Popular Destinations Charging Tourist Fees

Tourism fees and taxes have become a trend in popular destinations around the world, and while these added costs are rarely hefty enough to wreck a traveler's budget, it helps to know what to expect. Whether you're traveling domestically or abroad, the odds are overwhelming that you'll encounter some form of additional tax on your accommodations. However, here's a look at some of the notable travel destinations already or set to begin charging visitors a separate tourist fee in 2022.

Thailand recently announced a new $9 tourism fee for travelers that will go into effect starting in April. The money will be put toward developing attractions and covering costs for visitors with insufficient insurance. "Part of the fee will be used to take care of tourists," Tourism Authority of Thailand governor Yuthasak Supasorn told Reuters in January. "We've encountered times when insurance didn't have coverage for tourists...which became our burden to take care of them."

Visitors to the Mexican state of Quintana Roo, including popular tourist destinations like Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Tulum, must pay an $11 visitor tax that went into effect in April 2021. Travelers age 15 and up can pay online at the VISITAX website or at an airport kiosk so long as they make their payment prior to leaving Mexico. The new fee is expected to generate an estimated $29.1 million in additional revenue for the region.

The Mexican state of Baja California Sur, which is home to Los Cabos, La Paz, Loreto and other notable destinations, began charging a tourist tax of approximately $18.50 in late 2019 in an effort to improve infrastructure and social services.

Venice is targeting June 1, 2022, for a new tourist tax that would charge visitors between three and 10 euros depending on how crowded the city is at the time. Travelers can visit for up to seven straight days and only pay for three days worth of fees. However, those three days will be the ones with the highest tax so a week-long visit could carry a fee of 30 euros or $34 during the busy season.

The Maldives introduced a new departure tax for travelers leaving the country on January 1, 2022. The fee depends on the airline class individuals are flying, with economy class costing $30, business class costing $60 and first-class costing $90. Meanwhile, private charter flights will incur a $120 fee. Additionally, travelers flying out of Velana International Airport must pay a $25 Airport Development Fee.

Norway, which recently eliminated quarantine requirements for Americans, is slated to reintroduce its airport passenger tax in 2022 at a rate of 80 Norwegian krone or $9 per passenger for flights departing for destinations in Europe and 214 Norwegian krone or $25 per passenger for other flights.

Japan calls its 1,000 yen or just under $9 departure fee "a small tax that will make a significant difference" as it's used to expand and enhance the country's tourist infrastructure. However, U.S. travelers will have to wait a bit longer before they can visit the Asian country.

Although not technically a tax, Belize is set to require a Belize Travel Health Insurance policy for all visitors. Effective February 15, the $18 per-person charge would cover up to $50,000 in medical expenses related to treatment for COVID-19 and $2,000 in quarantine expenses and emergency assistance services.