mass tourism. It has come out so well that it will double the price

by

Tourism is equal to massification in Venice. It is nothing new and, in fact, the enclave has been a pioneer in some regulations that have sought to put the hordes to combine the life of the premises and that their ecosystem does not end up engulfed victim of their own success. His geography simply does not give for more, and that’s why they have imposed Bumpers to large groups with fines Whoever passes, or even They have tracked phones. They also imposed A pioneering tollan entry rate that went so well that They doubled the days. Now also the price. The experiment is consolidated. As we said, Venice is a pioneer in the imposition of An entry rate for single -day visitorsand success has been such for the administration that They have decided to duplicate the rate in 2025, raising it from 5 to 10 euros for those who enter without accommodation reserve. In addition, and as we explained a few months ago, The measure will be applied in 54 days a year, almost twice the 29 days selected in 2024. The dates include a continuous block from April 18 to May 4, followed by every Friday, Saturdays and Sundays until the end of July. The collection will remain from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm, and those who reserve at least four days in advance may pay only 5 euros. What do politicians say. The Tourism Councilor, Simone Venturini, gave a track of the announced change. Apparently, at the Milan Bit fair, he said that the 2024 pilot project was so successful, achieving its goal of managing tourist flows and discouraging massive tourism of a single day, which they have decided to enhance it. In fact, International destinations such as Formentera in Spain either Kyoto in Japan They have shown interest in replicating the Venetian initiative. Impact on the tourist rate. In 2024, almost half a million tourists (485,062) paid the entry rate, that is, that They generated 2.4 million euros in revenue to public coffers (The cost of the system or the destination of the funds collected) has not been revealed. The registration data indicates that, after the Italians, the main tourists were Americans, Germans and French. In addition, the measure achieved a slight reduction in the number of visitors from the Véneto region, although the authorities have not given figures. We also remember that despite this tariff increase, access remains free for those who spend the night in the city, although They must register online in CDA.ve.it to obtain their exemption. Travelers who only transit Piazzale Rome, Tronchetto or Stazione Marittima, as well as those who visit the outer islands of the lagoon (Lido, Murano and Burano) without going through the center are also exempt. The future in Venice. It is the big question. The authorities admit that the rate alone is not enough to manage mass tourism, but they do consider that The created system feels the bases for future regulations stricter. Venice, that Receive tourists from 194 countriesremains one of the destinations most affected by tourist overexploitation, which has led to the implementation of increasingly restrictive measures in an effort to protect its fragile urban ecosystem and preserve its historical character. One more than difficult equation. Image | Hervé Simon In Xataka | Given the risk of extreme saturation and weather, Spanish tourism already knows where to grow: winter In Xataka | Italy Veta One of the great symbols of mass tourism: the use of keys to make auto check-in is prohibited

Europe has the highest rate of multiple sclerosis in the world. The explanation lies in the DNA of the steppe shepherds

by

First there were hunter-gatherers about 45,000 years ago. The first modern humans arrived in a Europe where the Neanderthals still reigned. Then there were the farmers of the Middle East about 11,000 years ago and finally, about 5,000 years ago they were the nomadic pastoralists of the steppes of Central Asia. That is, according to research published in the journal Naturethe common genetic heritage of Europeans. A heritage that explains why, in an incredible historical twist, multiple sclerosis affects us more. A DNA mutating in the middle of the great steppe. While agriculture gained weight in the world, the great Eurasian steppe continued doing its thing. The culture yamnaa group of pastoral towns that arose in the enormous plains south of the Urals and east of the Black Sea, generations and generations passed living with livestock. Variant. It was there that it emerged (and was selected) a small genetic variant that strengthened natural immunity against zoonoses; that is, against livestock infections that could easily jump to the human communities that raised them. 5,000 years later, this genetic variant is behind the fact that Europeans have a higher risk of suffering from Multiple Sclerosis. The deep origins of current diseases. The study led by the Universities of Cambridge and Copenhagen (but with the participation of many more) analyze in detail from the DNA of almost 5,000 individuals spread throughout history. Some studied remains date back to about 34,000 years ago. The reconstruction. Reconstructing humanity’s immense genetic tree, researchers found numerous keys to understanding why there are specific geographic areas or ethnic groups that suffer from some diseases more than others. They realized that southern Europeanswith a greater genetic legacy from the agricultural people of the Middle East, have a greater predisposition to develop bipolar disorders; that people from the East had a higher genetic risk of developing Alzheimer’s or diabetes; and those from the northwest had a heightened risk of sclerosis. A medical enigma. For years, scientists have tried to understand why Europe has, with about 143 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, one of the highest incidence rates of sclerosis in the world. As I said in the previous paragraph, as you go south and east those differences fade, but (even so) the greater risk of developing this disease It is a European ‘differential fact’. Understanding better. The most interesting thing about all this is that the idea that the answer lies in the genetic history of its inhabitants It is not only a historical curiosity. On the contrary, thinking about this from an evolutionary point of view allows us to understand the disease in a new way. In Xataka | Where genes, do what you see: the surprising genetic differences (and similarities) within the Iberian Peninsula Image | Charlotte Venema *An earlier version of this article was published in January 2024

Log In

Forgot password?

Forgot password?

Enter your account data and we will send you a link to reset your password.

Your password reset link appears to be invalid or expired.

Log in

Privacy Policy

Add to Collection

No Collections

Here you'll find all collections you've created before.