ADVERTISEMENTNorway has updated its plans for a visitor tax that hopes to tackle the negative effects of overtourism.
The government has announced it is lowering the proposed fee that local authorities will be able to charge tourists.
Minister of Trade and Industry Cecilie Myrseth has confirmed the tax will now be three per cent of the cost of an overnight stay - instead of five per cent.
Norway is experiencing a surge in arrivals as holidaymakers seek cooler climes, hitting a record-breaking 16.7 million overnight stays during the summer months of 2024.
Norway is bringing in a tourist tax
Norway’s tourist tax will be an optional charge that can be levied at the discretion of local authorities.
The revenue will be used to fund projects that will benefit both residents and tourists, such as maintaining hiking trails and installing public toilets.
If implemented by a municipality, the levy will apply to visitors staying in all overnight accommodation, including hotels, hostels, campsites and short-term rentals.
Local authorities can also adjust the fee depending on the season, Myrseth confirmed.
“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,” Myserth told Norwegian public broadcaster NRK.
When will travellers have to pay Norway’s tourist tax?
At the moment, there is no fixed date for the introduction of the visitor fee, though reports say it may come in as early as this summer.
The government still needs to have the bill detailing the tax approved by parliament, but several parties appear to be in opposition to the new levy.
The travel and tourism branch of the Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise (NHO) has warned it could put tourists off visiting the destination.
“We are now in a very serious situation. Introducing the tourist tax now is, in any case, madness,” a spokesperson from the NHO told NRK earlier this week.
The proposed tax has also been criticised for only targeting overnight visitors, leaving cruise passengers, day-trippers, and campervanners staying overnight in free public areas not required to pay.
Opponents argue that these are some of the most damaging kinds of visitors, particularly in frequently overwhelmed cruise destinations like the Lofoten Islands and Geiranger fjord.
ADVERTISEMENTNorway is experiencing a tourism surge
The Norwegian government has been mulling the introduction of a tourist tax for several years in reaction to surging visitor numbers.
Sweltering temperatures in traditional summer destinations like Italy and Spain are driving a trend for ‘coolcations’ in northern Europe.
Bolstering this is the rising interest in experiencing after-dark phenomena - dubbed ‘noctourism’ - such as the northern lights.
Norway is considered one of the best places for aurora-chasing, and the celestial spectacle is proving to be particularly visible in 2025.
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