Italy wants tourism to recover after the break and the recession brought on by the pandemic to come with something else: a juicy injection of funds to municipalities. To this end, it is considering some changes to the tourist rate, sogiorno tassaThis, if successful, could increase the tax to 25 euros for each night stayed in the highest category hotels.

At the moment the proposal is just an idea, but it has already caused a deep stir in Italy, where it is linked to another debate that is no less controversial: the difficult coexistence between mass tourism and the local population of major destinations.

Review of tourism taxThe news came at the beginning of August, right in the middle of high season and before the last Council of Ministers meeting before the holidays: the Italian Government is considering reviewing the tourist tax by implementing two important changes, as indicated at the time. Republic.

The first is to increase your amount, which will allow you to reach up to 25 Euros per night in the highest category hotels. The second is to increase the collection the impost of soggiornoany the squirrelIt will no longer be available to just some municipalities and could be expanded to the approximately 8,000 municipalities that make up the country.

25 euro fee? Yes, but this is the maximum amount and will apply in very specific cases. The proposal considered by the government is as quoted Republic, The Provincial Message, The Stamp any Financial TimesWhere applicable, the rate is modular and adjusts to each organisation’s category (and price).

If a visitor stays overnight in a hotel that costs less than 100 euros, they will pay a fee of up to five euros; if you spend the night in a hotel where you pay between 100 and 400 euros per room, you may pay a tax of up to 10 euros.

What if it costs more? Same logic. If you stay in rooms that cost between 400 and 750 euros per night, you will have to pay up to 15 euros. And if you choose the most exclusive hotels, of which there are more than 750, it will cost you up to 25 euros per night. This is also reflected in the offer that is consulted. FT.

The aim is for the tax to be proportional to the cost of accommodation per night. The taxes that cities now impose typically range from one to five euros per person per night, depending on the type of accommodation, among other things. Some sources suggest it can reach up to 10 euros, depending on location.

Extend payment. Not only would the rate be increased. It would also spread in its own way. Another proposal on the table is to extend the tax to all municipalities: instead of being currently limited to capitals, municipalities and tourist spots, it would be allowed to be applied in all 7,904 regions of Italy. If approved and accepted, this would be a significant change. And not just for tourists.

In 2023, the tourism tax is estimated to generate more than €702 million in revenue, well above 2022. And not all municipalities with the authority to impose the tax decide to do so. A few days ago, Italian news channel Sky TG24 claimed, citing data from Centro Studi Enti Locali, that only one in five municipalities with this authority collects this data.

Where is the offer at? The news broke a few weeks ago, at the beginning of August, in local media Republic any The Stamp They assured that the government was working on a draft that could be included in the decree, and even said the issue could be discussed at the last Council of Ministers before the summer break. However, the Ministry of Tourism warned that “talks” with the sector had not yet been concluded. “They will continue in September.” this week FT He insisted the plan was on the table.

“Support, don’t hold back”. It will not be necessary to wait to hear the opinion of the sector. Federalberghi, an association representing small and medium-sized hotels, warned that “the common goal should be to support growth, not slow it down” and reiterated its rejection of “continuing to increase the tax”. “Just a few months have passed since the Jubilee, the limit has been increased by 40 percent, from 5 euros to 7 euros per person per night, with the possibility of using this limit to cover waste collection costs. purposes”.

He warns that an increase like the one proposed would have a huge impact on them, “as if the weight of VAT were doubling from one day to the next.” Barbara Casillo, of Cofindustria Alberghi, agrees: “We would not be doing the country a good service if we frighten travellers by giving them the impression that we want to take what we can get from them.”

What is the money used for? It is one of the most thorny issues, as Federalberghi suggested. Tourism Minister Daniela Santanchè explained why “we are discussing it in times of overtourism, so that it really helps to improve services and that tourists who pay for it are more responsible”. But the sector does not hide its concerns.

During an interview with Financial TimesThe president of the Federturismo association, for example, showed his discomfort at the possibility of cities using revenues from tourism taxes to cover budget deficits or not earmarked for costs related to the flow of visitors, as the law foresees. In the background are tensions between neighbors and tourist overcrowding, similar to what recently occurred in Venice.

Images | Peter Thomas (Unsplash) and Jonathan Körner (Unsplash)

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