Amsterdam’s Increased Tourist Tax for 2024 to Become Most Expensive in Europe

10.10.2023 - 19:47 / travelpulse.com / Donald Wood / News

Government officials in The Netherlands revealed that the new tourist tax increase scheduled to take effect next year in Amsterdam would make the city’s fee the highest in Europe.

According to Dutch News, Amsterdam finance chief Hester van Buren said last week that the tourist tax on overnight stays in the city would increase to 12.5 percent of the cost of the hotel room.

For the cruise industry, passengers will be forced to pay €11 ($11.50) per person, an increase from the previous fee of €8 ($8.36). Van Buren said the tourist tax increase would make it the “fourth highest in the world.”

Amsterdam officials predict the increase in fees for arriving tourists would result in a €65 million (almost $68 million) contribution to the city’s economy, with the money being used to pay for local services.

Van Buren said a tourist renting a room for €175 ($183) a night would pay a fee of around €22 ($23) per day, an increase from the previous €15 ($16).

“It is a balancing act, and an estimate,” Van Buren told Dutch News. “Of course, it would be good if the high tax helped against over-tourism, but then you would also bring in less money.”

Tourism experts estimate that Amsterdam will welcome more than 20 million visitors this year, but the city is considering tactics to combat limit the number of people arriving and punish unruly tourists.

Van Buren said Amsterdam has also been working with other cities experiencing overtourism—including Venice and Barcelona—regarding methods and measures on how to handle the high number of domestic and foreign visitors.

“We also have to deal with day trippers,” Van Buren continued. “Of course, you can’t put up turnstiles so no-one can get into the city, but we are going to look at ways of making day visitors pay some sort of city tax.”

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