When you travel abroad, many cities and countries will charge you simply for the privilege of being there, which is known as a tourist tax.
The Hawaiian city of Honolulu has the world’s highest tourist tax, which adds hundreds of dollars to travelers’ weekly budgets.
According to a Money.co.uk study published this month, Honolulu typically charges $62.85 per night per person, which can vary depending on the cost of a room. For a seven-night stay, that equates to more than $439 in taxes.
According to the study, the exorbitant charge is the result of a combination of Hawaii’s 10.25% “transient accommodations tax” and Honolulu’s additional 3% surcharge.
The study found that the three most expensive cities for tourist taxes were in the United States, based on the average tourist tax charged per night in the world’s most visited cities. San Francisco came in second, charging $36 per night, or $251.99 for a week, while Los Angeles came in third, charging $23.49, or $164.40 for a week.
With a nightly tax of $11.53, Amsterdam was the most expensive city in Europe, ranking fourth overall.
Warm-weather vacation spots are also not cheap. A weeklong stay in Orlando could cost travelers $98.69. Cancun, which is very popular with American tourists, will cost $76.94 per week. According to the study, Mexico charges the highest flat rate of $11.10 to leave the country.
Several destinations are in the process of enacting new taxes, including Venice, which will charge day-trippers a fee ranging from 3 to 10 euros per person, depending on the time of year and the city’s level of crowdedness. The tax is set to take effect on January 16, 2023. Overnight hotel visitors are currently subject to a 5 euro per night tax levied by the city.
Europe as a whole also intends to implement a 7-euro fee as part of the new European Travel Information and Authorisation System in May 2023. (or ETIAS). The authorization will be valid for three years or until someone’s travel document expires.