30 May 2024 , 12:39
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Tourist tax has been implemented in many locations recently and if you are going away this summer, you will want to know if your destination is on the list.
Different countries having tourist tax is nothing new. However, it has become more common and tourists can often get caught out by unexpected fees when at their destination. It is usually a small fee that travellers pay when they stay overnight in another country that isn't their home. The fee is put to good use, like improving the local or limiting the impact of tourism on attractions.
In addition to knowing the information below, it is worth adding tourist tax into your accommodation budget. Also, keep in mind that tourist tax may or may not be included in the price advertised; depending on the location, it may be added when you pay. Here is a list of countries with tourist taxes right now.
Have you been caught out by tourist tax? Email us at webtravel@reachplc.com
Tourist tax is put to good use, like improving the local or limiting the impact of tourist on attractions (Getty Images)Austria
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Austria charges all visitors a nightly accommodation tax, which differs depending on the province you visit. For Vienna or Salzburg, you could pay up to 3.02% per person, on top of the hotel bill.
Belgium
Like Austria, Belgium has also introduced a nightly fee. But tourists need to be careful, as some hotels include this in the price of a room whereas others add it to your bill separately. Both Brussels and Antwerp charge per room, and in Brussels the fee will vary depending on the size and rating of your hotel. The fee is usually around €7.50 (£6.38).
Bhutan
For a long time, Bhutan has been known for its seemingly steep tourist taxes and charges. In 2024, the daily fee for the majority of visitors is $100 (£78.67), and this fee is scheduled to remain in place until the end of August 2027.
Bulgaria
In Bulgaria, a fee is applied to overnight stays but it reaches a maximum of €1.50 (£1.28).
Caribbean Islands
The Caribbean Islands charge a tourist tax between €13 and €45 (£11.05 and £38.26). The tax is usually tied to the cost of a hotel or a departure fee.
Croatia
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Croatia only charges its visitors a fee of 10 kuna (£1.17) per night during peak season.
Czechia (Czech Republic)
Czechia only applies a fee to those travelling to the city of Prague. For those under the age of 18, it doesn't apply and is less than €1 (£0.85) per person, per night.
Fees usually aren't that much and can be included in the price advertised (Getty Images/iStockphoto)France
France’s ‘taxe de séjour’ varies depending on the city, and it is usually added to your hotel bill. It varies from €0.20 to €4 (£0.17 to £3.40) per person, per night.
In addition, Paris has increased its fee by up to 200% for those staying in hotels, Airbnbs, and campsites. It also plans to put the funds towards improving the city’s services and infrastructure. Something worth noting if you intend to see the summer Olympics in Paris this year.
Germany
Germany charges visitors a ‘culture tax’ (kulturförderabgabe) and a ‘bed tax’ (bettensteuer) in certain cities. The cities include Frankfurt, Hamburg and Berlin, and it tends to be around 5% of your hotel bill.
Greece
Greece’s tourist tax is based on numbers. Specifically, how many stars a hotel has, and the number of rooms you’re renting. It can be anything from €4 (£3.40) per room.
Hungary
The only tourist tax in Hungary applies in Budapest. Visitors will be charged 4% of the price of their room.
Iceland
Iceland is introducing a tourist tax to protect its ‘unspoilt nature’ this year. It is believed to cost between €4 to €7 (£3.40 to £5.95) per night.
Indonesia
In Indonesia, the only destination which charges a tourist tax is Bali. The fee is around $10 (£7.70) – but is a one-time entry fee, not a nightly tax. It apparently goes towards protecting the island’s ‘environment and culture.’
Italy
Much like in France, Italy’s tourist tax varies depending on your location. Rome’s fee is usually between €3 to €7 (£2.55 to £5.95) per night, but some smaller Italian towns charge more.
Venice is a city to be particularly aware of in regard to tourist tax. The €5 (£4.30) fee is applicable on various days during high season, and it runs from April to July 2024. It only applies to day-trippers rather than those staying overnight.
Japan
Japan has a departure tax of around 1,000 yen (£5.01).
Malaysia
Malaysia has a flat-rate tax, which applies to each night you stay. It is around €4 (£3.40) a night.
New Zealand
New Zealand’s tax comes in the form of an International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy of around €21 (£17.86), which must be paid upon arrival.
Netherlands
The Netherlands has both a land and water tax. Amsterdam is set to increase its fee by 12.5% in 2024, making it the highest tourist tax in the European Union.
Specific cities may have different fees (Getty Images)Portugal
Portugal has a low tourist tax of €2 (£1.70), which applies to all those over the age of 13. It’s only applicable on the first seven nights of your visit and applies in 13 Portuguese municipalities, including Faro, Lisbon and Porto.
Olhão became the latest area to start charging the fee between April and October. Outside of this period, it gets reduced to €1 (£0.85) and is capped at five nights all year round. The money goes towards minimising the impact of tourism in the Algarve town.
Slovenia
Slovenia also bases its tax on location and hotel rating. In larger cities and resorts, such as Ljubljana and Bled, the fee is higher, but still only around €3 (£2.55) per night.
Spain
Spain applies its Sustainable Tourism Tax to holiday accommodation in the Balearic Islands to each visitor over the age of sixteen. Tourists can be charged up to €4 (£3.40) per night during high season.
Barcelona’s city authorities also announced they plan to increase the city’s tourist tax over the next two years – the fee rose to €3.25 (£2.76) on April 1, 2024. The council said the money would go towards improving infrastructure and services. This is in addition to regional Catalan tax.
Switzerland
Switzerland’s tax varies depending on location, but the per person, per night cost is around €2.20 (£1.87). It tends to be specified as a separate amount on your accommodation bill.
Thailand
Thailand introduced a tourist tax to the price of flights in April 2022, in a similar effort to the Balinese aim of moving away from its rep as a ‘cheap’ holiday destination. The fee for all international visitors is 300 baht (£6.60).
US
The US has an ‘occupancy tax’ which applies across most of the country to travellers renting accommodation such as hotels, motels and inns. Houston in Texas is estimated to be the highest, where they charge you an extra 17% of your hotel bill.
Hawaii could be imposing a ‘green fee’ – initially set at $50 (£39.34) but since lowered to $25 (£19.67) – which would apply to every tourist over the age of 15. It still needs to be passed by lawmakers, but if approved, it will be introduced in 2025.
The European Union
The European Union is planning on introducing a tourist visa, due to start in 2024. The €7 (£5.95) application will have to be filled out by all non-Schengen visitors between the ages of 18 and 70, including Brits and Americans.
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