Which countries do you have to pay to enter?

Since the pandemic, travel has resumed and destinations that had been crippled by restrictions and closures are once again welcoming tourists. Sometimes too much!

Many countries already have tourist taxes in place and if you have traveled abroad you have probably already paid one, perhaps unknowingly as it is sometimes included in plane tickets or in the taxes you pay at the hotel.

Here’s everything you need to know about the countries you have to pay to enter:

• Barcelona increases its tourist tax

Since 2012, visitors to the Catalan capital must pay the regional tourist tax and a supplement for the whole city.

On April 1, the municipal authorities increased the municipal tax to 2.75 euros. A second increase will take place next year, on April 1, 2024, when the tax will increase to 3.25 euros.

It applies to visitors staying in official tourist accommodation.

The city council said the proceeds would be used to fund city infrastructure, including improved roads, bus services and escalators.

• Valencia imposes a tourist tax in 2023

The city of Valence has announced that it will introduce a tourist tax for all types of stays: it therefore concerns hotels, youth hostels, apartments and campsites.

This tax will come into force at the end of the year 2023 or the beginning of the year 2024.

Visitors will have to pay between 50 cents and 2 euros per night, depending on the type of accommodation chosen, for a maximum of seven nights.

The authorities claim that this tax will be used to finance the sustainable development of the region’s tourism sector. Proceeds will also be used to provide more affordable housing for residents of tourist hotspots.

• Olhão, Portugal introduces a tourist tax in 2023

Olhão, a popular Portuguese fishing town for tourists, will soon start charging visitors a tax of 2 euros per night between April and October.

The tax will be reduced to 1 euro between November and March. It will not apply to children under 16 and will be capped at five nights – a maximum of 10 euros – per trip.

According to local authorities, the tax will be used to minimize the impact of tourism in the Algarve city, including improving cleanliness and safety.

Two of the 16 municipalities in the Algarve already levy a tourist tax: Faro (€1.5 per night, up to seven nights, between March and October) and Vila Real de Santo António (€1 per day, up to seven days).

• Thailand could introduce a tourist tax in 2023

Thailand plans to introduce a tourist tax of 300 baht (8 euros). This tax was originally due to come into force at the end of 2022, but the lack of clarity on its implementation has led to delays.

As Thai elections approach, the tax is still pending.

The governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand told Reuters last year that part of the tax “will be used to take care of tourists“, because it happened that the health insurance did not cover them.

It will also help finance the development of other tourist attractions, such as the Grand Palace in Bangkok.

• Venice will introduce a tourist tax in 2023 or 2024

Venice could start charging tourists who visit it. The implementation of this tax was initially planned for January and then for the summer of 2023, but it has been postponed several times. The effective date is unclear, but it seems unlikely to be this year.

Italian newspaper La Stampa reported last August that several measures have been proposed to control the number of tourists, such as an online reservation system. But other efforts must be made to reduce crowds, including the introduction of an entry fee to the city.

The proposed tax would vary between 3 and 10 euros, depending on whether it is low or high season.

• The EU introduces a tourist visa in 2024

From 2024, third-country nationals, including Americans, Australians, Britons and other non-Schengen travellers, will need to complete a form to enter European territory. The process will cost 7 euros.

Persons under the age of 18 or over 70 will not have to pay this tax.

The system was due to come into force in November 2023, but it was delayed due to the new EU Entry and Exit System (EES).

In which countries do you already have to pay a tourist tax?

Many countries have already implemented a tourist tax: for some, it is a question of limiting the number of tourists; for others, the money is used to maintain tourist facilities and protect natural resources.

In Austria, you pay a tax on overnight stays, which varies depending on the province you are in. In Vienna or Salzburg, you will pay an extra charge of around 3% on the hotel bill, per person.

The tourist tax in Belgium also applies for each night spent on site.

The tax is sometimes included in the price of the hotel room, but some separate it and make it extra.

Antwerp and Bruges apply a rate per room. In Brussels, the rate varies according to the size and classification of the hotel.

In general, it is around 7.50 euros.

While most countries’ tourist taxes are less than 20 euros, those in Bhutan are very high in comparison.

The minimum rate for most foreigners is €228 per person per day (high season).

But this amount covers a lot, including accommodation, in-country transportation, guide services, food, and entrance fees.

Bulgaria applies a tourist tax on overnight stays.

It is very low and varies by region and hotel classification – up to around €1.50.

In most Caribbean islands, tourist taxes are added to the hotel price or departure tax.

Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, Bonaire, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts and -Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Martin, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago and the US Virgin Islands all impose some form of tax on visitors.

These fees range from 13 euros in the Bahamas to 45 euros in Antigua and Barbuda.

Croatia increased its tourist tax in 2019. This increase, however, only applies to the high season, in summer.

Visitors pay around 10 kuna (€1.33) per person per night.

In the Czech Republic, the tourist tax only applies to the capital, Prague.

It is very low (less than €1) and is paid per person per night, up to 60 nights. It does not apply to children under the age of 18.

There is a “tourist tax” to be paid in France. It is added to your hotel bill and varies depending on the city you are in.

Rates range from €0.20 to around €4 per person per night.

Tourism hotspots, such as Paris and Lyon, use this money to maintain tourist infrastructure.

Germany applies what it calls a “cultural tax” (Kulturförderabgabe), as well as a “bed tax” (Bettensteuer), in cities such as Frankfurt, Hamburg and Berlin.

This tax represents approximately 5% of the hotel bill.

The tourist tax in Greece is based on the star rating of the hotel or the number of rooms you rent. It can go up to 4 euros per room.

It was introduced by the Greek Ministry of Tourism to help reduce the country’s debt.

Tourist taxes in Hungary only apply in Budapest.

Travelers must pay an additional 4% per night based on their room rate.

Resort taxes in Indonesia only apply in Bali.

Since 2019, a law stipulates that foreign visitors must pay a tax of around 9 euros.

The revenue from this tax would be allocated to programs to preserve the environment and Balinese culture.

Tourist taxes in Italy depend on where you are.

In Rome, the tax varies from 3 to 7 euros per night depending on the type of room, but some smaller towns charge higher rates.

In Japan, the tourist tax takes the form of a departure tax. Visitors from Japan pay 1,000 yen (about 8 euros) when leaving the country.

Malaysian tourist tax is a flat rate and applies per night.

It hardly exceeds 4 euros per night.

Tourists and some students and workers traveling to New Zealand must pay a tax (International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy – IVL) upon their arrival.

Persons from Australia are however exempt.

The tax is 35 New Zealand dollars, or about 21 euros.

The Netherlands has a land visitor’s tax and an aquatic visitor’s tax.

In Amsterdam, it amounts to 7% of the price of a hotel room. She is called toeristenbelasting.

In Portugal, a small tourist tax must be paid per night and per person. It only applies to customers aged 13 and over.

It amounts to around 2 euros and currently applies in 13 of the 308 municipalities in Portugal, including the cities of Porto, Lisbon and Faro.

You only have to pay it for the first seven days of your stay.

The tourist tax in Slovenia varies according to the geographical location and the category of the hotel.

It is slightly higher in large cities and resorts, including Ljubljana and Bled – about 3 euros.

If you are going to Ibiza or Majorca, you will have to pay a tourist tax.

The sustainable tourist tax, which applies to holiday accommodation in the Balearic Islands (Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza, Formentera), also applies to all holidaymakers aged 16 or over.

In high season, the tax can reach up to 4 euros per night.

The tourist tax in Switzerland varies depending on the location. It is calculated per night and per person and amounts to approximately 2.20 euros.

Accommodation offers usually do not include the tourist tax – it is specified as a separate amount, which makes it easier to track.

It only applies to stays of less than 40 days.

In most of the United States, travelers who rent accommodation must pay a hotel tax or lodging tax. It is also called occupancy tax.

These taxes apply to hotels, motels and inns. The rate is highest in Houston, with a 17% tax on the hotel bill.