PARIS, Jan 3 — While the price of admission to the Acropolis in Athens will rise in 2025 (from €20 to €30 on April 1), other destinations, tourist sites and museums are setting higher entrance fees starting this year.
Here’s an overview of some of the price hikes to be on the lookout for.
Venice
Repeatedly postponed, the tourist tax for day visitors is set to come into effect during the spring and summer seasons, over a 29-day peak season. Travellers who do not plan to stay in a hotel in the popular city will be charged a flat fee of €5 (about US$5.50 or RM25.30). Cruise passengers are among those targeted. Visitors will have to pay the tax online to obtain a QR code that will give them access to the historic centre. And don’t try to slip through the net, as a fine of between €30 and €500 may be imposed. This measure does not apply to islands such as Burano and Murano.
The Louvre Museum (Paris)
As the City of Light prepares for this summer’s Olympic Games, the world’s largest art museum will be adopting a new fee structure as of January 15. Admission to the Louvre will rise from €17 to €22 (from US$18.60 to US$24.10). This must-see location for first-time Paris visitors, which welcomed 7.8 million people in 2022, last changed its rates in 2017.
Amsterdam
In order to combat the effects of overtourism, Amsterdam will be introducing a higher tourist tax this year, with an increase to 12.5 per cent. This means an additional €21.80 will be added to the price of a night costing €175, compared to €15.25 currently. Previously, the tourist tax was 7 per cent, plus three euros per night. Amsterdam will thus maintain its title as the European destination with the most expensive tourist tax.
Bali
In accordance with an announcement by the Indonesian Ministry of Tourism, holidaymakers planning a trip to the popular island this year will have to budget to pay a tax of 150,000 Indonesian rupiahs, or around US$10 per person, upon arrival. Payment must be made via an online platform, or at Denpasar airport, from February onwards. And that’s not all: you’ll also need to take into account the updated entry fees for certain sites, such as the Tanah Lot temple, whose price will rise from 60,000 to 75,000 Indonesian rupiahs (from around US$3.90 to 4.85). This new policy is intended to prioritize higher-value tourism in Bali. Before the pandemic, the famous Indonesian resort suffered several negative consequences of overtourism, welcoming 6.2 million visitors in 2019. — ETX Studio
