Lesser known facts about this inhumane punishment
Thailand introduced a tourist tax to the price of flights in April 2022. The fee for all international visitors is 300 baht (US$8.44).
In Saint Lucia, for example, it's around 8%, whereas in the Dominican Republic it's 18%.
Several states in the US, including California and Texas, have an occupancy tax, which you pay when you book your accommodation.
Most of the Caribbean islands charge a tourist tax. The price ranges depending on the island.
Since January 2024, Iceland has reinstated their tourist tax, which costs US$4.36 per night. It comes after annual tourist numbers reached an estimated 2.3 million per year.
Since February 2024, travelers have to pay 150,000 rupiah (USD$9.59) upon entering Bali.
Malaysia has a flat-rate tax that it applies to each night you stay, at around US$4.35 a night.
In Prague, tourist tax typically costs around CZK50 (US$1.97) per night.
Tourist tax in Hungary only applies in Budapest. Travelers have to pay an extra 4% nightly on the price of their room.
Amsterdam has an overnight tourist tax of 12.5%, making it one of the most expensive in Europe. Furthermore, the city has a tax specific to transit visitors, including people on cruise ships, that charges €14 (US$15.26) per 24-hour period.
The Croatian tourist tax depends on the season and location, but it's only around €1.33 (US$1.45) per night.
Portugal has a low tourist tax of €2 (US$2.18) per night, which applies to all those over the age of 13. It applies in 13 Portuguese municipalities, including Lisbon and Porto.
Depending on municipality, the tourist tax in Bulgaria ranges from 0.20 lev to 3 lev (US$0.11 to $1.67) a night.
Austria charges visitors a nightly accommodation tax, which differs depending on the province. In Vienna and Salzburg, around 3.2% is added onto your accommodation bill.
Slovenia bases its tax on location and hotel rating. In larger cities and resorts, such as Ljubljana and Bled, the fee is higher and only around €3 (US$3.40) per night.
The price you pay in Greece depends on the standard and size of your accommodation. It tends to be around €4 (US$4.36) per night.
In Brussels, tourist tax varies depending on a hotel's size and rating, and can reach €7.50 (US$8.17) per night. However, it varies from city to city.
Several cities in Spain have recently decided to raise the price of their tourist tax, including Barcelona, where the fee is €4 (US$4.54) per night.
Bucharest charges a tax of 1% of the hotel's room rate. Major cities charge a city tax, and mountain and sea towns charge a rescue tax.
Switzerland's tourist tax also varies depending on the location. A common amount is 2.50 Swiss francs (US$2.50) per night.
Italy's tourist tax varies depending on your location. Rome's fee ranges from €3 to €7 (US$3.40 to $7.94) a night, depending on the type of room. In 2024, Venice started charging day-trippers €5 ($5.40) during high season.
Travelers visiting New Zealand have to pay an International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL), which costs US$23.94.
Germany has a "culture tax," called kulturförderabgabe, and a "bed tax," bettensteuer, in cities including Frankfurt, Hamburg, and Berlin. It tends to be around 5% of your hotel bill.
France's taxe de séjour varies depending on city, and tends to be added to your hotel bill per night. The tax is used to maintain tourism infrastructure in popular destinations, such as Paris and Nice.
Bhutan has long been known for its steep tourist taxes and charges. The current daily fee for the majority of visitors is US$100.
Japan has a 1,000 yen (US$9.25) fee, paid by international visitors as they leave the country.
The highest hotel tax in the country is in Houston, where there's a 17% tax on your hotel bill.
Sources: (CN Traveller) (Time Out) (Business Insider)
If you've traveled, you've likely paid a tourist tax before. However, you may have never noticed it, as it's often worked into airline tickets or the taxes you pay at your accommodation. Originally, tourist tax was introduced by certain governments with the aim of tempering over-tourism and generating income from large numbers of travelers entering the destination. Now, the money from the tax also goes to protecting natural resources and maintaining tourism facilities.
Intrigued? Click on to discover the countries that charge a tourist tax.
Countries where you have to pay to be a tourist
More and more popular travel destinations are introducing tourist taxes
TRAVEL Destinations
If you've traveled, you've likely paid a tourist tax before. However, you may have never noticed it, as it's often worked into airline tickets or the taxes you pay at your accommodation. Originally, tourist tax was introduced by certain governments with the aim of tempering over-tourism and generating income from large numbers of travelers entering the destination. Now, the money from the tax also goes to protecting natural resources and maintaining tourism facilities.
Intrigued? Click on to discover the countries that charge a tourist tax.