Spain launches attack on wallets of British tourists with new daily charge | World | News

Britons travelling to some parts of Spain will face an extra tourist levy as the country tries to deal with wave after wave of tourists.

GB News reported that tourists will now be charged £3 a day in Catalonia and the Balearic Islands, which will be spent on projects to improve sustainability.

They aren’t the only parts of Spain moving towards tourist levies. The mayor of Malaga, Francisco de la Torre, is also asking for a levy in his city.

He said: “I have always declared myself in favour of it.

“A tourist, even if he contributes indirectly with his expenses through taxes and revenue on spending, is enjoying city facilities paid for by residents.”

While not every part of Spain employs tourist taxes, it is far from the only country to use them to boost revenue and pay for facilities.

Host of this year’s Olympics and Paralympics, Paris, is increasing its tourist tax ahead of the events with the tax depending on the type of accommodation people choose to stay in.

For example, if someone stays in a five-star hotel with special features they will now pay £12.85 per night, nearly triple the £4.30 it was last year.

While the higher tax will be used to promote tourism, pay for expenses, and support the city during a time of brief but extreme population density, it’s a move which hasn’t been welcomed by the hotel sector.

In a statement, the Union des Métiers et des Industries de l’Hôtellerie (UMIH) and Groupement National de Chaines Hôtelières (GNC), said: “It is another hard blow for the competitiveness of our sector and for the image of France, at a time when all the spotlights are on Paris 2024.”