Travelers may encounter a tourist tax or fee depending on their destination.
That additional travel cost could come up if a person visits one of the slew of places around the world that have such charges. Factors that spurred the taxes can vary, ranging from climate change to overtourism, according to reports.
Five locales with tourist taxes or fees include:
Venice, Italy
The roughly $5.35 daily tourist access fee for Venice, home to the Rialto Bridge, Doge’s Palace and St. Mark’s Basilica, launched as a pilot on Thursday after it received the go-ahead from city officials in mid-September. It targets day-trippers coming into the city between 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is required on specific dates in April, May, June and July during the test period.
Japan
International tourists can face an “International Tourist Tax” while exiting Japan, per the Japanese National Tax Agency. It amounts to about $6.30 per departure and must be paid by those taking planes or boats to do so.
Barcelona, Spain
While the city’s nightly tax for travelers staying at tourist accommodations has existed for quite some time, it went up at the beginning of the month, becoming about $3.47. It is capped at seven nights. Catalonia, the region where Barcelona is located, also has a graduated tourist tax that’s size is determined by one’s accommodation, according to The Points Guy.
Bhutan
Bhutan, nestled in the Himalayas in Asia, asks most tourists to hand over nightly Sustainable Development Fees of $100 for adults and $50 for ages 6-12. It charges a differently-priced fee from those coming from India. The money goes toward “various projects that create long-term, sustainable opportunities for the Bhutanese people,” the country’s department of tourism website said.
New Zealand
New Zealand’s tourist tax, called the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy, costs $35. Tourists encounter it during the visa application process. The country requires it for “most people entering New Zealand on a temporary basis” such as vacation and certain student and short-term work visas, according to the government.
Tourism a boon for economy
Travel and tourism provides major benefits to local economies and the global economy alike.
Countries around the world will see travel and tourism produce $11.1 trillion in 2024, according to a report recently released by the World Travel & Tourism Council.
TRAVEL AND TOURISM TO BREAK RECORDS, BRING OVER $11 TRILLION IN 2024: REPORT
Part of that will include spending by international travelers. They will reportedly contribute $1.89 trillion, according to the WTTC.
