Travel
Barcelona increases its tourist tax this week: Where else will you have to pay to enter in 2024?
From the Algarve to Barcelona, fees are being introduced to try and combat overtourism.
Overtourism could have been 2023’s word of the year in the travel industry.
News of the negative impacts of too many tourists was everywhere. The world’s most popular destinations, like Venice, Barcelona and New Zealand, are struggling to keep visitor numbers under control.
What is the problem with overtourism? Well, local residents suffer as property becomes unaffordable due to landlords buying up holiday lets. Authorities struggle to manage the rubbish left behind by tourists, and pollution contributes to the climate crisis.
One tactic that destinations are banking on, literally, is tourist taxes: fees that visitors have to pay, on top of the usual expenses like accommodation and food.
This is not a new concept, of course. If you’ve travelled abroad, you’ve likely paid a tourist tax before. You may never even have noticed it – as it’s sometimes worked into airline tickets or the taxes you pay at your hotel.
Read on for the places that introduced tourist taxes in 2023, and those that are to come in 2024.
Barcelona is increasing its tourist tax (again) in 2024
In 2022, city authorities announced that Barcelona’s tourist tax would be increased over the next two years.
Since 2012, visitors to the Catalan capital have had to pay both the regional tourist tax and an extra city-wide surcharge.
On 1 April 2023, city authorities increased the municipal fee to €2.75.
A second increase will happen on 1 April 2024, when the fee will rise to €3.25.
The tax applies to visitors staying in official tourist accommodation.
The council said the proceeds will be used to fund the city’s infrastructure, including improvements to roads, bus services and escalators.
Portimão, Portugal, introduced tourist tax in March 2024
Portimão has followed in the footsteps of neighbouring towns by introducing a tourist tax in March.
The port city in Portugal’s Algarve will vary the tax from high to low season, setting it at €2 per night from April to October and €1 per night from November to March.
Olhão, a Portuguese fishing town popular with tourists, similarly started charging visitors €2 a night between April and October last year. The tax is reduced to €1 between November and March. It does not apply to children under the age of 16 and is capped at five nights – so a maximum of €10 – per trip.
The fees are being used to minimise the impact of tourism on the Algarve towns, including improving cleanliness, security and sustainability.
Two of the Algarve’s 16 municipalities already charged 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).
Bali: Tourist tax introduced in February 2024
Known as the Land of the Gods, Bali attracts visitors from all over the world to its beaches, islands and spiritual culture.
But tourism also means problems and Bali is hoping to solve some of these with a new tax that must be paid to enter the country.
Since 14 February 2024, international and domestic arrivals have to pay a fee of IDR 150,000 (€8.80). This needs to be paid at special booths at Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport. Authorities say the process takes less than 30 seconds.
They said the proceeds go towards projects that ‘preserve the environment, nature and culture as well as improving quality’ of Bali.
Is Thailand introducing a tourist fee in 2024?
Back in 2022, it was rumoured that a tourist tax would be introduced in June 2023. This didn’t happen, then the next deadline of October didn’t happen either. And there have been no confirmed plans for 2024.
Airlines and airline-representing bodies are said to have challenged the fee.
When it was first rumoured, it was said the tax would be 300 Baht (€8).
In 2022, the governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand told Reuters news agency that part of the fee will “be used to take care of tourists” as there have been times when health insurance didn’t cover them. It will also help finance further developments of tourist attractions, such as the Grand Palace in Bangkok.
Venice’s tourist tax: When will visitors have to pay to enter in 2024?
Venice‘s tourist tax has been the subject of much debate and delays. The city is one of the most overtouristed in Europe, forcing locals out of the city centre’s narrow and crowded streets.
It is now confirmed that the lagoon city will trial an entry fee for part of 2024.
Visitors will have to pay a fee of €5 to enter on peak weekends and other days between April and mid-July – 29 days in total.
The day-tripper fee will be in force during peak hours (8.30 am – 4 pm), meaning visitors who come into Venice for dinner or a concert won’t have to pay.
The entry fee aims to reduce crowds, encourage longer visits and improve quality of life for residents.
Proceeds from the entry fees will go towards services that help the residents of the city, like maintenance, cleaning and reducing living costs.
Read this article for full details on Venice’s tourist tax.
These are all the countries where you already have to pay a tourist fee to get in
Many countries already have a tourist fee in place, for a variety of reasons.
For some, it’s to do with trying to curb the number of tourists and to prevent overtourism.
For others it’s almost like a sustainability tax on each visitor. The money from these taxes goes towards maintaining tourism facilities and protecting natural resources.
Austria
In Austria you pay an overnight accommodation tax, which varies depending on which province you’re in. In Vienna or Salzburg, you’ll pay an extra 3.02 per cent on the hotel bill per person.
The tourism levy is also known as Tourismusgesetz and Berherbergungsbeiträge.
Belgium
The tourist tax in Belgium is also applied to accommodation, for every night you stay there.
The fee is sometimes included in the room rate of the hotel but some separate the cost out and make it a supplemental charge, so you need to check your bill carefully.
Antwerp and Bruges charge a rate per room. The rate in Brussels varies depending on the hotel’s size and rating.
In general it’s around €7.50.
Bhutan
While most countries’ tourist fees are below around €20, Bhutan’s tax is sky high in comparison.
The minimum daily fee for most foreigners is: $250 (€228) per person per day during high season and slightly less in low season.
But it covers a lot, including accommodation, transportation in the country, a guide, food, and entry fees.
Bulgaria
Bulgaria applies a tourist fee on overnight stays.
It’s very low and varies depending on area and hotel classification – up to around €1.50.
Caribbean Islands
Most Caribbean islands have tourist taxes added to the hotel cost or a departure fee.
Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, the Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, Bonaire, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Maarten, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, and the US Virgin Islands all have some form of fee for visitors.
Fees range from €13 in the Bahamas to €45 in Antigua and Barbuda.
Croatia
Croatia raised its tourist tax in 2019. The increased rate only applies during peak season in the summer though.
Visitors pay around 10 kuna (€1.33) per person per night.
Czech Republic
You only need to pay a tourist fee in the Czech Republic when visiting the capital city, Prague.
It is very small (under €1) and paid per person, per night, up to 60 nights. The tax does not apply to children under 18.
France: Higher tourist tax in Paris thanks to the 2024 Olympics
There is a ‘taxe de séjour’ to pay in France. It is added to your hotel bill and varies depending on which city you are in.
The rates range from €0.20 to around €4 per person, per night.
Tourist hotspots like Paris and Lyon use the money to maintain tourism infrastructure.
In anticipation of the 2024 Olympics, the tourist tax on hotel rooms have increased by 200 per cent, as of January 2024.
Depending on the type of accommodation, the fee ranges from €0.75 to €15 per night.
Germany
Germany has what they call a ‘culture tax’ (‘kulturförderabgabe’), and also a “bed tax” (a bettensteuer), in cities including Frankfurt, Hamburg, and Berlin.
The fee is around 5 per cent of your hotel bill.
Greece
The tourist tax in Greece is based on the number of hotel stars or number of rooms you’re renting. It can be anything up to €4 per room.
It was introduced by the Greek Ministry of Tourism to help cut the country’s debt.
Hungary
Tourist fees in Hungary only apply in Budapest.
Travellers have to pay an extra 4 per cent every night based on the price of their room.
Italy
Tourist taxes in Italy depend on where you are. In Sicily, fees range from €1 to €3 per night.
Whereas, Rome’s fee ranges from €3 to €7 per night depending on the type of room, but some smaller cities charge more.
Japan
In Japan it comes in the form of a departure tax. Visitors to Japan pay 1,000 yen (around €8) as they leave the country.
The official tourism website claims this small tax makes “a significant difference” to the economy.
Malaysia
Malaysia’s tourist tax is a flat rate and applied per night you stay.
It’s not much more than about €4 a night.
New Zealand
Many tourists, people on working holidays, and some students and workers coming to New Zealand must pay an International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL) when they arrive.
But people from Australia are exempt.
It’s $35 New Zealand dollars which is around €21.
The Netherlands
The Netherlands has a land tourist tax and a water tourist tax.
In Amsterdam, this currently amounts to 7 per cent of the cost of a hotel room. It’s called ‘toeristenbelasting’.
In 2024, it will rise to 12.5 per cent, making it the highest tourist tax in Europe. It will apply to cruise passengers and overnight visitors alike.
Portugal
Portugal’s low tourist tax is paid per person per night and is only applicable to guests who are 13 and over.
It’s around €2 and currently applies in 13 of Portugal’s 308 municipalities, including the cities of Porto, Lisbon and Faro.
You only have to pay it on the first seven days of your stay.
Slovenia
The tourist tax in Slovenia varies based on location and hotel rating.
It’s slightly higher in larger cities and resort towns, including Ljubljana and Bled – around €3.
Spain
If you’re heading to Ibiza or Majorca, you’ll have to pay a tourist tax.
The Sustainable Tourist Tax, which applies to holiday accommodation on Spain’s Balearic Islands (Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza, Formentera), also applies to each holidaymaker aged 16 or over.
During the high season, the tax can reach up to €4 per night.
Valencia, meanwhile, scrapped plans to introduce a tourist tax in 2024 following last year’s election.
Switzerland
The tourist tax in Switzerland varies depending on the location. The cost is per night and per person and is around €2.20.
Quotes for accommodation usually do not include the tourist tax – it is specified as a separate amount, so it’s easier to keep track of.
And it only applies to stays under 40 days.
USA
A hotel tax or lodging tax for travellers renting accommodation is charged in most of the United States. It’s also called an occupancy tax.
The fees apply at hotels, motels and inns. The highest rate is reportedly paid in Houston, with a 17 per cent tax on your hotel bill.
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The UK’s Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system has officially expanded to European travellers.
Starting 2 April 2025, all EU (except Irish nationals), EEA, and Swiss citizens need ETA approval to enter the UK.
The system became mandatory for travellers from the US, Canada and Australia on 8 January 2025, following its rollout last November for nationals of Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
To obtain the visa waiver, which costs £10 (€12) from today or £16 (€19) from 9 April, travellers need to complete an online process – but some British citizens with dual nationality are already flagging issues.
How to apply for the UK’s ETA visa waiver
Travellers can either use the official mobile app, which can be downloaded from the UK government website, or apply online here.
To complete the application, you need the passport you’ll be travelling on, an email address and a credit card, debit card, Apple Pay or Google Pay. You will have to answer a set of suitability questions. You don’t need to enter your travel details.
The government advises applying at least three working days before your trip.
You can delete the app when you’ve finished applying. Your ETA will be linked to your passport digitally, and you will not need to show anything else when you enter the UK.
Though it seems pretty simple, the application process has left a handful of British dual nationals confused about whether they need to apply for the visa waiver or not.
ETA application issues for British dual nationals
In theory, British citizens with dual nationality do not need ETA and should be able to travel to the UK on whatever passport they choose.
But confusion has arisen for those who don’t have a British passport because theirs is expired, lost, or they were never issued with one.
If they choose to travel on their EU passport, the process of applying for ETA – and whether it is necessary – remains unclear.
The ETA application form asks travellers to declare any other nationalities, but the drop-down menu does not give the option to select ‘British citizen’.
Should British dual nationals continue with their application without declaring their ‘secondary’ nationality, they would theoretically be forced to give misinformation about their dual nationality.
Euronews Travel posed the question to an ETA advisor from the Home Office on their web chat.
The advisor refused to give guidance about not declaring British nationality on the ETA form. They stated that if you are a dual citizen with British/Irish citizenship, you do not need an ETA.
However, “you prove your permission to travel using your valid British/Irish passport or other passport containing a certificate of entitlement to the right of abode in the UK.”
When asked what to do if the traveller is not in possession of any of these documents, the advisor responded, “You either need to apply for a British passport or a certificate of entitlement”.
Renewing a UK passport from overseas costs £101 (€123), while a certificate of entitlement comes with a £550 (€658) fee. Both application processes take several weeks.
Euronews Travel has reached out to the Home Office for official guidance.
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Flames and smoke shot through the air as the volcanic fissure opened near the town of Grindavik.
A volcano began erupting in southwestern Iceland on Tuesday as tourists at the nearby Blue Lagoon and residents of local communities were evacuated.
Flames and smoke shot through the air as a fissure opened near the town of Grindavík, about 50 kilometres southwest of the capital, Reykjavik, where roughly 40 homes have been evacuated, according to national broadcaster RUV.
Residents mostly vacated the community, located on the Reykjanes Peninsula, in 2023 when the volcano came to life after lying dormant for 800 years.
A swarm of small earthquakes began at around 6:30am local time on 1 April, similar to previous eruptions. The eruption just north of the protective barrier near Grindavík then began at 9:45am, according to Iceland’s Met Office (IMO).
Warning sirens started to sound when the orange-red fissure reached the town’s defence walls at around 10am. IMO has said that the fissure is now around 700 metres long, and “it cannot be ruled out that it may continue to open further south.”
Iceland sits above a volcanic hotspot in the North Atlantic and, on average, sees one eruption every four to five years.
Experts have warned that volcanic activity in the Reykjanes peninsula has entered a new era, with the frequency of eruptions having surged. This is the 11th such event to have occurred since 2021, when this new eruption period began.
Iceland’s Blue Lagoon closed until further notice
The Blue Lagoon is one of Iceland’s biggest tourist attractions. Authorities evacuated guests from the geothermal spa, moving them to nearby hotels when it became clear an eruption was imminent.
It will remain closed through 1 April, and the situation will be assessed later on, according to a message posted on the Blue Lagoon’s website. All guests with bookings during this temporary closure will be contacted.
A ‘red alert’ has been issued for the town of Grindavík, and the area around it is closed off. It will remain closed until further notice.
Travellers have been asked to respect the closures and instructions from local authorities and to stay away while conditions are being assessed, according to Safe Travel Iceland.
During previous eruptions, tourists and locals keen to see the majestic event first-hand have been repeatedly warned to stay away from Reykjanes.
Though it is yet to be updated for the most recent eruption, the UK’s FCDO says eruptions and earthquakes are common in Iceland due to the country’s nature geography.
“In the event of an eruption or wider seismic activity follow the latest advice issued by the authorities,” it says. It adds that travellers should regularly check for alerts and advice from the Icelandic Tourism Board, Icelandic Met Office, Safe Travel Iceland and the Almannavarnir Facebook Page.
The effects of the eruption are currently localised and have not caused any problems for the nearby Keflavík airport- Iceland’s main international airport.
Though ash clouds from previous volcanic eruptions in Iceland have had disrupted international air travel, this one is not expected to do so.
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Travel
What is the ETA? European travellers need €12 entry permit to visit the UK starting this week
Read our full guide to the UK’s new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA): who needs it, how long it’s valid and how to apply.
The UK’s Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system has officially expanded to European travellers.
Starting 2 April 2025, all European visitors will need ETA approval – or, for some non-EU nationals, a visa – to enter the UK.
The system became mandatory for travellers from the US, Canada and Australia on 8 January 2025, following its rollout last November for nationals of Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
Read on for details on cost, validity and how to get it.
What is the ETA?
The ETA replaces the single-use Electronic Visa Waiver (EVW) scheme, offering a lower cost option with multi-entry validity.
The UK government notes that it is not a visa and does not permit entry into the UK. Rather, it authorises a person to travel to the UK.
The ETA is now required for all eligible nationalities. You can find the full list of countries here.
How do I apply for an ETA to enter the UK?
Most visitors will be able to apply using a mobile app and can expect a decision emailed within three days.
Everyone travelling needs to apply, including babies and children, but you can apply for other people.
The UK government says its app is the quickest and easiest way to apply for an ETA. You can download the ETA app from the UK government website.
If you cannot download the app, you can also apply online here.
To complete the application, make sure you have on hand the passport you’ll be travelling on, an email address and a credit card, debit card, Apple Pay or Google Pay. You will have to answer a set of suitability questions. You don’t need to enter your travel details.
You can delete the app when you’ve finished applying. Your ETA will be linked to your passport digitally, and you will not need to show anything else when you enter the UK.
When to apply for your ETA
The government says: “You must apply for an ETA before you travel to the UK. You can travel to the UK while waiting for a decision.”
Considering most applicants will get a decision within three days, it can be assumed you should apply at least three ahead of travelling to the UK, though you can do it much further in advance.
How much does the UK ETA cost?
Like the Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) in the US, a fee is attached to the application process.
The ETA costs £10 (approximately €12 at the time of writing), rising to £16 (€19) on 9 April 2025.
How long is the ETA valid?
An ETA lasts for two years. You do not need to apply again during this time.
You can travel to the UK as many times as you want during the period of validity, but you cannot stay for longer than six months on one trip. Check the UK government website for more details on what you can and cannot do on an ETA.
Note that you will need to apply for a new ETA if you get a new passport, as your ETA is linked to it.
Will I need a visa to enter the UK?
As mentioned above, the ETA isn’t a visa, but it does grant permission to enter the country.
All visitors who don’t currently require a visa will need to get an ETA before they travel. This includes those who do not currently need to submit any form of application to visit the UK. US, Canadian, Australian and European citizens need an ETA even for short stays or transiting through the UK, for example.
Travellers from countries that don’t have visa-free entry agreements with the UK will still have to apply for the correct visa and an ETA.
If you don’t apply before your trip, the government says you could be fined, though no further details have been given about this.
You still need to apply if you are transiting through the UK – even if you aren’t going through border control.
The ETA allows you to come to the UK for six months for tourism, visits to family and friends, business or short term study.
You can also get an ETA instead of a visa if you are coming to the UK for up to three months on the Creative Worker visa concession or coming to the UK for a permitted paid engagement. Outside of these conditions, you can’t use an ETA to do paid or unpaid work for a UK company or as a self-employed person.
Who does not need an ETA?
British and Irish citizens, people who already have a visa or permission to live, work or study in the UK, those travelling with a British overseas territories citizen passport and people who live in Ireland and are travelling from Ireland, Guernsey, Jersey or the Isle of Man don’t need to apply for an ETA.
Why is the UK introducing the ETA scheme?
The ETA is part of the UK’s plan to digitise its borders at UK airports by the end of 2025.
The scheme is intended to reduce queues at the border, “helping to speed up legitimate journeys to the UK”.
Facial recognition technology could be used to make these “contactless corridors” possible, British newspaper The Times reports. It would require international travellers to submit biographic and biometric details, like photos of their faces through the new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme before they fly.
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