Popular Portuguese seaside town implements new measure targeting UK tourists

A popular Portuguese town is introducing a tourist tax on overnight stays in a bid to tackle overtourism and raise revenue of about £172,000 (200,000 euros) per year.

Authorities in Oeiras, a town and municipality on the Portuguese Riviera, will start charging 86p (one euro) per night from August 15 in hotels and other accommodation across the district, which lies just west of Lisbon.

The local council has said the money raised will go towards managing public spaces, tourist information services, cultural hubs and supporting local businesses.

Officials have said the tax is being introduced to bring the municipality in line with others in Portugal which also charge a levy for overnight stays, according to local media.

The measure forms part of a Regulation on Administrative Permissions, Fees and Other Revenues which has already been approved by the local municipal assembly members and published in the Official Gazette of Portugal.

Tourist tax is just one measure adopted by popular tourism hotspots, grappling to strike a balance between welcoming visitors and making sure local housing is affordable and historic sites are not overwhelmed.

In recent months, anti-tourism activists have hit the streets of popular holiday destinations in the Canary Islands, Majorca and Malaga.

Barcelona's mayor Jaume Collboni said in July that a tourist tax for cruise passengers who stopover would be increased, telling Spanish daily El Pais the city wants tourism "respectful" of the destination.

Mr Collboni also wants to ban tourists from renting apartments by 2028 in a move he hopes will rein in the rocketing cost of housing.

Venice in April launched a daily charge to tourists entering the city in a bid to stop it from being overrun by visitors. Recent reports suggest the charge could be doubled.

Local councillor, Simone Venturini, who is responsible for tourism and social cohesion in Venice, said the scheme would help the city find a new balance between residents and day-trippers.

Tourist parties will also be capped at 25 people and guides banned from using loudspeakers to help keep Venice's streets peaceful and passable for residents.

Oeiras is about a half an hour drive from the centre of Lisbon and is a popular destination for beach-lovers, with Praia de Santo Amaro de Oeiras attracting sun-worshippers in their droves in summer.

The town of Oeiras is just a short walk from the beach while to the east lies the picturesque fishing port of Praia Velha and the Forte de Sao Bruno.

According to travel website, hoodpicker.com, Oeiras is quieter than nearby Carcavelos, but it is a popular spot for locals and expats in search of a mix of rural and urban life.