In a move that has stirred concern among local businesses, Amsterdam’s municipality has announced plans to increase the tourist tax, a decision that has been met with particular apprehension by the city’s camping sector.
The new proposal, which was announced in May, will see the tourist tax rise by €1 per night and 1% on the overnight price, generating an additional €30 million annually. The aim is to offset part of the city’s new investments and reduce the influx of tourists.
Tourist tax is imposed on overnight stays, with tourists staying in hotels paying a fixed charge of three euros per hotel stay, in addition to 7% of the total cost of the stay. Under the new proposal, this fixed charge will increase to €4, and the percentage will rise to 8%.
However, critics argue that the increase in the tourist tax will have broader implications beyond just affecting hotel guests, as reported by the NL Times.
Businesses in the camping sector are particularly concerned about the potential impact. Currently, camping visitors are subject to an extra charge of seven percent on their overnight rate and an additional euro per person. When the municipality’s changes are implemented, these charges could rise to eight percent, and the per person fee would double to two euros.
Gerdina Krijger of HISWA-RECRON, a business association for water sports and leisure companies, voiced her concern, stating, They “believe that the increase particularly burdens ordinary campers, and this is highly undesirable.”
Toon Weijenborg from Camping Zeeburg echoed this sentiment, suggesting that the municipality should think more carefully about who will bear the cost of this increase.
Camping businesses are not the only ones expressing concern about the new tourist tax. The hotel industry has also voiced its apprehensions about the municipality’s plan to increase the tourist tax again.
The hospitality association KHN has expressed strong opposition to the plan. Pim Evers, the chairman of KHN Amsterdam, stated in May that “The tourist tax in Amsterdam is currently the highest in Europe.
Evers is concerned that the proposed “deterrent rates” might provoke such strong reactions from city hotels that they could resort to legal action. He contested the assertion that these prices would effectively deter tourists, which is reportedly the goal behind the municipality’s plan. According to him, only significantly higher rates would have this deterrent effect.
As such, the association stated they consider Amsterdam’s plan as a mere strategy to increase its own revenue.
Despite the concerns, the municipality remains firm in its decision. The increase in tourist tax is seen as a necessary measure to manage the city’s tourism and ensure the sustainability of its infrastructure. However, the impact of this decision on Amsterdam’s camping sector and the broader hospitality industry remains to be seen.
Amsterdam’s decision to increase its tourist tax has sparked concern among local businesses, particularly within the camping sector.
While the municipality views the increase as a necessary measure to manage tourism and fund new investments, critics argue that the move could have broader implications, potentially burdening ordinary campers and impacting the city’s hospitality industry.