Amsterdam campsites raise concerns over tourist tax increase

Amsterdam campsites expressed concerns about the municipality’s plan to increase tourist tax, NH Nieuws reported on Tuesday.

In May, Amsterdam announced that the tourist tax would rise by 1 euro per night and 1 percent on the overnight price, raising an additional 30 million euros annually. The goal is to cover part of the new investments and reduce the influx of tourists into the city.

Tourist tax is imposed on overnight stays. Tourists staying in hotels pay a fixed charge of three euros per hotel stay, in addition to 7 percent of the total cost of the stay. Under the new proposal, this fixed charge will increase to four euros, and the percentage will rise to 8%.

Critics believe that the increase in the tourist tax will have broader implications beyond just affecting hotel guests. Businesses in the camping sector are particularly concerned about the potential impact. Currently, camping visitors are subject to an extra charge of seven percent on their overnight rate and an additional euro per person. When the municipality's changes are implemented, these charges could rise to eight percent, and the per person fee would double to two euros.

"We believe that the increase particularly burdens ordinary campers, and this is highly undesirable, said Gerdina Krijger of HISWA-RECRON, a business association for water sports and leisure companies.

"I think the municipality should think more carefully about who will bear the cost of this increase," said Toon Weijenborg from Camping Zeeburg. "I understand they want fewer tourists, but there are other ways to achieve that."

Camping businesses are not the only ones complaining about the new tourist tax. The hotel industry previously expressed its concerns about the municipality's plan to increase the tourist tax again.

The hospitality association KHN also expressed strong opposition to the plan. Pim Evers, the chairman of KHN Amsterdam, stated in May that "The tourist tax in Amsterdam is currently the highest in Europe." He is concerned that the proposed "deterrent rates" might provoke such strong reactions from city hotels that they could resort to legal action.

Evers contested the assertion that these prices would effectively deter tourists, which is reportedly the goal behind the municipality’s plan. According to him, only significantly higher rates would have this deterrent effect. As such, the association stated they consider Amsterdam's plan as a mere strategy to increase its own revenue.