Many famous tourist destinations in the world will charge fees from 2022

Thailand

From next April, Thailand will collect about 300 Thai baht (about 200,000 VND) from each tourist. This revenue will be used to develop tourism and cover part of the treatment costs for tourists who are not fully covered by insurance.

Thai officials said the amount will be included in the airfare, including prepayment for SARS-CoV-2 virus tests, accommodation or quarantine at hotels.

Venice (Italy)

From June 2022, Venice plans to introduce a tourist tax of 3-10 EUR (equivalent to 80,000-250,000 VND) per day, depending on how crowded the city is at that time. Residents, students, workers and overnight guests are exempt from the tax.

This allows visitors to visit for up to seven consecutive days and only pay for three. However, those three days will be the most taxed; so a week-long visit to Venice could cost 30 euros during peak season.

Authorities said the move was aimed at preserving the canal city’s ecosystem and curbing the influx of tourists seen in pre-pandemic years. In addition to the tourist tax, electronic turnstiles will be installed at entry and exit points to control the number of people.

European Union

From the end of 2022, visitors to the European Union will have to pay an additional 7 euros (about 190,000 VND) as part of a tourist tax. The regulation, part of the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS), is a new measure aimed at "enhancing security and helping to prevent health-related threats to the Union".

This charge applies to non-permanent residents/people who do not require a visa to stay in a European Union country; this includes Americans, Australians, UK citizens and visitors from outside the Schengen area. Those under 18 or 70 years of age are exempt.

Mexico

In 2022, visitors to the Mexican state of Quintana Roo, which includes popular tourist destinations such as Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Tulum, will have to pay a tourist tax of $11. Visitors aged 15 and older can pay online at any time on the VISITAX website, or at a kiosk at the airport, as long as they are before leaving Mexico.

To improve infrastructure and social services, the Mexican state of Baja California Sur - home to destinations such as Los Cabos, La Paz or Loreto - has also introduced a tourist tax of about 18.5 USD (more than 400,000 VND) since the end of 2019.

Maldives

From January 2022, the "resort paradise" Maldives will apply a new tax to all those who want to leave the country, including locals. The fee depends on the class of the passenger's plane, for example, economy class is 30 USD (680,000 VND), business class is 60 USD (1,300,000 VND) and first class is 90 USD (2,000,000 VND). Meanwhile, guests leaving the Maldives by private jet will have to pay a tourist tax of 120 USD (2,700,000 VND).

In addition to the above departure tax, passengers from Velana International Airport to other places will also have to pay an Airport Development Fee of USD 25 (VND 670,000).

Bengaluru (India)

The Indian city of Bengaluru has just issued a new regulation on tourist fees, in which passengers flying from Kempegowda International Airport will have to pay 350 INR (100,000 VND) for domestic flights and 1,200 INR (360,000 VND) for international flights, instead of 184 INR (55,000 VND) and 839 INR (250,000 VND) as present.

The fee will be applied from April this year, lasting until the end of March 2023. The city government said that this regulation was introduced to strengthen the airport's finances after the recent large-scale expansion project, and to contribute to the recovery of the local economy from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Norway

Norway plans to reintroduce airport passenger taxes in 2022, charging around VND200,000 per person for flights departing to European destinations, or VND560,000 per person for other flights.

Japan

Japan calls its tourist tax a “departure fee,” and it also charges around 200,000 VND per tourist. The tax is used to expand and improve the country’s tourism infrastructure.

Belize

While not technically a tax, the Central American country of Belize charges every visitor an $18 fee. The money is used to purchase insurance, with a maximum coverage of $50,000 for Covid-19 medical expenses, plus $2,000 for quarantine and emergency assistance services.

An synthesis