Portugal holiday panic as seaside town becomes latest to introduce tourist tax
This seaside town in Portugal, known for its lovely beaches, is very close to the country's capital city, Lisbon.
A Portuguese seaside town has become the latest municipality to announce a new mandatory tourist tax for overnight visitors. Oeiras, which sits just 10 miles outside of Lisbon, has announced the new fee.
The tourist tax, which is already in place in many other regions of Portugal, will apply to those staying the night in hotels and local accommodation in Oeiras. The fee will cost €1 (£0.86) per tourist per night, and is projected to generate a €200,000 (around £171,500) revenue per year for the town.
The tax will be imposed by RAPTOR, or Acts of Regulation of Administrative Permissions, Taxes and Other Revenues. Generally, the tax will be collected by tourists' lodgings and will be payable in cash upon their arrival.
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The local government have said they hope that this additional income to their town will improve facilities and the quality of life for residents and visitors alike. The money will be invested in environmental preservation, the safeguarding of traditional, historic and neighbourhood trade, the creation of cultural and recreational centres, the management of public space as well as mobility and transport, according to Noticias de Oerias.
In a statement released by the Oerias council, the tourist tax was said to "ensure a counterpart for the enjoyment of a set of activities and investments promoted by the municipality of Oeiras, related to tourism".
Tourist areas across the world have introduced taxes over recent years. Many local governments cite overtourism as their reasoning, hoping to ensure their region attracts a "higher calibre" of tourists who are more willing to spend money in their town.
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The tourist tax hasn't helped curb the number of tourists in some Spanish cities such as Barcelona, where last month disgruntled locals came together in a protest against the number of visitors in their city.
Some of them also chanted "tourists go home" and squirted holidaymakers at a restaurant with water pistols.
In Barcelona, visitors face two forms of tourist tax. The first goes to the region and depends on the type of accommodation, where those staying in high-end locations are to be charged the highest rate per person per night.
The second is the Tourist Establishments Tax, which is the municipal surcharge for the Stays, and goes to the city. Barcelona officials have claimed that while this has done little to deter visitors, it has in fact improved the quality of life for many locals.
