Half of British travellers could abandon popular holiday hotspots across Europe if proposed tourist taxes are implemented, according to new research. Barcelona, Amsterdam, and the Canary Islands are introducing measures to combat over-tourism, which occurs when there are too many visitors to a particular destination.
New data from travel insurance provider Staysure has found that 51 percent of British holidaymakers would be less likely to visit a destination if a tourist tax was brought it, with 16 percent saying they would not visit the country at all.
Simon McCulloch, Staysure’s chief commercial officer, said: “Since the pandemic, more countries have introduced some form of tourist tax, to boost local economies through charging travellers a daily fee.
“The objective is to temper over-tourism, whilst generating income for preservation, building infrastructure and to help the many local businesses and livelihoods that suffered during Covid-19.”
A variable per-day tourist charge, reaching up to €3.25 (£2.79), is currently in place in parts of Spain, including the Balearic Islands and Barcelona. Taxes were also recently introduced in Venice, as well as in Bali.
More than half of Brits (54 percent) also said they would be less likely to visit a location if they were aware of locals protesting against over-tourism, with 22 percent saying they would not visit at all.
In recent months, British travellers arriving in Tenerife have been met with anti-tourist graffiti – and a tense reception from locals.
Graffiti with messages reading “tourists go home” and “too many guiris” have popped up near resorts over the island.
Guiri is a Spanish slang word for foreigner, which is often used in a negative way to describe northern European or American visitors and expats.
One poster taped to a wall, which was shared on social media, said: “Locals are forced to move out and YOU are responsible for that … digital nomads you are NOT welcome here.”
Locals say Airbnbs are pushing up the costs of renting and the cost of living, while they are sick of the noise and rubbish pollution that comes with the seasonal influx of holidaymakers.
The most popular destinations cited in the survey of 2,000 respondents were Barcelona (48 percent), the Canary Islands (45 percent) and Amsterdam (41 percent).
But with tourist taxes set to come in with the new tax year, holidaymakers choosing to visit these destinations could soon be facing additional charges, particularly in the peak summer season.
More than half surveyed (54 percent) felt that tourists should be considered a protected group by the government in countries where tourism contributes significantly to the economy, furthering the opposition to any additional taxes or laws.
However, 91 percent also agreed that tourists do have a responsibility for helping to preserve a country’s environment and its way of life.
Notably, 87 percent felt that social media played a role in poor behaviour, particularly from those taking photos, videos, or engaging in potentially risky behaviour around popular landmarks.
Mr McCulloch added: “What this data highlights are the unintended consequences of introducing a tourist tax.
“In a cost-of-living crisis, every penny does count and when saving up for that well-deserved holiday, consumers may not expect to be met with additional charges.
“Holidaymakers will need to plan for these extra costs and build them into their overall holiday budget, along with buying their travel insurance policy, to ensure they have all things covered as soon as they book a trip.
“It’s possible we’ll see a change in consumer behaviour when the increasing cost of travel meets with an additional local tax burden.
“The large number of tourists that once flocked to these destinations simply may not feel welcome anymore or may feel that visiting a destination that is over-visited may not be the best thing for them from a sustainability or experience perspective.
“While tourist taxes might feel like the only option, other solutions may need to be considered to create the right balance between the economic benefits of tourism and the cultural and environmental challenges that can be problematic for the local communities.”
