Tourist taxes rise
Spain — joined by Romania, Italy and Belgium — is raising tourist taxes to curb mass tourism, reduce environmental strain and fund local infrastructure, which will push up costs for adventure travelers. (travelandtourworld.com) The policy shift aims to make destinations more sustainable but means planning budgets should account for new levies. (travelandtourworld.com)
Catalonia’s regional parliament approved a law that takes effect on 1 April 2026, doubling the tourist tax for holiday rentals to a maximum €12.50 per night and raising hotel levies to between €10 and €15 per night depending on star rating. (ajuntament.barcelona.cat) Barcelona’s City Council separately increased the municipal surcharge from €4 to €5 and approved an annual €1 rise to that surcharge through 2029, taking the fixed surcharge to a planned €8 per night by then. (ajuntament.barcelona.cat) The Catalan law earmarks one quarter of new tourism revenues for housing-policy measures and directs the remaining 75% into a regional Tourism Promotion Fund, according to the parliamentary text and regional coverage. (catalannews.com) Bucharest’s General Council voted on 23 December 2025 to impose a flat RON 10 (about €2) per person, per night tourist tax starting in 2026, with officials projecting roughly RON 15 million (about €2.9 million) in annual revenue. (romania-insider.com) The Bucharest levy will be collected by accommodation providers and online booking platforms at check‑in or checkout, a mechanism that trade groups say has prompted criticism from the hotel sector over timing and transparency. (adept.travel) Milan’s city council set new tourist-tax bands effective 1 January 2026 — for example €10 per night in four‑ and five‑star hotels and €9.50 for short‑term rentals — and an Italian decree allows municipalities within 30km of 2026 Olympic venues to add up to €5 extra per night. (www2.comune.milano.it) The Brussels‑Capital Region standardized its accommodation tax from 1 January 2026 to €5 per room, per night for standard accommodation and €4 for homestays and campsites, replacing the old tiered system used since 2016. (be.brussels) Industry estimates and municipal forecasts suggest these combined municipal and regional measures could raise hundreds of millions in local revenue (Italy’s municipalities alone were projected in sector analyses to drive large increases), while several local authorities have tied parts of the take to specific projects such as housing programmes and Olympic-related infrastructure. (direzionehotel.it)
