Netherlands: Travellers visiting and staying in Amsterdam will now have to pay more in tourist tax to stay overnight in Airbnb rentals, hotels and even campsites in the Dutch capital city.
As of 1 January, tourists will now be paying an extra three euros [$3.37] per night when staying at short-term rentals or hotels in the city, on top of an existing seven per cent tourist tax. Meanwhile, campers will need to pay an extra euro on top each night.
As one of Europe’s most popular destinations for foreign visitors, far exceeding the amount of people who live there, Amsterdam already has one of the highest tourist taxes in Europe.
Venice is another major European city to try and cash in on high tourist demand by charging visitors [even those staying for just one day] ten euros during peak periods and three euros during off-peak periods, as of 1 July 2020. Overnight visitors already pay an existing tourist tax.
Japan and New Zealand are two countries to have adopted nationwide tourist tax policies in recent times, with the former aiming to use additional funds to fuel infrastructural improvements and public services ahead of this summer’s Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo.
Similarly, New Zealand started to charge visitors NZ$35 (US$23.53) last year to pay for infrastructural improvements, although Australians are not required to pay the fee.
