Several major cities have recently implemented or raised their tourism taxes, with Venice in Italy reintroducing an entrance fee to address issues related to excessive tourism.
In efforts to manage overtourism, Venice has brought back its ‘day-tripper’ charge, requiring visitors to pay an entry fee when visiting the historical city. The fee varies depending on the timing of the booking, with prices ranging from approximately £4.35 (€5) for advanced bookings to around £8.69 (€10) for last-minute visits, especially on weekends in peak travel months like April, May, June, and July.
Concurrently, various popular destinations have increased their tourism taxes, including Barcelona in Spain, which has now doubled its tourism tax rates to become the highest in Europe. Tourists staying in holiday rentals or hotels in Barcelona will face higher nightly charges compared to previous rates, with the aim of managing overcrowding and housing challenges faced by locals due to the influx of tourists.
Moreover, Tenerife plans to introduce an ‘eco-tax’ for visitors exploring its El Teide National Park, with fees capped at around €25 (approximately £21) per person, depending on the chosen trail. The move comes as part of initiatives to regulate tourism activities and preserve natural attractions.
Starting July 24, Edinburgh will implement a ‘Transient Visitor Levy’ on accommodations like hotels, B&Bs, and Airbnbs, adding an extra 5% to the room rate per night, capped at a maximum stay of seven consecutive days.
In January of this year, Brussels increased its tourist tax rates, with visitors now required to pay €5 per night for hotel stays and €4 per night for campsite accommodations. This adjustment aims to support local tourism initiatives and enhance visitor experiences.
Picture-perfect Norway has granted individual municipalities the authority to levy a 3% tourist tax, with destinations like Lofoten and Tromsø already planning to implement the tax to manage tourism impacts sustainably.
Conversely, Bucharest, the capital of Romania, has introduced a modest tourist levy to boost its appeal as a favored holiday destination, with a nightly tax of approximately £1.70 (10 Romanian Leu) on accommodations starting in 2026.