Portugal’s second-largest city, Porto, known as one of Europe’s most affordable tourist destinations, is raising its tourism taxes.
Porto joins a growing list of cities across Europe and beyond that are introducing new tourism levies to combat over-tourism and preserve natural resources, which are increasingly threatened by the surge in visitors.
According to the Porto City Council, every visitor will now be required to pay €3 per night, an increase of €1 from the previous tax.
However, Porto’s Mayor, Rui Moreira, expressed concern that this increase is insufficient to address the growing negative impacts of over-tourism in the city. He has called for more stringent measures to make Porto a “sustainable tourist destination.” The council defended its decision, stating that the increased tax aligns with the rising costs of services provided to tourists, including transport, housing, quality of life, energy, environmental conservation, and cultural preservation. Nonetheless, Mayor Moreira argued that the council has overlooked important areas, such as upgrading tourism facilities and improving the city’s marketing campaigns.
Tourist taxes have taken various forms across Europe. Some cities have implemented a flat-rate fee for all tourists, while others impose taxes based on the quality of accommodation. Some cities have even exempted children and medical tourists from these levies.
Porto’s increase follows the lead of Lisbon, Portugal’s capital, which recently doubled its tourism taxes.
The strategy of raising taxes to ease the strain on local infrastructure is not unique to Portugal. Many European cities have adopted similar measures, though critics argue that such taxes are not an effective solution to over-tourism.
Until April, visitors to Barcelona, Spain, paid €2.75 per night in city travel taxes. That figure has now risen to €4, effective October 1. This charge is separate from the €3.50 per night regional levy that holidaymakers must pay to access Barcelona’s attractions.
In 2023, Porto welcomed more than 5.9 million tourists, a 22% increase compared to the previous year. Porto’s Councillor for Tourism and Internationalisation, Catarina Santos Cunha, expressed satisfaction with the growing number of tourists, noting that visitors continue to choose Porto as a prime holiday destination. She highlighted that the city’s hospitality sector generates significant revenue each year. However, Santos Cunha emphasized that the city still has “sustainable room for growth” and urged all stakeholders to collaborate to ensure that tourism benefits local residents.
Other European cities that have recently increased their tourism taxes include Paris, Venice, Madrid, Amsterdam, Brussels, Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt, and Vienna.
