Taxing times: Amsterdam hits tourists the hardest

If you think your hotel room in Amsterdam is a little expensive, you can blame the local taxes. 

The biggest city in the Netherlands has claimed the top spot as the European city with the highest tourist tax, new rankings compiled by Holidu.pt, the Portuguese branch of the holiday rental technology company Holidu. 

The ranking is based on data from Euromonitor’s “Top 100 City Destinations.”

As of now, Amsterdam charges tourists an average of €18.45 per night, applying a 12.5% tax on the total value of accommodations. 

The measure is part of the city’s strategy to tackle over-tourism, support public infrastructure, and ensure that tourism contributes to Amsterdam’s economy.

Second place is shared by four Greek destinations -Athens, Heraklion, Rhodes and Thessaloniki - which apply an average daily tax of €8.17. 

Dubbed a “climate resilience tax”, it is designed to fund infrastructure upgrades and sustainable tourism. Rates vary by accommodation type and are lower during the off-season (November to March).

Berlin ranks sixth, following a recent tax increase. Since January 1, the German capital imposes a 7.5% levy on the net cost of accommodation, averaging €7.38 per night. Notably, the tax now also applies to business travellers, marking a departure from previous exemptions common in German cities.

Italy is also included  in the top 10, with Milan leading among Italian cities. The city raised its maximum tourist tax to €7 per person, per night, for guests in 4- and 5-star hotels. The average rate now stands at €6.44. 

Rome and Florence share eighth position, with an average rate of €6.18. In Rome, tourists pay €10 per night in 5-star hotels, €7.50 in 4-star, and as little as €4 in 1-star accommodations. Florence applies similar rates, with 5-star hotels at €8, 4-star at €7, and 1-star at €3.50.

Interestingly, some of Europe’s most popular tourist cities do not top the list. 

Barcelona, Paris, and Nice rank 11th and equa 12th. 

While Barcelona charges an average of €5.81 tourist tax, Nice and Paris stand at €5.65 per night. 

What are the best cities for foodies? One viewpoint

Melbourne and Sydney both like to consider themselves international centres of gastronomy, but one recent global survey finds they do not rate.

London? Yes. New York? Yes. Paris? Yes.

A recent data study finds London, New York, Paris, Tokyo, Dubai, and Barcelona lead the index, offering both high quality and diversity of food experiences, according to a new ratings system from Holidu, a holiday rental portal.

Holidu commissioned a study to explore the richness of culinary landscapes in 75 cities worldwide that were selected based on their strong presence in multiple rating directories, acknowledging both renowned food hubs and emerging gastronomic destinations.

For travellers seeking cuisine diversity, London (100-100), New York (92.5-100) and Paris (91.5-100) are the best destinations. Dubious, I know, but worth discussing. 

Bollocks, but fun. 

Your foodie experiences (based on activity and visual experience indexes) will be the best in Tokyo (100-100), Barcelona, Spain (99.8-100), and Dubai (99.1-100). OK. Even more dubious.

The city with the most Michelin starred restaurants is Tokyo, with 282, followed by Paris with 163, and Kyoto with 133, the report says.

The index essentially attempts to compare a ceviche in Lima to a salt beef bagel in New York. Which is, of course, impossible. 

“Whether you’ve always dreamed of trying monjayaki on a hidden street of Tokyo or dining on machboos at a Bedouin feast in the Dubai desert, this study is the ultimate foodie bucket list,” says Sarah Siddle, senior PR manager at Holidu.

“Every delicious destination in this index can offer inspiration to food industry professionals such as ourselves, as well as burgeoning chefs, gastronomes and globetrotters.”

View the complete food city destination index here: https://www.holidu.co.uk/magazine/food-city-destination-index

Image: Borough Market in London. Winsor Dobbin