French Senate Approves Fifteen Euro Per Passenger Tax for their Cruise Operations, Aiming to Fund Coastal Protection and Environmental Enhancements for the Sustainable Tourism Growth

Published on December 5, 2025

The French Senate has just approved a new tax on cruise passengers to fund the protection and development of France’s coastlines. The new tax means each passenger will have to pay €15 for every stop in a port across the country. The law passed on Monday should raise more than €75 million every year for environmental projects.

The law would still have to be debated and finalized in the French Parliament by mid-December, but the tax has already created quite a stir among people because of its potential economic and environmental effects. According to Le Figaro, the measure would serve to compensate for the externalities created by the cruise business, including considerable environmental degradation along coastlines and the carbon footprint from large cruise liners.

Purpose of the Tax: Protecting France’s Coastal and Port Areas

The €15 passenger tax is primarily intended to help finance the preservation and sustainable management of France’s coastlines. Jean-Mar Délia, one of the senators behind the bill, argued that cruise ships produce annual CO2 emissions equivalent to those of one billion vehicles, placing a heavy environmental burden on France’s coastal regions and port areas.

The tax will reportedly help mitigate these effects and contribute to the environmental restoration of the nation’s waterways and coastal ecosystems. It is also part of a broader effort to modernize port infrastructure to support more sustainable cruise operations. France’s coastlines are some of the most visited in Europe, attracting millions of cruise tourists each year, making the initiative an essential step in maintaining the balance between tourism growth and environmental protection.

Expected Economic Impact and Cruise Industry Reception

The new tax measure is expected to bring in annual revenue of over €75 million for the French government, which will be allocated to support the protection of France’s coastline and marine ecosystems. Despite its narrow approval, the tax is not expected to harm France’s attractiveness to the cruise industry, as the country remains one of the top cruise destinations in Europe. With major ports in both the Mediterranean and Northern Europe, as well as the crucial role that France’s overseas territories play in the global cruise market, the country continues to be a vital hub for international cruise lines.

The French Mediterranean and Northern European coasts are particularly popular with cruise companies, and the imposition of the tax is seen as part of an ongoing effort to ensure sustainable tourism in these regions. The tax is not expected to deter tourists from choosing France as a port of call, as France’s tourism and cruise sectors remain strong, with over 1.5 million cruise passengers visiting annually.

Opposition and Concerns Over the Tax’s Scope

The new tax proposal was not without opposition. Amélie de Montchalin, the Minister of Public Accounts, raised concerns that the wording of the bill did not differentiate between cruise ships and ferries. This distinction is critical as ferries serve a more local, commuter-based role, and imposing the tax on them could affect regional tourism and local economies.

In response, the French government has stated that it will continue to refine the bill to ensure that only commercial cruise ships, and not ferries, are impacted by the tax. This is expected to be a key area of debate in the coming weeks as the bill moves through the Parliament.

The Wider Impact of the Tax: Balancing Tourism with Sustainability

The introduction of this cruise tax is part of France’s broader initiative to balance tourism expansion with environmental sustainability. With growing concerns over the environmental footprint of the tourism sector, many countries are exploring ways to introduce taxes or levies on tourist activities that have a significant environmental impact.

In addition to the cruise tax, France’s Côte d’Azur region recently approved a bill that imposes limits on the number of cruise ships allowed to dock in the region, as well as capacity caps for vessels. This move follows similar actions by other European ports aiming to address the strain that mass tourism puts on local infrastructure and the environment. These actions indicate a growing trend in the tourism industry towards sustainable practices, where the tourism sector works in tandem with local governments to reduce negative environmental impacts while continuing to offer attractive travel experiences.

The Global Impact on Cruise Tourism: Sustainability Becoming a Priority

The introduction of a cruise passenger tax in France reflects the general trend of sustainability as a worldwide phenomenon that is increasingly affecting tourism and operators. Countries worldwide are increasingly recognizing the need to ensure that tourism—one of the world’s largest industries—can continue to thrive while also respecting the planet’s resources.

Such a measure may influence other cruise-heavy nations to introduce similar policies, thus setting a global benchmark for regulating the environmental impact of cruise tourism. The tax might also spur creative solutions from the cruise industry itself-innovative, greener technology, sustainable ship operations, and environmentally conscious shore excursions-novel features that would further contribute to a more responsible model of tourism across the globe.