There are some key tourism tax increases and introductions to be aware of for travel to some of Europe’s most popular holiday hotspots, including entrance fees and hotel stay bills
Five major cities have increased or introduced their tourism taxes, while Venice has reinstated an entrance fee.
In a bid to combat overtourism, Venice in Italy, a popular holiday hotspot among Brits, has reintroduced its ‘day-tripper’ charge. This means that holidaymakers visiting the historic city will be required to pay an entry fee.
If a visit is booked four or more days in advance, travellers will need to pay around £4.35 (€5), while those who leave it until the last minute will fork out around £8.69 (€10) to enter Venice. Visitors will need to pay from Friday to Sunday during some of the busiest travel times in April, May, June, and July.
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The specific dates when the entrance fee is required are as follows:
- April: 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 11, 12, 17, 18, 19, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30
- May: 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17, 22, 23, 24, 29, 30, 31
- June: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 19, 20, 21, 26, 27, 28
- July: 3, 4, 5, 10, 11, 12, 17, 18, 19, 24, 25, 26
Meanwhile, several sought-after destinations have increased their tourism taxes, with one city doubling its tax, making it the highest in Europe. Here are all the tourism tax increases to be aware of before your next getaway, as Venice welcomes back its entrance fee…
1. Barcelona
The beautiful city of Barcelona in northeastern Spain has increased its tourism tax, making it the steepest in Europe. From this month, visitors will face a charge of up to £10.91 (€12.50) per night for holiday rentals, up from £5.45 (€6.25), as it doubles.
Those opting to stay in a hotel in Barcelona will also face a higher tourism tax. Previously, tourists would pay between £4.36 (€5) and £6.54 (€7.50) per night during a hotel stay, but they are now required to pay between £8.73 (€10) and £13 (€15) per night.
This substantial rise comes as the city seeks to tackle overtourism and address its housing challenges for locals. With the city attracting roughly 16 million visitors last year alone – a 2.9 per cent jump from 2024 – overcrowding has remained an ongoing problem, and locals claim they’re being forced out of their neighbourhoods as increasing numbers of holiday lets emerge to cater for the surge of tourists.
2. Tenerife
Another major holiday hotspot, Tenerife, is set to introduce an ‘eco-tax’ this year in order for travellers to hike around its El Teide National Park, which is one of the most visited attractions across the islands. The price will depend on the trail at the park, but the fee will be capped at €25 (around £21) per person.
As it stands, an unguided hike on the ‘Telesforo Bravo’ trail costs €15 (£13), while a guided tour costs €10 (£8), Euro News reported. Meanwhile, the Montaña Blanca-Rambleta hike will set ramblers back €6 (£5) during the week and €10 on weekends and holidays.
3. Edinburgh
From July 24, Edinburgh will introduce a ‘Transient Visitor Levy’ on stays at hotels, B&Bs, hostels, holiday rentals, and Airbnbs, with an extra 5% added to the room rate per night. The amount will be calculated depending on the accommodation, without any additional services, and will be capped at seven consecutive days
4. Brussels
From January this year, Brussels increased its former tourist tax by €1 per overnight stay. Holidaymakers will now need to pay €5 per night for a hotel stay, or €4 per night for a campsite, or for any accommodation that is “a bedroom or a space arranged for sleeping”.
5.Tromsø
Picture-postcard Norway will grant local municipalities the authority to decide whether to introduce a 3% tourist tax in their area. As it stands, Lofoten and Tromsø, both sought-after destinations for viewing the Northern Lights, have said they will be implementing the tax, with more areas in Norway expected to follow suit.
While many cities have increased their tourism taxes, the Romanian capital, Bucharest, has simply introduced a tourist levy to further promote the city as a favoured holiday destination. Frequently dubbed ‘Little Paris’, Bucharest has introduced a tourist tax of around £1.70 (10 Romanian Leu) per night on accommodation from 2026 onwards.
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