The matter in summary: The government plans to carry out a pilot project with local visitor contributions as part of a larger road map for the tourism industry. Industry Minister Jan Christian Vestre believes that tourists can contribute more to the splicing team. The proposal for a visitor contribution follows recommendations from the Destination Committee, which believes that tourism puts too much pressure on popular destinations. The new proposal to the government involves a surcharge on accommodation in combination with tourist taxes on parking and cruises. The government is also considering the possibility of a day visit fee, based on the Venetian model. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAi. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. The government announces that it will carry out several pilot projects with local visitor grants. The measure is part of a larger “road map” for the tourism industry, which will be presented in February. – If the tourists contribute a little extra to the splicing team, popular destinations can make things much better for both permanent residents, visitors and businesses, says Minister for Business Jan Christian Vestre. The new taxation comes in continuation of the work of the Travel Destinations Committee, which recommended introducing a similar visitor contribution last year. The background is a broad understanding among businesses, host municipalities and political parties that tourism currently puts too much pressure on several of the most popular travel destinations. In the most controversial proposal, the Travel Destinations Committee advocated collecting the tourist tax via buses and cars that have not paid Norwegian road tax. Since a national visitor’s tax on border crossings appears to be in breach of EEA law, the government has chosen a different model. The new proposal to the government is instead a surcharge on accommodation in combination with tourist taxes on parking and cruises. – I know there is a lot of interest in this and we must have a good dialogue with the industry about how the proposal can be shaped as best as possible, says Vestre. Photo: Heiko Junge / NTB – Avoids unwanted twisting between hotels and private landlords The Minister of Business and Industry calls the new alternative a “new-breaking work”. – When the accommodation contribution is placed on several providers, such as Airbnb and camping, we also avoid unwanted distortion between hotels and private landlords, he says. He adds that the government is also considering the possibility of a day visit fee, following the Venetian model. An overview from the Travel Destinations Committee (table 3.1) shows that 20 European countries have introduced visitor allowances for short-term stays. In Amsterdam, they started with a tourist tax in 1973. In Croatia, it was introduced in 2007. – The exact opposite of all professional advice Kristin K Devold, NHO Reiseliv – We are very critical that an extra fee should be paid for hotel accommodation. This is the type of accommodation we need more of, not less of. The entire premise for visitor contributions is about limiting overtourism. This is linked to cruise island increases, or caravans that create parking difficulties. This proposal does not affect this group, but affects those who create the values and jobs in the Norwegian tourism industry. What the government is proposing is the exact opposite of all the professional advice that has been recorded, among other things, through the Travel Destinations Committee’s call. What we live off are those who stay overnight in hotels, and the contribution from those who create the crowding is much smaller. This is just another tax from the government on those who create value and jobs, and does not contribute to sustainable tourism. Audun Pettersen, industry director for tourism in Virke – We are in principle in favor of a form of visitor contribution being established in Norway, but it is difficult for us to comment on a proposal we have not seen. Having said that, we expect that there will be a proposal that is locally anchored, permitted in a national regulation and that will be tried out in some destinations in principle. The funds must only be used for the customer’s common good and sustainable visitor management of vulnerable local communities, natural and cultural resources in line with national, regional and local guidelines for resource management and area development. This also includes taking care of the principle of common law. Arne Glenn Flåten, manager of Vesterland Feriepark – We are happy that the tourist tax also applies to private rental and camping. The fact that he is in combination cruise is positive. I’m not sure about parking. The important thing here is that the tax that is collected is only used where it is collected, and that it does not go into the treasury and then be crumbled into financial support for national and regional tourism projects. The tax must go directly to direct measures that benefit the areas where tourism is high. Unn Kristin Olsen, leader of Parat – a YS organization – We are generally against increasing taxes on tourism. We believe that the favorable Norwegian currency, combined with attractive destinations, provides the basis for the tourism companies already today to extract additional income. At the same time, Parat has an understanding of the need for the provision of infrastructure such as toilet capacity, parking and more in attractive tourist towns. Where the tourist towns are given the opportunity to collect “visitor contributions”, we must be sure that this money is actually earmarked for tourist measures, and not just a new source of income for other municipal needs. – This proposal will make it less attractive to come to Norway as a tourist. Norway is already very expensive and already has higher taxes and duties than comparable countries, Frp representative Sivert Bjørnstad told NTB at the same time last year. Photo: Senja By Heart Among the arguments against tourist tax is that Norwegian tourism is fragmented, and that the various actors have very different requirements for conducting their own tax collection. Furthermore, it is claimed that Norway has high taxes, and that additional surcharges can inhibit the desire to travel and “scare” away tourists. – I know there is great interest in this The Norwegian tourism industry employs over 180,000 people. The government will invite business and municipalities to a dialogue about the further work on the bill. The proposal is then sent for consultation. – I know there is a lot of interest in this and we must have a good dialogue with the industry about how the proposal can be shaped as best as possible, says Vestre. Among the opposition, opposition to the tourist tax has weakened following reports of littering, wear and tear and faeces on roadsides. Høgre have previously been categorical opponents, but decided at the national meeting last year that the municipalities that themselves wish to be able to introduce a local tourist tax.
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It will now be more expensive to spend the night in Norway – the government will test a new tourist tax – news Vestland
