After the summer holiday lull, offices are filling up once again. But it won’t be long before workers’ tanned and refreshed faces fade, prompting plans for their next trip. When it comes, they are highly likely to encounter some sort of tourist tax along the way. Whether applied to hotel stays, museum visits, or national park entries, paying extra for the privilege of being a tourist is becoming more common.
Many destinations, from Ibiza to Bhutan, have long imposed visitor levies, but governments across the world are now warming to them. Venice and Bali began charging entry fees this year. Greece introduced a “climate crisis resilience fee” in January as part of a wider crackdown on excessive tourism. Edinburgh started a consultation this month to implement a “transient visitor levy”, and last week New Zealand announced a near tripling of its tax from October 1.
For travellers still reeling from high post-pandemic inflation in airfares and accommodation, this may seem unfair. After all, tourism props up local economies. The industry employs about 330mn people worldwide, and accounts for just under 10 per cent of the global economy. Travel also supports education and cultural exchange, not to mention stress relief. Why make it costlier?