Holidaymakers are being warned to prepare for a wave of new and increased tourist taxes in popular destinations for 2025.
Travel experts have urged tourists to plan ahead as more countries introduce visitor levies to combat overtourism and protect local environments.
Edinburgh, Thailand, Greece, Italy and France are among the destinations implementing new or higher fees for visitors.
Scotland's capital city Edinburgh has announced it will introduce the country's first tourist tax from July 2026.
The five per cent levy will apply to accommodation costs for anyone staying overnight in the city, including Scottish residents.
Any trips from July 2026 booked after October 1, 2025 will be subject to what officials are calling the "Visitor Levy", to be paid on arrival.
Thailand is following the success of European holiday hotspots by introducing a new travel tax from mid-2025.
Tourists arriving by plane will be charged 300 THB, equivalent to around £6.86. This move comes as Thailand joins the growing list of countries implementing visitor fees to manage tourism impacts.
Greece has significantly increased its tourist tax from €0.50 (42p) to €8 (£6.70) per night between April and October, or €2 (£1.70) outside peak season.
The steep rise aims to fund climate change adaptation and infrastructure improvements. Santorini and Mykonos will charge even higher fees of €20 (£17) per night, payable at the port.
Venice's entry tax, previously trialled in 2024, will be fully implemented in 2025 for visitors between 8:30am and 3pm.
Portugal applies tourist taxes in 13 popular cities including Lisbon and Porto, charging visitors €2 per day during high season from April to October.
Amsterdam increased its tourist tax to 12.5 per cent of hotel rates last year, with other Dutch cities also imposing visitor charges.
France is implementing significant changes to its tourism tax system in 2025, with fees reaching €11.38 (£9.50) per night for five-star accommodation in Paris.
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Travel insurance expert at Quotezone.co.uk Helen Rolph said: "The concept of a tourist tax isn't a new one, but it is certainly something many more countries have introduced over the last few years. Many of these countries seem to be charging tourists in response to overtourism concerns.
"We encourage all travellers to look into the tourist taxes in place before booking a holiday destination, to help avoid any unexpected extra costs they haven't budgeted for."
The new and increasing tourist fees across Europe allow cities to fund measures to attract more holidaymakers and support local infrastructure. These taxes also aim to prevent damage from over-tourism, a growing concern for many popular destinations.
As holiday prices surge by over 10 per cent this year, according to the experts, they advise factoring these costs into budgets to avoid unwelcome surprises.
Find Out More...
Travel experts have urged tourists to plan ahead as more countries introduce visitor levies to combat overtourism and protect local environments.
Edinburgh, Thailand, Greece, Italy and France are among the destinations implementing new or higher fees for visitors.
Scotland's capital city Edinburgh has announced it will introduce the country's first tourist tax from July 2026.
The five per cent levy will apply to accommodation costs for anyone staying overnight in the city, including Scottish residents.
Any trips from July 2026 booked after October 1, 2025 will be subject to what officials are calling the "Visitor Levy", to be paid on arrival.
Thailand is following the success of European holiday hotspots by introducing a new travel tax from mid-2025.
Tourists arriving by plane will be charged 300 THB, equivalent to around £6.86. This move comes as Thailand joins the growing list of countries implementing visitor fees to manage tourism impacts.
Greece has significantly increased its tourist tax from €0.50 (42p) to €8 (£6.70) per night between April and October, or €2 (£1.70) outside peak season.
The steep rise aims to fund climate change adaptation and infrastructure improvements. Santorini and Mykonos will charge even higher fees of €20 (£17) per night, payable at the port.
Venice's entry tax, previously trialled in 2024, will be fully implemented in 2025 for visitors between 8:30am and 3pm.
Portugal applies tourist taxes in 13 popular cities including Lisbon and Porto, charging visitors €2 per day during high season from April to October.
Amsterdam increased its tourist tax to 12.5 per cent of hotel rates last year, with other Dutch cities also imposing visitor charges.
France is implementing significant changes to its tourism tax system in 2025, with fees reaching €11.38 (£9.50) per night for five-star accommodation in Paris.
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Travel insurance expert at Quotezone.co.uk Helen Rolph said: "The concept of a tourist tax isn't a new one, but it is certainly something many more countries have introduced over the last few years. Many of these countries seem to be charging tourists in response to overtourism concerns.
"We encourage all travellers to look into the tourist taxes in place before booking a holiday destination, to help avoid any unexpected extra costs they haven't budgeted for."
The new and increasing tourist fees across Europe allow cities to fund measures to attract more holidaymakers and support local infrastructure. These taxes also aim to prevent damage from over-tourism, a growing concern for many popular destinations.
As holiday prices surge by over 10 per cent this year, according to the experts, they advise factoring these costs into budgets to avoid unwelcome surprises.
Find Out More...