To combat overtourism, Italian authorities are considering a significant increase in the tourist tax. The proposed new fee could be as high as 25 euros (about 100 shekels) per person per night. Currently the tax ranges from 1 to 5 euros (4 to 20 shekels) per night depending on the city.
The move comes amid a surge in international tourism to Italy. In 2023, Italy was the fourth most visited country in the world, with 57 million foreign tourists. France, Spain and the United States topped the ranking with 100, 85 and 66 million tourists respectively.
Italian media forecast an increase in the number of tourists to 65.8 million by the end of 2024. For local residents, tourism is increasingly becoming a burden: overcrowded villages, congested streets and deteriorating infrastructure.
To address these issues, the Italian government is proposing to increase the tourist tax to €25 per night. The aim of the change is to make tourists “more responsible”, The Independent reports. The funds raised will be used for services such as waste collection in high-traffic areas.
Once approved, the new tax will be introduced alongside existing tourist taxes in major Italian cities such as Florence and Rome. The amount of the specific tax will depend on the category of the hotel. For luxury rooms costing more than 750 euros (about NIS 3,100), the tax will be 25 euros per night. For cheaper rooms costing less than 100 euros (about NIS 400), the tax will be 5 euros. Rooms costing between 100 and 400 euros (about NIS 1,600) will be subject to a tax of 10 euros, and rooms costing between 400 and 750 euros will be subject to a tax of 15 euros per night.
Cursor previously wrote that a lawsuit was filed against the popular airline for thousands of shekels due to the cancellation of flights to Israel.
