Come 2024, travel to some Schengen countries is likely to get costlier! Various European destinations will be imposing a tourist tax, some as a measure to recover losses that they incurred due to COVID-19 and others to generate additional income.
As per reports, some destinations like Figueira da Foz in Portugal, are implementing entry fees, citing the economic impact of COVID-19 or the need for additional income. Paris and Amsterdam are raising tourist taxes, while the United Kingdom plans to introduce a €7 fee for visitor applications. Check the full list here:
Paris, France
Starting January 2024, tourists in Paris will face a nearly 200% increase in the tourist tax for hotel stays. The policymakers have approved the bill to raise the tourist tax for visitors.
This means that visitors to Paris in 2024 can expect a nightly fee for a double room at a highly-rated hotel to be more than €11.
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Meanwhile, policymakers in Amsterdam have decided to raise it to 12.5% of the hotel room price. All cruise passengers, as well as overnight visitors, will be obliged to pay this tax.
As per SchengenVisaInfo.com calculation, the tax tourists for cruise-ship passengers will increase from €8 to €11 per visitor, which also applies daily.
Venice, Italy
Beginning in 2024, Venice plans to implement a daily fee for visitors, initiating a pilot program during spring and summer weekends.
Valencia, Barcelona and Madrid, Spain
Valencia plans to implement a tourist tax in early 2024 for accommodation stays, varying between €0.50 and €2 per night based on the type of lodging and duration.
Barcelona is also set to raise tourist taxes, which have been introduced to visitors since 2018. More specifically, visitors to the city have had to pay both the regional tourist tax and the one for the city.
In April 2023, the authorities increased the fee to €3.25, while a year later, in April 2024, the fee will be €3.2, indicating an increase of €0.50.
Similarly, the Spanish capital has also considered introducing a new tourist tax in 2024. However, the measure has not been confirmed yet.
UK
Starting in 2024, the UK will introduce the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA). Visitors from the US, Australia, Canada, and Europe must obtain permission to travel to British territories. Traveling without an ETA may lead to fines.
Olhao, Faro and Figueira da Foz, Portugal
Popular tourist destination Olhao will apply a €2 charge for visitors who spend a night in accommodation spots between April and October, while those who visit between November and March will pay only half of the price – €1 for every night spent.
The measure will exclude children under 16 and those who pay a maximum of €10 during their stay.
Meanwhile, Faro imposes a tourist tax of €1.50 per person during the summer season (March to October), applicable for a maximum of seven nights. Children under 12 are exempted.
Figueira da Foz will start imposing a municipal tourist tax, which will depend on the number of nights spent at the destination as well as the season when the visit is conducted.
Overnight stays from October to March will cost €1.50 per night, while visits that fall between April and September will cost €2 per night spent, as per SchengenVisaInfo.com
