Porto, Portugal’s second-largest city, has announced a significant hike in its tourist tax, impacting holidaymakers in the popular destination. Effective soon, the city will raise its tourist tax from €2 (£1.65) to €3 (£2.50) per night for visitors.
This increase is part of Porto’s broader effort to manage over-tourism and ensure the city remains a sustainable destination.
Mayor Rui Moreira emphasised the necessity of the tax increase, stating that it is essential for maintaining Porto as a “sustainable tourist spot” and preventing the degradation and excessive occupation of the city.
The additional funds will support various tourism-related expenditures, including culture, heritage, environmental initiatives, energy, quality of life, town planning, housing, and transport. Moreira highlighted that these investments are crucial for providing high-quality services to tourists and promoting Porto’s brand.
Tourist taxes, or transient visitor levies, are commonly implemented in tourist-heavy cities worldwide. These taxes are typically charged per night per bed or room and can vary based on the accommodation type and time of year. They are designed to help fund local services and mitigate the impacts of tourism.
All the countries that impose tourism tax
Tourist tax per person, per night
- Austria – €0.15 to 3.02% of the hotel cost per person, per night in Vienna.
- Belgium – Either €4 or €3 depending on accommodation
- Bhutan – Controversial $100 daily tourism fees
- Bulgaria – BGN 0.20 to BGN 3.00 for each night
- Croatia – Ranges from 20p to 70p per day
- Czech Republic – Around CZK 50 per night (around £1.71)
- France – Ranges from €0.65 to €14.95 depending on accommodation
- Germany – Standard tourist tax is five per cent of the accommodation price
- Greece – Between €1.50 and €10
- Hungary – An extra 4 per cent every night based on the price of their room
- Indonesia – IDR 150,000 per person, roughly equivalent to €9
- Italy – €1 to €5 per day per person.
- Japan – 1,000 yen per departure
- Malaysia – Fixed rate of RM10. 00 per room per night
- New Zealand – NZD$35 International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL) fee
- Portugal – €2.00
- Thailand – Tourists arriving by air pay THB 300 and those entering by land or sea pay a fee of THB 150
- The Netherlands – €3
- The United States – Varies per state, usually a few dollars per person per night
- Slovenia – € 3.13
- Switzerland – Around CHF 2.50
Barcelona is following suit with its increase in tourist taxes. From October, visitors to the city will face a new city tax rate of €4 (£3.39) per night.
This increase follows a previous hike in April when the tax was raised from €2.75 (£2.33) to €3.25 (£2.75). The city tax applies to all types of accommodation, including luxury hotels and short-term rentals. For a week’s stay in a five-star hotel, tourists must pay a total of €52.50 (£44.43) in taxes, including regional and city taxes.
In addition to the tax increase, Barcelona will ban holiday apartments starting in 2028. This measure aims to address the impact of short-term rentals on the city and manage the effects of high visitor numbers.
Porto and Barcelona’s new policies reflect a growing trend across Europe, where cities adjust their tourism management strategies to tackle the challenges posed by large numbers of tourists and their impact on local communities.
