SOME 2.2 million tourists visiting a popular destination in eastern Spain will face a tourist tax as early as 2024.
Spain’s third biggest city will begin charging between €0.50-2.00 per person, per night.
Valencia, a tourism hotspot on Spain’s Costa Blanca, will charge visitors based on their choice of accommodation.
Charges will differ from rental to luxury accommodation and will reportedly cost cruises ship passengers €1.50 per day.
Known as the ‘Valencian Tax on Tourist Stays’ (IVET), the regulation could also impact resorts surrounding the city.
The tax, which can only charge visitors for a maximum of seven days, will bring up to €30 million to the region.
Certain groups, such as children under 16 and disabled tourists, are exempt from the rules.
Valencia has seen a tourism boom in recent years, with almost 30% more visitors in the first half of this year than in the same period of 2022.
The city is home to the futuristic City of Arts and Sciences, which sits alongside the historic old town with its impressive silk trading centre, cathedral and central market.
Similar taxes are already implemented in popular Spanish destinations like Ibiza, Majorca, Menorca, Formentera and Barcelona.
The Catalonian city is set to increase its tourism tax next year, rising from €2.75 to €3.25 from April 2024.
European tourism hubs Amsterdam, Vienna and Brussels have also opted for tourism taxes in recent years in an attempt to tackle over-tourism.
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