SMART TRAVELLER

A guide to tourist taxes

For better or worse, countries around the world are seeing a greater number of visitors thanks to cheaper and easier travel. While tourism is certainly lucrative, it can also have a detrimental impact on both the environment and the lives of locals. Various countries have introduced a “tourist tax” to manage crowds, and improve infrastructure and public services. Here is a list of countries that have implemented a levy to combat over-tourism. Fees are collected through hotel room rates and airline fares. Airbnb has signed agreements with governments in select locations to collect and remit local taxes on behalf of hosts – the taxes will be displayed automatically when you pay for a booking.

EUROPE AUSTRIA

Salzburg and Vienna levy 3.02 per cent on accommodation costs per night. Children under 15 years old are exempt.

BELGIUM

Varies by region – Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp charge around $2-$3 per person per night. Under-18s are exempt.

CROATIA

Over-18s are charged 8kn to 10kn (approx $1.14 to $1.42) per person per night during peak season.

CZECH REPUBLIC

Prague charges $0.65 per person per night.

FRANCE

The taxe de séjour is charged per person per night and ranges from $0.20 to $4 depending on accommodation. Under-18s are exempt. A stay in Paris incurs an additional tax of 25 per cent.

GERMANY

The kulturforderabgabe (culture tax) or bettensteuer (bed tax) costs up to $5.33 per person per night depending on the location and accommodation. Berlin charges 5 per cent of the accommodation cost per night.

GREECE

Athens charges from $0.53 to $4 per room per night depending on the standard of accommodation.

HUNGARY

The tourist tax is around $1 to $2 per person per night. In Budapest a 4 per cent nightly tax is added to the price of a room.

ITALY

Varies by city. Rome charges between $4 and $7 and Florence $3 to $5 per person per night. From July this year, Venice will introduce a tax of $3 during the low season and $10 in high season. There are plans to charge day visitors up to $10 per day.

LITHUANIA

In Vilnius tourists are charged $1 per person per night.

MALTA

Under the Eco Contribution Act, a fee of $0.50 per person per night is levied, capped at $5.

MONTENEGRO

Varies by region, but typically costs $1 per person per day.

THE NETHERLANDS

The toeristenbelasting (transient occupancy tax) is charged per person per night but varies across the 400 municipalities. As of January, Amsterdam increased its overnight levy to $3 per person per night, in addition to the 7 per cent tax on the room price per night, making it the highest tourist tax in Europe.

PORTUGAL

Lisbon and Porto charge $2 per person (over 13 years old) per night up to a maximum of seven consecutive nights.

ROMANIA

The taxa hoteliera locala (local hotel tax) is priced at 1 per cent on nightly accommodation fees.

SLOVAKIA

The tourist tax, or city tax, is up to $1.76 per person per night.

SLOVENIA

Varies by region. Ljubljana charges $3.34 per person per day.

SPAIN

The Catalonia region charges $0.48 to $2.40 per person per day; the Balearic Islands up to $4.26 per person per day.

SWITZERLAND

Varies by region, but typically costs SFr 2.50 ($2.52) per person per night. Fees of £1.90-£7.60 ($2.42-$9.66) are added per room per night according to accommodation standard. A $67 ‘airline travel and tourism development fee’ also applies when leaving the island.

JAPAN

The sayonara (farewell) tax is ¥1,000 ($8.86) per person and is paid upon departure through the international air or cruise fare.

MALAYSIA

A flat rate of RM10 ($2.46) per person per night. On leaving the country by air, departure tax ranges from RM8 to RM150 ($1.90-£35.53), and depends on the destination and travel class.

MEXICO

A departure tax of 1,150 pesos ($64) per person when leaving the country by air, often incorporated into airline fares.

NEW ZEALAND

The International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL) costs NZ$35 ($21.79) and is automatically added to the visitor visa fee.

COMING SOON

BALI – Considering a US$10 levy on visitors.

TURKEY – From next month tourists will have to pay up to 18 lira ($2.92) per day depending on the hotel star classification.

UK – Edinburgh plans to charge £2 ($2.54) per person per night from some time this year.