Tourist tax

Understanding tourist tax requirements in Europe

Most European countries have some form of tourist tax regulation in place. This tax — sometimes known as a visitor’s tax, city tax, or tourist tax — is collected from guests staying overnight in registered accommodation, such as holiday homes, hotels, or short-term rentals.

For all channels except Booking.com, if a tourist tax applies, you as the host are responsible for identifying and collecting it yourself. Travelnest does not collect a tourist tax from guests on behalf of hosts and does not carry liability for this process.

Who collects tourist tax?

In most cases, you, as the host — or your property manager — are responsible for collecting the tourist tax directly from guests and reporting it to the relevant local authority. 

The amount and collection method vary depending on local regulations. It may be charged per person, per night, or as a percentage of the total booking value.

Tourist tax on Booking.com

For bookings made through Booking.com, the collection and remittance of tourist tax may vary depending on your property’s location and local tax rules.

For Booking.com, we handle tourist tax according to their specifications. 

There are five possible scenarios, and these will be shown in the booking details for each reservation.

• Booking.com collects the tax directly and passes it on to the authorities on your behalf. In this case, the tax is handled externally.

• Booking.com collects the tax directly and passes it on to us, which we then pass on to you.

• Booking.com collects the tax directly but includes it in the rental value.

• Booking.com does not collect the tax, but notifies us to do so. You will see a message at the top of the booking details indicating how much tax needs to be collected.

• No tourist tax applies to the booking.

Making guests aware of the tax

We recommend clearly stating any applicable tourist tax in your property’s listing description, so guests know what to expect before booking.

It’s also good practice to message your guests in advance to confirm the amount, collection method, and any paperwork or receipts required upon arrival.

Key takeaway

Travelnest does not handle tourist tax, except for bookings made through Booking.com, where the tax handling will be explicitly stated in the booking details. 

For all other channels, it is your responsibility as the host to collect and remit any applicable tourist tax.