Tourists planning international trips may need to pay closer attention to local accommodation taxes, as several major global cities impose significant levies on hotel stays and holiday rentals.
Tourist taxes, typically charged per night or as a percentage of accommodation costs, are increasingly used by governments and city authorities to fund infrastructure, tourism promotion, and public services required to support large numbers of visitors.
Recent data on global accommodation levies shows that cities across North America and Europe dominate the list of destinations with the highest nightly tourist taxes, according to a report by Holidu.
Below are some of the cities where visitors pay the most in accommodation-related tourist taxes, ranked from the least expensive among the top 10 to the most expensive.
Amsterdam remains one of Europe’s most heavily taxed tourist destinations after increasing its accommodation levy in recent years.
The city raised its tourist tax from 7% to 12.5% of accommodation costs, one of the highest percentage-based tourism taxes in Europe.
Under the current structure, a hotel room costing €175 per night would attract about €21.80 in tourist taxes.
The policy forms part of Amsterdam’s broader effort to manage overtourism and maintain quality of life for residents, as visitor numbers continue to rise.
Authorities have also introduced additional restrictions on short-term rentals and cruise ships in an effort to limit tourism pressure on the historic city.
