Tenerife has confirmed when they would like to bring in a tourist tax for holidaymakers.
They are looking to bring in a daily charge along with other Canary Islands to try to recoup funds following an influx in holidaymakers. The plan is to tax tourists who they blame for environmental damage, poor wages and locals being unable to get cheap housing.
And it is now understood that Tenerife is looking to bring in the tax by January 1, 2025. It would mean those going to the Canary Islands this summer would be exempt from the charges.
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The updates comes as it emerged far fewer Brits would visit European hotspots if they brought in a tax. New data from Staysure travel insurance, has found that 51% of Brits would be less likely to visit a destination if a tourist tax was brought in, with 16% saying they wouldn’t visit the country at all.
A variable per day tourist charge, reaching up to €3.25, is currently in place in parts of Spain, including the Balearic Islands and Barcelona, while taxes were also recently introduced in Venice, as well as in Bali.
Simon McCulloch, Staysure’s Chief Commercial Officer said: “Since the pandemic, more countries have introduced some form of tourist tax, to boost local economies through charging travellers a daily fee. The objective is to temper over-tourism, whilst generating income for preservation, building infrastructure and to help the many local businesses and livelihoods that suffered during Covid-19.
“What this data highlights are the unintended consequences of introducing a tourist tax. In a cost-of-living crisis every penny does count and when saving up for that well-deserved holiday, consumers may not expect to be met with additional charges. Holidaymakers will need to plan for these extra costs and build them into their overall holiday budget, along with buying their travel insurance policy, to ensure they have all things covered as soon as they book a trip.
“It’s possible we’ll see a change in consumer behaviour when the increasing cost of travel meets with an additional local tax burden. The large number of tourists that once flocked to these destinations simply may not feel welcome anymore or may feel that visiting a destination that is over-visited may not be the best thing for them from a sustainability, or experience perspective. While tourist taxes might feel like the only option, other solutions may need to be considered to create the right balance between the economic benefits of tourism and the cultural and environmental challenges that can be problematic for the local communities.”
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