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What is tourist tax and why should I care?
It's a tax introduced by governments with the aim of reducing over-tourism and creating income from the large numbers of travellers entering the destination. Why should you care? Because the tax is coming out of your back pocket!
Do I need to pay the fee every time I enter these countries?
Yes, however, the cost is often included in the accommodation price.
What countries are included?
Now that's out of the way, let's get to the juicy part. Which countries are introducing this tax, and which countries already have it?
Valencia in Spain will impose a tourist tax in 2024
In Italy, Venice will begin asking charging tourists a fee in 2024
Tourist tax will be imposed on travellers visiting Bali from 14 February 2024
In 2025, the UK will have a new system called Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), meaning that visitors from the US, Europe, Australia and Canada will be required to apply for permission and pay to enter the country.
Next year, the EU will begin implementing a new tourist visa, in which non-EU citizens travelling from outside the Schengen zone will need to fill out a €7 application to enter the country.
What countries already have a tourist tax?
Austria: the cost of tourist tax is typically added onto your accommodation, and is around 3.2% in Vienna.
Belgium: in Brussels, tourist tax is usually below £3.50, and is added onto your accommodation cost, but it varies from city to city.
Bhutan: has a whopping daily Sustainable Development Fee of £157 for adults. 😱
Bulgaria: tourist tax in Bulgaria varies on destination and hotel standard, but it is usually below £1.30.
Caribbean Islands: most of the Caribbean islands charge tourist tax, and the price ranges depending on the island – in St Lucia, for example, it is around 8 per cent, whereas in the Dominican Republic, it is 18%- something to keep in mind!
Croatia: the cost of tourist tax in Croatia depends on the season you are travelling in and where you are staying, but it ranges from 20p to 70p per day.
Czech Republic: in Prague, tourist tax typically costs around CZK 50 per night (around £1.71).
France: here tourist tax is based on where you stay, but the standard cost is between 20p and £4.30 per night.
Germany: it varies from city to city – in Berlin, the standard tourist tax is 5% of the accommodation price.
Greece: the price you pay in Greece depends on the standard and size of your accommodation. Usually £3.50 per night maximum.
Hungary: travellers should expect to pay 4% of the cost of accommodation per night.
Italy: depending on the city, tourist tax can be somewhere between 80p and £6.10 per night.
Japan: if you’re travelling to Japan, expect to pay 1,000 yen (about £5.50) in tourist tax.
Malaysia: in 2023, the cost of tourist tax across Malaysia is £1.68 per night.
New Zealand: travellers visiting New Zealand have to pay an International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL) which costs $35 NZD (£16.80)
Portugal: this country charges tourist tax in 13 cities, including Lisbon and Porto. The cost is £1.75 per night.
Thailand: the expected tourist tax for travellers visiting Thailand is around (£6.83.)
The Netherlands: Amsterdam is one of Europe’s most expensive places for tourist tax – currently the rate states at 7% of accommodation price plus a flat rate of €3 (£2.61)per person per night
Switzerland: the price of tourist tax here varies depending on the destination, and it ranges from CHF 2 (£1.81) to CHF 7 (£6.34) per person per night.
Slovenia: again, the rate changes from destination to destination (higher in cities than in more rural areas), but generally the cost is around €3 (£2.61)
Spain: several cities in Spain have recently decided to raise the price of tourist tax, and other cities are in discussions about following suit. In Barcelona, the fee is €4 (£3.48), whereas in the Balearic Islands, the fee is between €1 (87p).
USA: when travelling to the USA from the UK, visitors need to apply for an ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorisation), which is a type of visa allowing travellers to stay in the country for up to 90 stays. It is valid for two years. The cost of an ESTA is $21 (about £17)