Planning To Travel To Amsterdam Your Trip Is Going To Get More Expensive

If you are planning a vacation to the Dutch capital, be ready to pay a higher tourist tax than what it is at present. The tourists will now have to pay about $3 (about about INR 232) per person per night when they stay in a hotel, making it one of the highest taxes in Europe. This tax will be introduced in addition to the current tax that charges seven percent of the nightly hotel rate. The capital will introduce the tax amendments beginning next year.

"It will likely make Amsterdam's the highest overnight tax in Europe, on average,&rdquo said Tim Fairhurst, director of policy for the ETOA (European Tourism Association), as reported by CNN.

According to Amsterdam&rsquos Municipality website, &ldquoThe rate of the tourist tax in 2019 is throughout the city, regardless of category and district, 7% of the overnight price excluding VAT and tourist tax.&rdquo

The website also states that, &ldquoYou must pay tourist tax if you offer overnight accommodation in Amsterdam against payment to people who do not live in Amsterdam according to the Personal Records Database (BRP). You must first register (as a one-off) as the lessor and then report the annual turnover again each year. This applies to areas on land and on the water such as hotels, hostels, guesthouses, apartments and recreation bungalows, bed and breakfast (B&ampB), short stay, holiday rental, campsites and spaces on land or water that are not professionally rented.&rdquo

The only exemptions to this tax are children under 16. Amsterdam has been subjected to over tourism with about 18 million tourists. 

Apart from the increased taxes, the "iamsterdam" sign was dismantled in 2018. A ban was also announced on the "disrespectful" tours of the red light district in March 2019.