Tuesday, February 19, 2019
Countries and cities have often tried to encourage tourism, understanding the fact that visitors and the money they spend fosters economic development.
However, in this age of overtourism, some popular destinations have reached their limit. City centers are clogged with tourists; historic sites are trampled by selfie-stick toting visitors, and locals are priced out by rising rents. To add to the woes, many of these tourists don’t spend much money: they use apps to find out super-budget deals, disembark from cruise ships without eating or buying much, or decline hotels for cheaper accommodation in neighborhoods that were once solely the domain of locals.
That’s why the much talked about tourist taxes are cropping up in destinations around the world. These taxes, which can be levied through the visa process, as a stand-alone fee at the airport, or as part of one’s air or cruise ticket are nothing new. Historically, they have been used to fund tourism boards, hospitality trade groups and destination marketing campaigns. The idea is being to bring more people into the country down the line.
But new tourist taxes, or plans for them, in Venice, Amsterdam, Bali, Edinburgh and New Zealand are taking an opposite tact: they’re using tourist tax revenue to help the destination control the effects of overtourism, as well as to disincentivize certain kinds of travelers.
Not all these tourist taxes are meant to discourage tourists altogether from visiting. For Bali, which has seen a huge uptick in visitors since it was featured in the movie Eat Pray Love, is one of the destinations contemplating a tax. The roughly $10 fee will be used to preserve the environment and Balinese culture, which has been overrun with yoga retreats and acai bowl cafes.
Tags: Tourist tax
