The requirement restricts travelers from third countries like the United States to 30 European nations, including France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Portugal and Spain. The applications would have brought in €7 each, which represents a considerable sum.
As popular European cities continue to face the challenges of overtourism in 2024, they are choosing to look beyond the financial solutions provided by tourism taxes.
These destinations are now deploying unprecedented innovative strategies aimed not only at managing crowds, but also at preserving their cultural heritage, protecting the environment and maintaining the quality of life of their residents.
Several new anti-tourism measures in Amsterdam
Amsterdam increases its tourist tax to 12.5% of the cost of housing in 2024. Compared to the current 7%, this is the highest rate in Europe. The increase applies to all establishments, from hotels and B&Bs to campgrounds.
January 2024 also means additional measures to combat overtourism in Amsterdam. The city banned buses over 7.5 tonnes from entering the city center, except for those with special exemptions, and increased the tax for buses over 7.5 tonnes. cruise ship passengers visiting the city for a day from €8 to €14 per person.
Amsterdam too ban on opening new B&Bs in certain central neighborhoods to solve the growing housing problem.
Paris imposes an unprecedented increase in tourist tax
THE tourist tax in Paris increases by 200% in 2024. According to France 24The increase is part of the government’s plan to fund improvements to public transport.
The city is hosting the 2024 Olympic Games from July 26 to August 11, attracting worldwide attention. Parisian hotels have already increased their rates for the duration of the event. The increase in taxes will further increase the cost of staying in Paris. But will it fight against overtourism?
Instead of restrictions, limitations and bans, France plans to take a positive approach. “If we want to decongest overcrowded sites, we must bring out other destinations and other tourist routes,” observes Olivia Grégoire, the Minister for SMEs, Commerce, Crafts and Tourism of France, in a press release. interview with Le Figaro.
France is adopting a unique approach to combat overtourism in 2024. engage social media influencers to highlight less visited areas, they hope to reduce interest in more well-known destinations. Aware of the considerable influence of these individuals, the French government wants to use its vast networks to direct tourists to unique, off-the-beaten-path experiences like French ecolodges Or campsites.
Venice tightens regulations on group travel
As one of UNESCO World Heritage SitesVenice still feels the pressure of overtourism despite the ban on large cruise ships in 2021.
To combat the influx of daily visitors, Venice tests new access tax for tourists who visit the city without spending the night. Each visitor pays €5 per day from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The city will test this tax for twenty days in May, June and July 2024. Based on the results, the city hopes to implement changes in 2025.
Venice also announced on its official website that it would limit walking tour groups to 25 people and ban loudspeakers because they cause nuisance. It will probably come into force on June 1, which corresponds to its Diversion campaign to promote a lesser-known Venice to visitors.
Venice could join Rome and Florence in limiting the number of short-term rental properties, which aligns with broader national efforts in Italy. In June 2023, the Italian Ministry of Tourism unveiled the first draft law to regulate short-term tourist rentals throughout Italy, including Airbnb listings.
New daily cap for visitors to Athens
Lina Mendoni, the Greek Minister of Culture, announced in an interview with Greek radio Real FM the implementation of a new policy. Starting September 2023, the Acropolis Museum in Athens, Greece, will cap daily visitor numbers at 20,000. The previous average was 23,000 visitors per day. The new program will be trialled until April 1, 2024.
It follows the example of many other European sites that have introduced daily tourist caps in previous years, such as the Louvre in Paris, France, the Calanques National Park in Marseille, France, the Villa de Balbianello near the lake of Como, Italy, or the old town of Dubrovnik, Croatia.
Portugal considers new actions for non-compliant cruise lines
At the end of December 2023, Carlos Moedas, the mayor of Lisbon, announcement a new tourist tax of €2 per person for all cruise ship passengers, the same fee that every hotel guest pays.
He added that the revenue from this tax “will be used to clean the city, have green spaces and represent a strategy for the future of the city.”
The new fees will take effect January 1, 2024.
News from Portugal reports that the mayor has indicated that if cruise operators do not comply, he is prepared to use his authority to make their entry more difficult. This could mean further measures in 2024, including restrictions on the mobility of their buses.
It aligns with the end of year announcement from Turismo de Portugal (the Portuguese Tourist Board), which has placed sustainability and authenticity at the forefront of its 2024 promotion strategy. This approach includes highlighting ecolodges in Portugal and many other sustainable and authentic travel experiences. Additionally, they will also use TikTok for the first time, with the aim of inspiring people across multiple channels to explore Portugal’s diverse regions beyond the urban appeal of Lisbon.
Dublin is eager to increase its tourist numbers
Although some European cities continue to be popular travel destinations, it’s worth considering other cities that offer equally stunning but less crowded experiences. These alternative destinations offer unique opportunities to explore and enjoy without the challenges of overtourism. They have even taken steps to attract more tourists in 2024.
In December 2023, Dublin Airport took an important step towards increasing its capacity to accommodate the growing number of travelers. The airport has filed a request to increase its annual passenger capacity cap from 32 million to 40 million. This decision reflects Dublin’s expectation to increase the Number of visitors to the Emerald Isle.
This article was produced by Media decision and syndicated by The wealth of geeks.
