Beach country popular with Russians sharply increases the tax on tourists – an increase in the existing tax on accommodation by as much as six times was promised in Greece. They intend to receive an additional 300 million euros from tourists. Which, as officially stated, will supposedly go to the “fund to combat the consequences of climate change.”
This, according to Greek media, was stated by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis speaking at the 87th International Fair in Thessaloniki (TIF). According to statistics, in the first half of 2023, Greece saw a 26% year-on-year increase in tourist numbers, as well as a 23.9% increase in revenue. Apparently this gave the Greek government an idea about the possibility of increasing the “stay tax” that visitors pay in hotels in the country by 1-6 euros per night.
“The climate crisis is here and it's forcing us to look at everything differently,” the Greek prime minister said, recalling this season's terrible fires and other natural disasters. “We have already created a special disaster reserve of 300 million, which will reach 600 million euros from 2024. An additional 300 million euros will come from increasing the daily accommodation tax from one to six euros, especially in luxury hotels,” he explained.
Recall that the accommodation tax has been in force in Greece since January 1, 2018. Tourists pay it daily for the use of hotel rooms or any other type of accommodation. The tax is about 50 cents in one- and two-star hotels, 1.50 euros in three-star hotels, 3 euros in four-star hotels and 4 euros in 5-star hotels. He will most likely grow proportionately.
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