Latest news with #touristtax
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Venice should charge visitors £87 a DAY to reduce 'tide' of tourists who 'don't even know what culture is', local business leader demands
Venice has made five million Euro (£4.7million) with a daily five Euro (£4.35) tourist tax this summer, but some businesses want it raised to clamp down on 'unclassy' visitors. The charge was introduced in April as part of a trial run following one last year and was payable over 54 selected days until last Sunday by day trippers who visited the iconic Italian lagoon city. Officials said that the charge, payable by visitors who arrived for the day between 8.30am and 4pm, was paid by 720,000 compared to 485,000 last year. However, Setrak Tokatzian, president of the Venice's historic Piazza San Marco Association of small businesses, has urged council chiefs to up the tax to an eye-watering 100 Euro (£87). Mr Tokatzian, who runs a jewellery shop in the heart of Venice, said it would be worth it because many of the 30million people who visit the city each year are lowering the tone of the city. In what might be considered a rather snobby interview with the local Corriere del Veneto, he said: 'Every day I see rivers of people coming to the city, but without a goal. 'They move from side to side, often guided by tour operators, climb gondolas, and I'm sorry to say but this sort of tourism is obscene. 'There is a total over explosion of tourists, these people wander around and don't even bother going into any of the shops, they don't even know where they are going. 'No one goes into any of the designer stores and bus branded goods, they just buy fake goods from the street sellers. 'But it's not just that. I have also heard from hoteliers who tell me there has been a drop in overnight guests and the restaurants tell me the same thing. 'I myself have seen people, when they do stop to eat something, divide up a plate of pasta or share a drink. People line up at fountains to get water instead of buying bottles from a shop. 'Where are the classy people, the ones interested in the city and who really bring something to it?' Earlier his year Venice was the venue for billionaire Amazon boss Jeff Bezos's wedding to Lauren Sanchez. And Mr Tokatzian was one of many including the mayor, who hit out at critics of the event. He added of over tourism: 'I think it is a widespread phenomena throughout Italy, from what I have head from counterparts in Milan and other cities, it's all the same. 'In St Mark's Square no one stops to look in the shop windows, a tide of people just arrive from the mainland in the morning on boats and then go home in the afternoon, without even appreciating where they have been. 'I personally believe we need to put some sort of threshold on this over tourism, and charge these people 100 Euro. 'There are tides of people coming in from the campsites nearby every day with wrist bands on and they don't even know what culture is, and you can see it in them when they arrive. 'And then what's worse is that they leave without buying a thing, except from the street hawkers who in my eyes make money illegally, and this is a daily battle for us.' He went on: 'The tourists come; they don't buy anything but they are happy for someone to take their picture feeding grains to the pigeons in in St Mark's Square.' The idea was dismissed by consumer group, Assoutenti, with spokesman Gabriele Melluso saying it was 'madness and unworkable'. He said: 'The truth, and the businesses all know it, is that tourists don't buy in Venice because the prices are too high. 'To have a bite to eat in a cafe or restaurant in the city of Venice, in one of the tourist areas, is to pay some of the highest prices in Italy and that's why when people do visit, they try and save money. 'To combat over tourism in Venice and Italy, we don't need unrealistic taxes that transform the beauty of our country into something just for the rich but a well booking system and better PR.' No one from Venice City Council was immediately available to discuss the idea.
The Guardian
4 days ago
- The Guardian
Take it from a former Parisian waitress: there are ways to avoid the unofficial ‘tourist tax' in cafes and bars
When an investigation into the tricks of Parisian waiters found that foreign tourists were being ripped off, all I could think was, 'Quelle surprise!' Anyone who has stared in shock at a bill for a citron pressé and an espresso near the Boulevard St Germain – as I did on one of my recent visits – will no doubt join me in a feeling of vindication. Undercover journalists for Le Parisien, posing as cafe punters around the Champ de Mars, have discovered that foreign tourists are being charged as much as 50% more than French customers, using a variety of tricks including only offering bottled water or more expensive drinks, being told service isn't included when it is, and swapping the wine ordered for the cheapest on the menu. As a former waitress in the French capital, I'm someone who has been on both sides of this conflict. Before I left home, at 18, to move there, my mother warned me of the 'tourist tax', having visited with my father in the mid-1980s and noted the suspicious fiver that seemed to appear on all their bills. As a result, I was slightly on guard whenever I was en terrasse, always making sure to ask for tap water and quibbling anything that didn't look right. Then I became a waitress myself. Despite dodgy French and a lack of experience, for some reason a small crêperie on the Left Bank hired me (actually, I know why: I agreed to go on a date with one of its former chefs). Working there was a baptism of fire, as I discovered the minute a table of French people ordered a perroquet, a kir and a menthe a l'eau. What were these strange, exotic drinks, and how the hell did I make them? The French customers were exacting in their requirements. The tourists, meanwhile, especially the Americans, were charmed by the quaintness and novelty of the place, friendly but slightly unnerved by the brisk, perfunctory service, and easily impressed and influenced. (This difference is borne out by recent TripAdvisor reviews – appalling on the French website, glowing on the English.) I never ripped off tourists. In fact, they used to greet me with relief because I not only spoke English but, being aware of the longstanding reputation for rudeness on the part of Parisian serving staff, would work hard to charm them – with one eye on the tip tray, naturally (French customers never tipped). What I did do, though, was a lot of upselling. 'Ordering two cups of Breton cider? Why not have the bottle?' – that sort of thing, which is par for the course in hospitality. I did, however, know waiting staff who had less honest tactics. And then, 10 years ago, a group of us diners were subject to an outrageous scam at a Left Bank brasserie. Enticed into a place on the promise of a deal on a cheap charcuterie board, much merriment was had until the bill came, whereupon we discovered that the board had trebled in price and we were being charged for a far more expensive bottle of picpoul than the one we had ordered. My quibble with the bill quickly descended into an argument with the waiter, who flatly denied that we had ever been promised the deal, saying, in possibly the most French manner possible: 'In Paris, you would pay more for oeufs mayonnaise.' This has since become a catchphrase in our house whenever the cost of anything is brought up. (Our other family catchphrase, done in an 'Allo 'Allo! accent, is deployed when we are eating parsnips, in honour of the ex-boyfriend who came for Sunday lunch: 'In France, we feed zees to the pigs!') Look, I love France and the French. I have French family and friends, and part of my heart will always be living in Paris, 18, chain-smoking at the bar with a book in my hand (the best thing about being a waitress in France is being allowed to read and not being told to smile). Ripping off tourists, however, is never on, even in this era of Instagram travel and overtourism. I'm not averse to a tourist tax, provided it's a legal one. My advice for not getting ripped off in Paris is as follows: avoid places with touts outside; say bonjour when you walk in, and please and thank you when ordering. Learn the French for tap water. Be aware that bread should be free. Look around you to observe the size of the drinks the locals are having, and if necessary point to them when ordering. If you're offered a side or a different type of wine, ask how much it is. Read the bill when it arrives and don't be afraid to question it. Ask if service is included or not and check the amount on the card machine before you pay. And – the ouefs mayonnaise rule – if an offer looks too good to be true, then it probably is. Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett is a Guardian columnist
The Guardian
4 days ago
- The Guardian
Take it from a former Parisian waitress: there are ways to avoid the unofficial ‘tourist tax' in cafes and bars
When an investigation into the tricks of Parisian waiters found that foreign tourists were being ripped off, all I could think was, 'Quelle surprise!' Anyone who has stared in shock at a bill for a citron pressé and an espresso near the Boulevard St Germain – as I did on one of my recent visits – will no doubt join me in a feeling of vindication. Undercover journalists for Le Parisien, posing as cafe punters around the Champ de Mars, have discovered that foreign tourists are being charged as much as 50% more than French customers, using a variety of tricks including only offering bottled water or more expensive drinks, being told service isn't included when it is, and swapping the wine ordered for the cheapest on the menu. As a former waitress in the French capital, I'm someone who has been on both sides of this conflict. Before I left home, at 18, to move there, my mother warned me of the 'tourist tax', having visited with my father in the mid-1980s and noted the suspicious fiver that seemed to appear on all their bills. As a result, I was slightly on guard whenever I was en terrasse, always making sure to ask for tap water and quibbling anything that didn't look right. Then I became a waitress myself. Despite dodgy French and a lack of experience, for some reason a small crêperie on the Left Bank hired me (actually, I know why: I agreed to go on a date with one of its former chefs). Working there was a baptism of fire, as I discovered the minute a table of French people ordered a perroquet, a kir and a menthe a l'eau. What were these strange, exotic drinks, and how the hell did I make them? The French customers were exacting in their requirements. The tourists, meanwhile, especially the Americans, were charmed by the quaintness and novelty of the place, friendly but slightly unnerved by the brisk, perfunctory service, and easily impressed and influenced. (This difference is borne out by recent TripAdvisor reviews – appalling on the French website, glowing on the English.) I never ripped off tourists. In fact, they used to greet me with relief because I not only spoke English but, being aware of the longstanding reputation for rudeness on the part of Parisian serving staff, would work hard to charm them – with one eye on the tip tray, naturally (French customers never tipped). What I did do, though, was a lot of upselling. 'Ordering two cups of Breton cider? Why not have the bottle?' – that sort of thing, which is par for the course in hospitality. I did, however, know waiting staff who had less honest tactics. And then, 10 years ago, a group of us diners were subject to an outrageous scam at a Left Bank brasserie. Enticed into a place on the promise of a deal on a cheap charcuterie board, much merriment was had until the bill came, whereupon we discovered that the board had trebled in price and we were being charged for a far more expensive bottle of picpoul than the one we had ordered. My quibble with the bill quickly descended into an argument with the waiter, who flatly denied that we had ever been promised the deal, saying, in possibly the most French manner possible: 'In Paris, you would pay more for oeufs mayonnaise.' This has since become a catchphrase in our house whenever the cost of anything is brought up. (Our other family catchphrase, done in an 'Allo 'Allo! accent, is deployed when we are eating parsnips, in honour of the ex-boyfriend who came for Sunday lunch: 'In France, we feed zees to the pigs!') Look, I love France and the French. I have French family and friends, and part of my heart will always be living in Paris, 18, chain-smoking at the bar with a book in my hand (the best thing about being a waitress in France is being allowed to read and not being told to smile). Ripping off tourists, however, is never on, even in this era of Instagram travel and overtourism. I'm not averse to a tourist tax, provided it's a legal one. My advice for not getting ripped off in Paris is as follows: avoid places with touts outside; say bonjour when you walk in, and please and thank you when ordering. Learn the French for tap water. Be aware that bread should be free. Look around you to observe the size of the drinks the locals are having, and if necessary point to them when ordering. If you're offered a side or a different type of wine, ask how much it is. Read the bill when it arrives and don't be afraid to question it. Ask if service is included or not and check the amount on the card machine before you pay. And – the ouefs mayonnaise rule – if an offer looks too good to be true, then it probably is. Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett is a Guardian columnist
%3Amax_bytes(150000)%3Astrip_icc()%2FTAL-oia-santorini-GRTOURISMTAX0725-ffe7788816df4c53925fc2d277137ea9.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
Travel + Leisure
22-07-2025
- Travel + Leisure
Greece Just Added New Fees for Travelers Visiting Its Most Popular Islands—What to Know
Cruise passengers in Greece will now pay a 'tourist tax' of up to €20 ($23.41). The new policy was first reported by European media outlets. Exploring popular Greek islands just got more expensive for cruise passengers. That's because the Greek government is now charging a disembarkation fee for travelers heading to the country's islands. Cruise passengers to the Greek islands of Santorini and Mykonos are now responsible for a €20 ($23.41) fee, while cruise travelers to all remaining islands—including Crete and Rhodes—will incur a €5 ($5.85) fee, according to EuroNews. These fees are in effect through Sept. 30. After that, the fee will drop to €12 ($14.07) for Mykonos and Santorini and €3 ($3.52) for all other ports in October and from April 1 through May 31. Several cruise lines either did not respond to requests for comment from Travel + Leisure on how the fee would be paid or directed this reporter to the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA). A representative for CLIA also did not immediately respond to multiple requests for comment. The Greek islands are among the most popular in the world for cruise passengers with several major cruise lines offering trips there, including Carnival, Celebrity Cruises, Disney Cruise Line, Holland America, Royal Caribbean, MSC Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, and Virgin Voyages. On Royal Caribbean, for example, travelers can book packages like the "Ultimate Santorini Day" or a kayaking trip to explore the beauty of the island from the water. "Santorini is one of the world's most popular islands, known best for its dramatic scenery, whitewashed villages and fiery volcanic activity," Royal Caribbean wrote about the Greek island. "Here adventure bubbles above the Aegean Sea in the most bold and breathtaking ways." The new fees are being implemented with the hope it may help manage overcrowding, which is especially prevalent on the islands. Last year, more than 7.9 million cruise ship passengers arrived in Greece, according to data from the Hellenic Ports Association, a more than 13% increase compared to 2023. Greece is not alone in imposing fees on cruise ship passengers, a practice that has become somewhat of a new trend. Mexico, for example, implemented a new $5 fee on cruise ship passengers earlier this month. That fee will increase to as much as $21 per passenger by August 2028. Beyond cruises, several European destinations have also implemented tourism fees as a way to manage crowds and drive ancillary revenue. The Italian city of Venice, as an example, started charging as much as €10 ($11.73) per person for day trippers who do not have an overnight reservation.
Yahoo
22-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Angela Rayner battles Rachel Reeves over England tourist tax
Angela Rayner has reportedly called for the introduction of new powers to allow a tourist tax in England. The deputy prime minister is pushing for councils to have the ability to tax tourist hotel stays, despite opposition from Chancellor Rachel Reeves, reported The Telegraph. According to the outlet, Ms Rayner supported the inclusion of the power to charge tourist taxes in the Government's Devolution Bill published earlier this month. Ms Rayner is responsible for the Government's policy on councils as Secretary of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). Treasury officials, including Ms Reeves, are understood to have opposed the measure due to concerns for the implications on hospitality businesses. Shadow Chancellor, Mel Stride, told The Telegraph: 'Labour can't help themselves – it's always tax, tax, tax. Whether it's Angela Rayner or Rachel Reeves, the instinct is always the same – more taxes.' She added that a levy on hotel stays would 'hit hospitality hard. Inbound tourism is the UK's third-largest service export, with the UK the seventh most visited country in the world in 2023. A record 43 million foreign visits to the UK are expected this year, in addition to domestic travel. The Labour mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, is among local leaders asking to be allowed to charge more tax to visitors. Other mayors have echoed his sentiment. Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, said: 'A modest overnight accommodation levy, similar to other international cities, would boost our economy, deliver growth and help cement London's reputation as a global tourism and business destination.' In June, the mayors of the Liverpool City Region, Greater Manchester, London, the North East, the West Midlands and West Yorkshire signed a joint letter calling for visitor levies across England. A similar law is already in place in Scotland, passed in 2024, which allows councils to tax overnight accommodation if they wish to do so. A MHCLG spokesman said: 'There are currently no plans to introduce a tourism tax in England. Places can already choose to introduce a levy on overnight stays through the Accommodation Business Improvement District model. 'We are also already empowering local leaders by removing restrictions and allowing the existing Mayoral Council Tax Precept to be spent on areas that drive local growth, such as transport and adult skills.' Bath and Cambridge recently urged the government to allow them to introduce tourist taxes, becoming the latest in a string of English destinations seeking similar levies. In a letter sent to Ms Rayner, the leaders of Bath & North East Somerset Council and Cambridge City Council state that their 'destination' cities are under growing amounts of pressure when it comes to tourism. The councils are seeking a roundtable with the government to explore ways that they can support sustainable tourism in their cities, including the introduction of 'a modest visitor levy' with revenue that will benefit both residents and visitors.
