Tourist taxes are becoming more common as a way for cities to finance the additional strain on infrastructure. in the following we will present some of the countries that have introduced or want to introduce taxes in 2026.
Many countries are experiencing the effects of over-tourism, which has driven up housing prices and rents and has a major impact on the environment. To mitigate this, governments around the world have introduced tourist taxes, with the money raised going towards programs that could help local people.
Tourist taxes are not new, one of the first regions to be introduced was Catalonia, Spain, in 2012, but the measures have been extended as a supplement to accommodation bills, even outside popular tourist resorts. In some cases, these fees are increasing, going from a nominal fee of a few euros to a percentage of the cost of the accommodation. In 2026, some new destinations in the UK and abroad will introduce tourist taxes, so here are some to look out for, writes express.co.uk.
Bucharest – fee of 2 euros per night
Despite objections from the hotel industry, the Romanian government recently approved plans to charge a tourist tax to visitors to Bucharest. The country’s capital has recently become an increasingly popular city, sometimes being nicknamed “Little Paris” due to its architectural similarities to the French city. The new tourist tax will be 10 Romanian lei per night, about 2 euros, and officials say it will be used in part to promote Bucharest as a tourist destination.
The additional fee will be collected by your accommodation provider or online booking platform such as Airbnb for all bookings from 2026 onwards.
Taxes vary in UK cities
Mayors in England are to be given new powers to impose tourist taxes in their cities, bringing England into line with other parts of the UK. Local leaders will be able to introduce small taxes on accommodation, from hotels to vacation rentals, and make exemptions as needed for their area.
The North East region is already considering a £2-a-night tourist tax, which mayor Kim McGuinness claims will raise £20m in revenue for the region. In a statement to BB, she said: “I can’t stress enough that every penny of this amount will be spent on boosting our region’s tourism and culture economy, bringing those major events that have made a difference to everyone in our region, from rural areas to our cities.”
A tourist tax is also expected to be implemented in London in the near future, although there is no confirmation whether this will be a flat fee or a percentage of the cost of accommodation. The Greater London Authority (GLA) published an estimate in 2017 which showed that a tourist tax of £1 a day could raise £91m a year or, if set at 5%, could potentially raise £240m for the capital.
Edinburgh – tax of 5% of the cost of accommodation
If you book accommodation in Edinburgh after 24 July 2026, you will have to pay a visitor’s tax of 5% of the invoice cost. This applies to hotels, B&Bs, hostels and vacation rentals, among other types of accommodation, and the 5% will appear on the bill at check-in or check-out. The fee is only based on the cost of the accommodation itself and not on additional costs such as meals or parking.
Edinburgh Visitor Tax is only charged for the first five nights of a stay, and Edinburgh Council claims the scheme will raise £45-50m a year by 2028/29, with the funds raised being used for housing, infrastructure and culture, among other things.
Thailand, different taxes for tourists coming by plane or by sea
Thailand has been planning to implement a tourist tax for several years, and it is due to come into force in mid-2026. The tax will be 300 baht, just over £7 for passengers arriving by air, but if you arrive by sea then it is 150 baht.
Los Angeles, tax of 15.5% of the cost of accommodation
The City of Angels has the dubious honor of being the destination with the highest tourist tax in the world. Los Angeles recently increased its tourist tax to a hefty 15.5% of the cost of accommodation for those arriving in 2026. If you’re staying at a hotel that costs $280 a night (about £208), that would add $32 a night to your bill, or an extra $225 for the week (about £167).
The cost is just over New York City’s exorbitant double tourist tax of $3.50 per person per night (about £2.61), which is paid along with a 14.75% charge on total bookings.
Norway, tax of 3% of accommodation per night
Like England, Norway will give local governments the power to decide whether to implement a 3% tourist tax on overnight stays, including hotels, holiday accommodation and cruises. During 2026, each municipality will have to decide whether to participate in the scheme and will have to apply and demonstrate the impact of tourism in their area.
To date, the Lofoten and Tromsø areas have opted for this fee, so visitors who will see the Aurora Borealis in 2026 may be in a position to pay the fee.
Kyoto, differentiated taxes according to the number of stars of the hotels
The beautiful and traditional Japanese city of Kyoto will increase its tourist taxes starting March 1, 2026, in an attempt to balance visitor numbers and raise funds to preserve its unique heritage.
The new overnight charges will be tiered according to the cost of overnight accommodation, with higher charges for luxury hotels. For rooms under 6,000 yen per night (about £28), the fee will remain at 200 yen (about £0.95), but for rooms up to 20,000 yen per night (just under £95), the fee will double to 400 yen.
However, those spending between ¥50,000 and ¥100,000 (around £237 – £474) on rooms will see their fees rise from ¥1,000 to ¥4,000 (around £4.75 – £19). And in the most luxurious accommodations costing over ¥100,000, the fee increases 10-fold to a whopping ¥10,000 per night (about £48).
