Those heading to the Vatican better make sure they have cash on them. The tiny city-state is cash-only now, meaning you'll have to pay for everything, including museum tickets, souvenirs and other services in cash. This comes after the central bank of Italy stopped accepting electronic payments and credit card transactions.
According to the Associated Press, Deutsche Bank Italia stopped the authorization of electronic payment services after Dec. 31. The bank allowed these kinds of payments for 15 years.
This was likely done because the Vatican city has not completely cooperated with European Union safeguards against money laundering as Italian banks are not permitted to operate in the city. The city was in the process of finding ways to stop laundering.
Tourists visit the Vatican to see things like the Vatican Museum which has the Sistine Chapel and other things. They are not pleased with the change.
"It's certainly a disadvantage," Giuseppe Amoruso, of Italy told AP. "Credit cards provide a useful service, which needs to be accessible to everybody, everywhere."
American tourist Fluger William Hunter was concerned about where he would even be able to find Euros to use them at the Vatican.
"A lot of tourists don't have cash on them, so they have to get euros and don't know where to get them," Hunter told AP.
During an inspection, it was found that Deutsche Bank Italia didn't have authorization when it started operating at the Vatican. When they tried to get authorization, they were turned down by the Bank of Italy because the Vatican's banking methods of fighting money laundering didn't meet Italy's standards.
In the past few months, the Vatican has tried to change its ways of stopping money laundering and they even hired a Swiss expert to help them. The city passed a Europen financial transparency test but its former bank, the Institute for Religious Works, received failing grades.
With this new change to cash-only, tourists will have to pay for museum entrance fees, souvenirs and tours in cash.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
