Planning a summer break? Remember to budget for ‘tourist tax’
If you’re heading off on your summer holidays in the next couple of months, remember to check whether you’ll have to pay a tourist tax when you get there.
Several countries have introduced or increased so-called tourist taxes in recent months, and in some cases these can add a big chunk onto your holiday costs. The aim of these taxes is to prevent popular destinations from being overrun by tourists and to generate an income from visitors.
Here’s our rundown of some of the countries and cities where you’ll pay tourist tax, and how much it will set you back. Not all destinations that impose tourist taxes are listed here so if you can’t see your holiday destination below, make sure you carry out your own checks before you go.
Portugal
Visitors to the municipality of Portimão in Portugal from this summer will be charged €2 per person per night if visiting between April and September, with the fee dropping to €1 (85p) between October and March. Children under the age of 13 don’t have to pay the tax.
Tourist taxes also apply in several other municipalities in Portugal, including Lisbon and Porto, with Lisbon city council last month approving a proposal to increase its tourist tax on overnight stays from €2 to €4 per night. The proposal is currently undergoing a 30-day public consultation period.
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Paris
The amount of the tourist tax payable when you visit Paris varies from €0.65 per person per night for 1 and 2-star campsites, to €14.95 if you’re lucky enough to be staying in one of the city’s palaces.
This amount must be displayed in the accommodation and shown on any bill you’re issued with, but is not always included in the price of the accommodation when you book, so you may be asked to pay it separately by your accommodation provider.
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Spain
Visitors to the Balearic Islands must pay between €1-€4 per person per night depending on the type of accommodation they are staying in, with those in the most luxurious hotels paying the highest charges.
If you’re visiting Barcelona, you must pay €3.25 to the city on top of the regional tourist tax, which ranges from between €0.60 and €3.50 per person per night, again depending on the type of accommodation. That means a couple staying in a five-star hotel will pay a total of €13.50 per night (€6.75 per night per person), so €94.50 a week (€47.25 per person).
Croatia
The amount you’ll pay for tourist tax if you’re holidaying in Croatia depends on when you’re travelling and where you are staying, but for example, in Dubrovnik it is €2.65 per person per night between April to September, reduced to €1.86 per night if you’re travelling outside these months. Children under the age of 12 are exempt and those aged 12-18 get 50% off.
Venice
Visitors to Venice who stay overnight in a hotel or other accommodation need to pay a tourist tax for the first five consecutive days of their stay. The rate varies between €1 and €5 per person per night, depending on the time of year and the location and type of accommodation.
There’s also a recently introduced ‘day tripper’ tourist tax which applies only to visitors to the old city who aren’t staying overnight, and costs €5 a day. This is currently being imposed during a trial period between the hours of 8.30am and 4pm on certain days. You can check whether you’ll have to pay on the official Venice Access Fee website (www.cda.ve.it).