Norway is the latest European country to propose a tourist tax. The decision comes amid concerns over rising visitor numbers in certain popular areas. As a solution, the government proposed a levy, which, if approved, could take effect in the summer of 2025.
The Minister of Trade and Industry, Cecilie Myrseth, has reported that the new tax will equal 3% of the price of an overnight stay – a reduction from earlier proposals of 5%.
Currently, Norway is experiencing record-high numbers of tourists, reaching 16,7 million visitors reported in the summer of 2024. The idea behind the new proposed tax is to give popular tourist sites the means and tools to fund and develop services and infrastructure by harnessing the growing tourism economy.
In addition, the levy will not be mandatory. Municipalities will have the choice to implement it based on local needs. If adopted, local officials would have to collaborate with the tourism industry to decide how the new funds will be used.
“It is not the case that we have year-round tourism throughout the country, but in some places, there are parts of the year that are particularly demanding, and the expenses that the residents have to pay for are particularly high,” Cecilie Myrseth told Norwegian public broadcaster NRK. She also underlined that the city officials would be able to adjust the levy depending on the season.
At present, the bill outlining the tax still awaits parliamentary approval. Nevertheless, it has faced opposition from some political parties. Initially, the idea was that the tax would affect only overnight visitors, which excludes cruise passengers and day-trippers.
According to critics, this approach neglects some of the most important visitors, especially in locations such as the Lofoten Islands, where infrastructure is already struggling to accommodate day-trippers. Furthermore, local hotel owners expressed their concerns that the proposal unfairly burdens traditional accommodation providers while exempting other segments of the sector.
While cruise tourists are not part of this initial phase, the government has indicated plans to consider a separate fee for cruise tourism in the future.
The Norwegian government has been weighing the implementation of a tourist levy for several years in response to the growing influx of visitors. This move is part of a growing trend across Europe. Countries like Italy and Spain have done this for years in attempts to mitigate the social and environmental impact of mass tourism.
