Summer months are just around the corner and you may be planning your next getaway. If Greece is on your list then it’s important to know about the tourist tax. A new tax, Greece’s Climate Crisis Resilience fee, has replaced the previous hotel tax, with charges ranging from €1.50 to €10 depending on accommodation, quality, and time of year. The fee is capped at €4 in the low season, with different rates for hotels of different star ratings. The tax was introduced due to Greece facing a year of historic natural disasters, with funds collected going towards repairing the damage caused. The tourist tax applies to bookings, meaning you will be charged per hotel room and per night. Other countries in Europe also have a tourist tax, including Amsterdam, Austria, Barcelona, Belgium, Bulgaria, Budapest, Croatia, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Menorca, Portugal, Paris, Prague, Slovenia, Switzerland, Valencia, and Venice. If you’re looking for options for holiday spending without exchanging currency, consider using travel credit cards or pre-paid cards to avoid fees and hidden charges.
How much is tourist tax in Greece? Climate Crisis Resilience Fee explained
SUMMER months are just around the corner and you may be planning your next getaway.
If Greece is on your list then it’s important to know about the tourist tax. Here’s all the information.
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A new tax has been introducedCredit: Getty
How much is Greece’s Climate Crisis Resilience fee?
Greece’s Climate Crisis Resilience fee has replaced the previous hotel tax.
The Greek island to visit this summer for surprisingly cheap package holidays
According to the Greek government, charges will range from €1.50 (£1.30) to €10 (£8.60), depending on accommodation, quality and the time of year.
The fee is capped at €4 (£3.45) in the low season.
The following fees will be in effect from March to October:
€1.50 euros per night for one or two-star hotels (previously €0.50 euros)
€3 euros per night for three-star hotels (previously €1.50 euros)
€7 euros per night for four-star hotels (previously €3 euros)
Why was the tax introduced?
The tax was introduced due to Greece facing a year of historic natural disasters.
Record rainfall and heat waves destroyed over 1,500 square kilometres of land and led to 37 deaths.
The funds collected will go towards repairing the damage that the natural disasters caused.
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Other countries also charge a tourist taxCredit: Getty
Is the tourist tax per room or per person?
The tourist tax applies to bookings which means you will be charged per hotel room.
This means it you will not be charged more if multiple people are staying in one room.
The fee will be collected upon check in and is charged per night.
Which other countries have a tourist tax?
There are several countries in Europe that have a tourist tax.
These include:
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Austria
Barcelona, Spain
Belgium
Bulgaria
Budapest, Hungary
Croatia
Germany
Iceland
Italy
Menorca
Portugal
Paris, France
Prague, Czech Republic
Slovenia
Switzerland
Valencia, Spain
Venice, Italy
Options for holiday spending if you don’t want to exchange currency
THERE are several specialist cards that can give you a great exchange rate.
These cards include travel credit cards and pre-paid cards which can let you pay abroad without fees or at a set exchange rate.
Travel credit cards: Travel credit cards allow you to spend money abroad without being hit by any fees or hidden charges.
But, they may still charge you for taking cash out.
We recommend the Halifax’s Clarity Card as it won’t charge you for using it abroad, nor are there any fees for withdrawing cash.
But you will be charged interest if you don’t repay your balance in full at a rate of 19.9 per cent.
And you will be charged interest on cash withdrawals until your balance is paid off too, at a rate of between 19.9 and 27.95 per cent depending on your credit score.
In other words, just because you are using plastic abroad doesn’t mean you don’t have to pay these credit cards off like you normally would.
Always pay off your balance before the end of the month with these cards to make sure that any money you saved isn’t wiped away by paying interest.
For more on travel credit cards you can read our guide here.
Pre-paid cards: An alternative to carrying cash around is to get a pre-paid card.
These cards allow you to put a set amount of cash on the card at a fixed exchange rate.
So if the rate is good at the moment, you can put money on your card and it will stay that rate when you are on holiday.
Just keep in mind that these cards can sometimes have hidden costs and charges so be sure to read the small print.
Read the full story on www.thesun.co.uk
https://www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/28301212/greece-tourist-tax-fee-explained/