Turmoil in Italy over plan to hike tourist tax to combat overcrowding
The Italian government is considering raising a tourist levy of up to 25 euros – up from around five euros a night currently charged in cities such as Venice – to make visitors “more responsible” and help financially disadvantaged areas fund certain services.
Overtourism, which is already causing headaches from Venice to the Italian Riviera, risks costing travellers dearly as Rome considers hiking the tourist tax to make them "more responsible" – and raise cash.
According to a draft decree that emerged this summer, Giorgia Meloni's government is mulling raising the tourist tax – currently around five euros a night – to 10 euros for rooms costing 100 euros, 15 for those costing more than 400, and 25 euros for luxury suites costing over 750 euros.
The proposal has sparked anger among tourism groups, which fear it could act as a deterrent.
"We mustn't scare away tourists with taxes that are too high," Marina Lalli, head of professional body Federturismo, told AFP.
"We already have a very high rate of VAT (sales tax), at 22 percent, and if we add new taxes we risk damaging Italy's competitiveness, especially for all-inclusive, organised trips."
Bernarbo Bocca, president of hoteliers association Federalberghi, in May accused the government of treating "hotels as ATMs".
But Liam Roth, a 25-year-old computer science student from Zurich, backed the proposal.
(AFP)
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