A number of popular destinations around the world have introduced a tourist tax to cope with demand and help with the upkeep of maintaining tourism.
Recent reports have suggested locals in popular travel locations are suffering as a result of tourism, with landlords buying up holiday lets and pricing residents out.
In places like Venice, authorities are struggling to cope with damage left behind by the number of tourists visiting.
Some destinations have opted to introduce a tourist tax, forcing visitors to pay a fee on top of their usual travel expenses.
Barcelona has had a tourist tax since 2012, with visitors having to pay both the regional tourist tax and an extra city-wide surcharge.
In 2022, authorities announced that this amount would be increasing. On April 1 2023, the municipal fee increased to £2.35 (€2.75).
A second increase will happen on April 1 2024, when the fee will rise to £2.78 (€3.25). The tax only applies to visitors staying in official tourist accommodation.
The council said the money would be used towards funding the city’s infrastructure, including improvements to roads, bus services and escalators.
Valencia is introducing a tourist tax in 2024 for travellers staying in all types of accommodation. Officially called the Valencian Tax on Tourist Stays (IVET), it is unclear what date this will come into effect.
Visitors will have to pay between 43p (50 cents) and £1.71 (€2) per night depending on their chosen accommodation, for up to seven nights. Cruise ship passengers will pay £1.28 (€1.50) per day.
Authorities said the money will go towards developing the tourist sector, with proceeds also being used to provide more affordable accommodation for locals.
This popular fishing town imposed a tax in 2023, charging visitors £1.71 (€2) between April and October.
The tax is reduced to 86p (€1) between November and March. It will not apply to children under the age of 16 and it will be capped at five nights – so a maximum of £8.55 (€10) – per trip.
The fee is hoped to reduce the impact of tourism on the Algarve town, improving cleanliness and security.
Two of the Algarve’s 16 municipalities already charged a tourist tax: Faro (£1.28 per night up to seven nights between March and October) and Vila Real de Santo António (86p per day up to seven days).
Bali is a popular spot for millions of tourists hoping to catch a glimpse of the beautiful island. And while tourism generates a big income for the province, it has caused some issues.
From February 14 2024, international and domestic arrivals will have to pay a fee of IDR 150,000 (£7.53). This will need to be paid at special booths at Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport.
Authorities said it would be a quick 30 second process and that it would “preserve the environment, nature and culture as well as improving quality” of Bali.
Venice has been named as one of the most overtouristed cities in Europe, with officials saying it has suffered “irreversible damage”.
With thousands of visitors crammed into the narrow streets, litter and structural damage is an issue for this beautiful city.
Visitors will have to pay a fee of £4.28 (€5) to enter on peak weekends and other days between April and mid-July in a trial period.
The entry fee is hoped to cut back on crowds and the number of tourists visiting.
