Some in the latter camp are imposing taxes on the former to grow their revenue, fund local services, or even to manage overcrowding. New Zealand collects a tourism tax to protect its natural environment.
Some of these taxes are charged as entry fees, while others are added to the cost of accommodation. Whatever the form, they’re increasingly being introduced as a way to manage overtourism and offset the pressure visitors put on popular destinations.
If you’re planning to travel in 2026, be prepared: Several destinations will have new or higher tourist taxes in place, meaning trips may cost a little more than before.
These are five destinations where visiting next year may be a little bit more expensive than in 2025.
Edinburgh, the first city in Scotland to impose a tourism tax, will add a 5% charge to hotel staysTourists visiting Edinburgh after July 24 next year will be charged an extra 5% on top of their accommodation costs for the first five nights of their stay.The City of Edinburgh Council said the charge is intended to raise money that will “sustain Edinburgh’s status as one of the world’s greatest cultural and heritage cities.”Every year, Edinburgh’s summer festivals — the Edinburgh International Festival, Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo — draw millions of tourists.The council said the visitor levy is expected to raise up to 50 million ($67 million) a year by 2029, with the revenue earmarked for things like improving city infrastructure and managing tourism.
Accommodation in Kyoto is also about to get more expensive because of an overnight stay taxTourists love Kyoto for its ancient temples, pagodas, and its cherry blossoms. But from early next year, staying in the Japanese city will become more expensive.After March 1, visitors in Kyoto will face higher overnight taxes on accommodation across the city.The tax is tiered according to the nightly cost of accommodation: rooms under 6,000 yen, about $38, a night will remain taxed at 200 yen, or $1.28, while the tax on rooms priced between 6,000 and 20,000 yen a night will double to 400 yen.The steepest increases will be applied to high-end accommodations. Rooms costing 50,000 to 100,000 yen a night will see the tax jump from 1,000 to 4,000 yen, and those over 100,000 yen will rise tenfold to 10,000 yen.Kyoto’s government estimates the revised tax will generate 12.6 billion yen a year, about $81 million.
The tourism tax on five-star hotel stays in Barcelona could doubleBarcelona is one of Europe’s most visited cities, famed for its unusual architecture and urban beaches.Tourists staying in five-star hotels and other luxury accommodations in the city now pay a regional tourism tax of 3.50 euros, about $4, a night.But under a revised Catalan tax framework, that regional levy on high-end accommodation in Barcelona is set to double to 7 euros.The increase was initially scheduled for 2025, but the Catalan government has delayed implementation until at least April 2026.The measure comes amid growing anti-tourism sentiment in Spain. In the summers of 2024 and 2025, protesters in Barcelona demonstrated against overtourism and rising living costs.
Thailand is expected to introduce a tourist entry fee in the coming yearIn 2023, Thailand’s cabinet approved in principle a 300 baht, about $10, entry fee for visitors arriving by air, and half that amount for those arriving by land or sea.The fee was originally expected to be implemented in 2025, but it has repeatedly been delayed, partly because of weak tourism numbers.Tourist arrivals from the start of this year to December 21 fell 7.25% compared to the same period a year earlier, according to Thailand’s Ministry of Tourism and Sports.International tourism has long been a pillar of Thailand’s economy, with visitors drawn to its temples, islands, and elephant treks.EuroNews reported that the 300 baht fee is now expected to be introduced in mid-2026.
Parts of Norway will start charging a 3% tax on accommodation
The Norwegian government has introduced a law that gives municipalities the authority to impose a 3% tax on tourist accommodations, targeting both cruises and overnight stays.It will roll out in 2026. It is not automatically in place in all municipalities, and cities struggling with the impact of tourism need to apply to implement the fee.Municipalities such as Lofoten and Troms, which are renowned for their views of the northern lights, have already opted in, according to travel magazine AFAR.Unlike Thailand, Norway had a tourism boom this year. June, July, and August each broke records for the number of nights visitors spent in the country, totaling about 17.7 million guest nights across the summer, according to Norwegian tourism statistics.
Credit: africa.businessinsider
