The 5 vacation destinations that will be more expensive to visit in 2026 because of tourist taxes

Become an Insider and start reading now. Have an account? . Several destinations plan to raise or introduce tourism taxes in 2026, increasing travel costs. Edinburgh, Kyoto, and Barcelona are among these destinations. Tourism taxes often aim to manage overtourism or raise revenue for local services. Tourism can be expensive, both for the tourist and the places they tour. Some in the latter camp are imposing taxes on the former to grow their revenue, fund local services, or even to manage overcrowding. New Zealand collects a tourism tax to protect its natural environment. Some of these taxes are charged as entry fees, while others are added to the cost of accommodation. Whatever the form, they're increasingly being introduced as a way to manage overtourism and offset the pressure visitors put on popular destinations. If you're planning to travel in 2026, be prepared: Several destinations will have new or higher tourist taxes in place, meaning trips may cost a little more than before. These are five destinations where visiting next year may be a little bit more expensive than in 2025. Edinburgh, the first city in Scotland to impose a tourism tax, will add a 5% charge to hotel stays Tourists visiting Edinburgh after July 24 next year will be charged an extra 5% on top of their accommodation costs for the first five nights of their stay. The City of Edinburgh Council said the charge is intended to raise money that will "sustain Edinburgh's status as one of the world's greatest cultural and heritage cities." Every year, Edinburgh's summer festivals - the Edinburgh International Festival, Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo - draw millions of tourists. The council said the visitor levy is expected to raise up to £50 million ($67 million) a year by 2029, with the revenue earmarked for things like improving city infrastructure and managing tourism. Accommodation in Kyoto is also about to get more expensive because of an overnight stay tax Tourists love Kyoto for its ancient temples, pagodas, and its cherry blossoms. But from early next year, staying in the Japanese city will become more expensive. After March 1, visitors in Kyoto will face higher overnight taxes on accommodation across the city. The tax is tiered according to the nightly cost of accommodation: rooms under 6,000 yen, about $38, a night will remain taxed at 200 yen, or $1.28, while the tax on rooms priced between 6,000 and 20,000 yen a night will double to 400 yen. The steepest increases will be applied to high-end accommodations. Rooms costing 50,000 to 100,000 yen a night will see the tax jump from 1,000 to 4,000 yen, and those over 100,000 yen will rise tenfold to 10,000 yen. Kyoto's government estimates the revised tax will generate 12.6 billion yen a year, about $81 million. The tourism tax on five-star hotel stays in Barcelona could double Barcelona is one of Europe's most visited cities, famed for its unusual architecture and urban beaches. Tourists staying in five-star...

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