Fees are increasing in tourism
The Climate Resilience Fee, imposed on hotel rooms but also on short-term rentals, is increasing, as is the transient fee, paid to municipalities, alongside a considerable hike in the disembarkation fee for cruise passengers in saturated destinations such as Mykonos and Santorini, are the main effects of the new government policy on tourism.
Furthermore, according to what Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced on the weekend, there will be a freeze on the number of properties available for short-term lease in the three central departments of the Municipality of Athens, and an increased fee on contracts through platforms, to support the sustainability of tourism.
At the same time, Mitsotakis also announced the formation of a national strategy for the further sustainable development of tourism through regional development plans throughout the country.
The climate crisis resistance fee will increase from April to October, for five-star hotels from 10 euros per room per night today to €15, for four-star hotels to €10 and to €8 for three-star hotels. According to information, the ceiling of this fee for short-term rentals will also be established at €8.
At the same time, the fee attributed to the municipalities and collected per room per night is increased from 0.5% of the price to 0.75% and not 2% as originally decided.
As for the passenger disembarkation fee, from €0.35 today, which applies horizontally to all ports in the country for both cruise and shore-to-shore, this will increase for cruises to up to €20 per passenger for Mykonos and Santorini – and depending on the destination and for the rest of the country’s ports – and will gradually decrease according to the time of year. However, it has not yet been clarified whether these increased fees will also be imposed on the thousands of daily visitors to islands such as Santorini and Mykonos, who are transferred by travel agents via high-speed coastal shipping boats, especially from Crete.
The further specialization of the measures for tourism is expected to be done probably on Thursday by the co-competent ministers of tourism and finance.
