Several European holiday destinations have rejected plans to introduce a tourist tax on non-EU visitors that has been imposed in France.
British tourists in France face having to pay €5 (£4.10) to visit popular sites such as the Louvre or Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris due to Brexit.
The new tax could be imposed as early as 2026.
“I want visitors from outside the EU to pay more for their entry and for this supplement to finance the renovation of the national heritage,” Culture Minister Rachida Dati told Le Figaro.
But other tourist destinations such as Bruges in Belgium, Madrid in Spain, Amsterdam in the Netherlands and Berlin in Germany have promised that they will not introduce such a tax and that tourists should travel to their cities instead of France and Paris.
Tourists in France face having to pay £4.10 (€5) to visit popular sites such as the Louvre museum (pictured) or Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris due to Brexit. The new tax could be imposed from 2026
Bruges mayor Dirk De fauw told the Telegraph: “We will never differentiate between European and non-European inhabitants” (pictured: Bruges)
Meanwhile, in Madrid (pictured), the city’s right-wing regional president Isabel Díaz Ayuso said she would not introduce tourist taxes.
The mayor of Bruges, Dirk De fauw, told the Telegraph: “We will never make a difference between European inhabitants and non-European inhabitants.”
He added that while the city could introduce an additional charge for day cruise travelers, it would be the same whether the guest is from the EU or not.
Meanwhile, in Madrid, the city’s right-wing regional president, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, said she would not introduce new tourist taxes.
‘Madrid is not going to impose new taxes. “The president rules out any tax on tourism,” a spokesperson told the Telegraph.
“Our policy is low taxes that generate greater economic activity, job creation and prosperity.”
His comments come after Díaz Ayuso angered residents of Spain’s capital by telling restaurants to open earlier for lunch and dinner for tourists.
Another city ruling out a Brexit tourist tax is Berlin, while a spokesperson for Amsterdam said there are “no plans to impose a local tax on non-EU residents, especially when it comes to museums.”
Instead, the Dutch capital has focused its efforts on improving tourist behavior in its downtown and red light district to maintain liveable areas for residents.
This comes after a summer of anti-tourism campaigns in Europe, with residents protesting against Airbnb and its short-term holiday rentals in Barcelona over the price they take away from affordable housing, while locals in Malaga launched a protest against unruly behaviour. of British visitors.
Barcelona has increased its so-called “tourism tax” for the second time in four years, in a bid to curb overtourism.
Another city ruling out a Brexit tourist tax is Berlin, shown above.
An Amsterdam spokesperson (pictured) said there are “no plans to impose local taxes on non-EU residents, especially when it comes to museums.”
The Spanish city, which is home to 1.6 million people, receives around 7 million visitors each year, placing a strain on the city’s resources.
On April 1, local authorities increased the council tax, which travelers see at the bottom of their accommodation bill, to €3.25 (£2.70) for each night spent in the city.
While France hopes to use the additional charge for non-EU tourists to renovate its main attractions, Venice – which also introduced a €5 charge – aims to reduce overcrowding.
The tax in Venice only applies on certain peak days when the city charges day-trippers to enter to preserve its heritage.
