🧳 The Hidden Cost of Travel: A 2025 Guide to Global Tourism Taxes

When planning a holiday, most of us budget for flights, hotels, and meals - but there's one cost that often goes unnoticed until check-in: the tourism tax.

These extra charges, often added per night or visit, vary wildly depending on where you're going. In 2025, more destinations are introducing or increasing them as a means to fund infrastructure, support local services, or manage overtourism.

So, how much could it add to your bill? Here's a global snapshot of what tourists are paying, and what UK travellers should expect.

🌍 Why Do Tourism Taxes Exist?

Tourism taxes (also called bed taxes, visitor levies, or city charges) are typically small daily fees added to your accommodation bill. They help cities and regions manage the increased pressure tourism places on local services, infrastructure, waste collection, and conservation.

Many regions utilise them to reinvest in tourism-related services, while others view them as a tool for promoting more sustainable travel.

💸 What Are Other Countries Charging?

Here's what visitors can expect to pay in popular tourist hotspots in 2025:

• 🇫🇷 Paris: €1–€5 per night + a 10% city surcharge

• 🇪🇸 Barcelona: €0.65 - €3.50 per night

• 🇮🇹 Rome: €3 - €7 per night; Venice charges €5 just to enter on peak days

• 🇳🇱 Amsterdam: 7% of your room rate + €3 per person per night

• 🇯🇵 Tokyo & Kyoto: ¥100 - ¥1,000 per night depending on your hotel rate

• 🇺🇸 New York City: ~14.75% hotel tax + $3.50 nightly fee

• 🇨🇭 Switzerland: CHF 2.50 - 7.00 per person per night

• 🇹🇭 Thailand: THB 300 (~£6.60), charged once per international arrival

• 🇦🇪 Dubai: AED 7 - 20 per night, based on hotel class

Even countries like Canada and Australia include hidden tourism fees in their GST and provincial sales taxes.

🇬🇧 What About the UK?

The UK doesn't currently have a nationwide tourism tax, but several regions are starting to implement their own.

🏙️ England

• Manchester introduced a £1 per room per night charge in 2023.

• Cities like London and Bath have considered their versions publicly.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Scotland

• Edinburgh is consulting on a proposed £2 per-night visitor levy.

  
  

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Wales: Tourism Tax Incoming

The Welsh Government is preparing to introduce a visitor levy, which will allow local councils to charge a small fee on overnight stays.

The aim is to support public services, preserve natural beauty spots, and promote responsible travel, particularly in rural destinations such as Eryri, Tenby, and Pembrokeshire. The law is expected to come into effect within the next couple of years, with 2027 as the earliest possible introduction date.

💷 How Much Does It All Add Up To?

Let's say you're planning a city break:

• 4 nights in Amsterdam? Expect €28 in local taxes.

• A week in Rome? Around €35 - €49 extra.

• A day in Venice? You'll pay €5 before you even grab a coffee.

• Soon, even a weekend in Wales may carry a small nightly surcharge.

Across a whole holiday, these charges can quietly add £50 - £100 or more to your bill.

🧾 VAT vs. the Welsh Tourism Levy: What’s the Difference?

With Wales preparing to introduce a visitor levy, many travellers are wondering how this new charge differs from the standard VAT (Value Added Tax) they already pay on hotel stays. Here’s a simple breakdown:

🔹 What is VAT?

VAT is a UK-wide tax applied to most goods and services, including accommodation. When you book a hotel in Wales (or anywhere in the UK), you already pay 20% VAT, which is included in your room price.

• Who collects it? The hotel gathers VAT on behalf of HMRC (His Majesty’s Revenue & Customs).

• Where does it go? To the UK Government’s central budget.

• What is it used for? National public services like healthcare, policing, and infrastructure.

🔹 What is the Welsh Tourism Levy?

The upcoming tourism levy in Wales is a local tax specifically designed to support areas that are heavily impacted by high levels of tourism.

• Who collects it? Local authorities will have the power to apply it, and hotels and accommodation providers will likely collect it.

• Where does it go? The money stays within Wales and is used to support local services, maintain public spaces, and manage tourism impacts.

• The levy is set at 75p per person per night for adults staying in hostels and campsites and at £1.30 per person per night for all visitors staying in other types of accommodation.

🧠 Pro Tips for UK Travellers

• Read the fine print: Some booking sites show prices excluding taxes.

• Have cash ready: Many of these charges are payable in person at check-in.

• Check off-season rates: In places like the Balearics, taxes are lower in winter.

• Use loyalty points wisely: Some hotel chains don't cover taxes in redemptions.

✈️ Final Thoughts

Tourism taxes may seem like just another expense, but they're becoming a standard across Europe and beyond. When used wisely, they help keep cities clean, services funded, and communities supported.

So, whether you're heading to the Alps, Amsterdam, or Ynys Môn, it's worth factoring in the full cost of just being there.

Your trip might still be a bargain - just don't let the hidden costs take you by surprise.