Spain Unites With Greece, Italy, Portugal, France, And Other Countries In Imposing Major New Hotel Taxes And Night Stay Charges, Deepening The Financial Burden For Holidaymakers Across Europe

Published on November 30, 2025

Spain unites with Greece, Italy, Portugal, France, and other countries to create a travel crunch with new hotel taxes and night stay levies, significantly raising costs for tourists. As part of a broader European trend, these countries are introducing steep hikes in accommodation taxes, particularly during peak tourist seasons. Spain’s Balearic Islands, along with popular destinations in Greece, Italy, Portugal, and France, are set to implement these new levies to tackle over-tourism and fund sustainable development initiatives. As a result, holidaymakers—especially those visiting during the summer months—will face a substantial increase in their travel expenses, making European getaways more expensive for many.

Europe’s top holiday destinations are tightening the purse strings for travelers, with a slew of new taxes and levies being introduced across the continent. Spain, long known for its sun-kissed beaches, vibrant cities, and rich cultural heritage, is leading the charge by implementing a hefty new tax for visitors. As part of a broader European trend, Spain has joined forces with Greece, Italy, Portugal, France, and other countries to implement rising hotel taxes and night stay levies, raising concerns about the growing costs for tourists. This shift is poised to create a significant challenge for British holidaymakers, who represent a substantial portion of the tourism traffic across these countries. Let’s take a closer look at how this new levy system is affecting various European hotspots.

Spain’s New Tourist Tax: A Rising Burden on the Balearic Islands

In the Balearic Islands—comprising Majorca, Menorca, Ibiza, and Formentera—holidaymakers could soon face a sharp rise in the cost of their stay. The new proposals from Spain’s largest trade union, Workers’ Commission, call for a dramatic hike in the existing hotel tax rates. Currently, tourists in Spain are charged between €1 to €4 per person, per night, depending on the type of accommodation. However, during the peak summer season, the new proposals could push this charge to €15 per night for high-end hotels. For a family of four staying at a luxury resort for two weeks in July or August, the tax would increase from €224 to a staggering €840. This price surge is a sharp leap of £540, significantly inflating travel costs for those seeking to enjoy Spain’s sun-soaked shores.

The Balearic government’s aim with this move is to curb the impact of mass tourism, especially during the high season. Majorca’s capital, Palma, recently announced a ban on new short-term rentals and hostels, hoping to repurpose accommodations for local residents instead of just catering to transient tourists. This is part of a larger effort to tackle over-tourism and control the rising cost of living, which is being exacerbated by Airbnb-style rentals.

Greece Follows Suit with New Taxes on Hotel Stays

Spain is not alone in imposing such tax hikes. Greece, one of the Mediterranean’s most beloved tourist destinations, is introducing similar measures. Known for its idyllic islands, ancient ruins, and vibrant culture, Greece has been pushing for higher hotel taxes to address the pressures of over-tourism. In popular destinations like Athens, Mykonos, and Santorini, travelers may face tax hikes exceeding €10 per night for luxury accommodations starting in 2025. The new tax regime, which will be tiered based on the level of luxury, is aimed at easing the burden of tourism on local communities and ensuring that revenues from tourism are reinvested into sustainable development efforts.

Greek authorities argue that while these increases will make travel more expensive, they will help improve infrastructure and address issues like overcrowding, environmental degradation, and strained public services that have resulted from massive tourist influxes in recent years. Many travelers are expected to feel the pinch, particularly those visiting during the summer months, which have become increasingly crowded and expensive.

Italy Introduces Steep Hotel Taxes to Fund Sustainable Tourism

Italy, with its wealth of historical landmarks, picturesque landscapes, and world-renowned cuisine, is another European country responding to rising tourist numbers with increased hotel levies. From 2025 onwards, luxury hotel guests in cities like Rome, Venice, and Florence will face substantial hikes in their accommodation taxes, with some rates exceeding €10 per night. The Italian government has justified this tax increase as a means to fund sustainable tourism initiatives, including better management of tourist-heavy locations, environmental preservation projects, and improving local infrastructure.

As Italy becomes more popular with both international and domestic tourists, especially during peak tourist seasons, the government’s move to raise these taxes is seen as necessary to mitigate the environmental and societal impacts of mass tourism. While these taxes are likely to deter some budget travelers, they will play an essential role in maintaining the country’s cultural heritage while ensuring that tourism revenue is used to improve the overall visitor experience.

Portugal Joins the Trend with a Doubling of Lisbon’s Night Stay Tax

Next on the list is Portugal, where Lisbon’s popular tourist scene is being met with new levies that could significantly affect travel budgets. From 2025, the city will double its hotel tax to €4 per night, impacting both tourists and businesses in one of Europe’s most vibrant capitals. While this increase may seem modest compared to Spain’s €15 proposal, it adds another layer of financial strain for tourists. Lisbon has become a major European city destination, attracting millions of travelers annually who come for its blend of history, architecture, and nightlife.

The new levy is being introduced to help fund local infrastructure improvements and tourism sustainability projects. However, it is also aimed at addressing the growing concerns around overcrowding and the pressure tourism places on the local housing market. As more and more tourists flock to Lisbon, this new tax will help regulate tourism flows, ensuring that the city remains a desirable destination without the negative side effects of over-tourism.

France Implements Tiered Hotel Taxes, Affecting Luxury and Budget Stays

France, home to iconic landmarks like the Eiffel Tower, the French Riviera, and the lavender fields of Provence, has also taken steps to increase taxes on hotel stays. In 2025, Paris will introduce a tiered system of hotel taxes, which could see charges exceeding €10 per night for those booking high-end accommodations. This is part of the government’s strategy to raise additional revenue from tourism while tackling the environmental and social pressures created by massive influxes of international visitors.

Other parts of France, including Marseille, Nice, and Lyon, are also implementing similar policies. The tiered tax structure will vary based on the luxury of the accommodation, with budget travelers likely to feel less of an impact. However, it is clear that travelers to France, particularly those visiting its most famous cities, will soon face higher costs. The money raised from these taxes will be used to improve the country’s tourism infrastructure, maintain its cultural sites, and promote more sustainable travel practices.

Santiago de Compostela and Other Spanish Cities Set to Introduce New Levies

While the Balearic Islands may be the most talked-about, Spain is not the only region within the country making significant changes. Santiago de Compostela, one of Spain’s most iconic pilgrimage destinations, will also introduce a new hotel tax from September 2025. This tax will range from €1 to €2.50 per night, aimed at helping the city manage the growing number of visitors that flock to it each year as part of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage.

The introduction of these new levies across Spain will ensure that the economic benefits of tourism are felt more widely, particularly in local communities, while helping to fund initiatives that protect the cultural and environmental heritage of these tourist hotspots.

A Broader European Trend: Tourism Becomes Costlier Across the Continent

Across Europe, these increases in hotel taxes and night stay levies signal a growing trend to balance the economic benefits of tourism with the realities of over-tourism. With popular tourist destinations across the continent now facing the pressures of rising visitor numbers, countries are looking for ways to regulate tourism, ensure sustainable development, and generate additional funds to maintain local infrastructure.

The introduction of these taxes in Spain, Greece, Italy, Portugal, and France reflects a broader European shift towards more responsible and sustainable tourism. While these increases will make travel more expensive for tourists, they will also help ensure that these beloved destinations can continue to welcome visitors without compromising the quality of life for local residents or the preservation of cultural and environmental heritage.

Spain unites with Greece, Italy, Portugal, France, and other countries to introduce new hotel taxes and night stay levies, raising travel costs for tourists. These measures aim to tackle over-tourism, generate revenue for sustainable initiatives, and ease the pressure on popular destinations across Europe.

For travelers planning European vacations, the road ahead may be a bit bumpier with the rising costs associated with new taxes and levies. Spain’s bold moves, along with similar actions taken by Greece, Italy, Portugal, France, and other countries, mark the start of a new era in European tourism, where the cost of visiting famous destinations will undoubtedly increase. Tourists will need to plan accordingly, adjusting their budgets to account for these new costs and potentially altering their travel habits. However, these measures also ensure that Europe’s most iconic destinations can continue to thrive sustainably, balancing the needs of travelers with those of local communities and the environment.