Experience Abu Dhabi, the destination brand of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi announces The Kayan Wellness Festival, presented by Burjeel Holdings and in partnership with Al Dar, Al Masaood Equipment Rental, and CFI. Kayan Wellness Festival is a three-day event in Abu Dhabi focusing on holistic wellness. Set to take place from 31st January to 2nd February 2025 on Fahid Island, the festival invites you on a journey of rejuvenation, healing, and self-discovery.

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay today announced exciting new details about Wild Oasis, including new animal species coming to the park, a new drop tower ride and new interactive climbing structures, splash pad and more. Located within the Jungala area of the park, the all-new Wild Oasis will be North America’s most immersive kid-friendly adventure realm when it opens this Spring 2025, designed to ignite the imagination and engage all the senses, promising non-stop excitement for every member of the family.

Regular travellers will know that entry, hotel and city taxes are becoming alarmingly commonplace around the world, adding another expense to beleaguered travellers already facing higher fares and impacted by rising Air Passenger Duty (APD). 

The most recent announcement has been made by Scotland’s capital, Edinburgh, who aim to set a five per cent tourist levy on all types of accommodation. This takes place on July 24, 2026 to raise £50 million annually to invest in the city’s infrastructure, and services and reduce the impact of tourism.

You can probably blame the Covid period when the travel industry suffered a severe blow. Some hotels and restaurants had to close and income for redevelopment was severely depleted. The industry is in a much better place post-Covid yet countries are getting on the levy bandwagon to boost their economies.

Yet sometimes it is about deterring tourists who have the habit of overwhelming hotspots such as Italy’s Venice. This tiny city receives a whopping 25 million tourists a year and this causes problems for their infrastructure. To deter tourism and to maintain their city, they have introduced a €5 daytripper tourist tax, but last-minute bookers will have to pay  €10.

Some taxes and levies have been around for ages. Across the US hotel taxes are commonplace, and Brits travelling to the USA need to apply for an ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorisation), a visa waiver program allowing travellers to stay in the country for up to 90 stays. It is valid for two years. The cost of an ESTA is $21 (about £17). 

The Himalayan country of Bhutan has long applied the world’s priciest entrance fee, called the Daily Sustainable Development Fee, of US$100 daily to promote low-impact tourism. 

In Greece, the gorgeous hot spots of Santorini and Mykonos levy a €20 levy on cruise ship visitors to these Greek islands during peak summer. 

Anyone staying in a five-star hotel in Barcelona has to pay a tourist tax of €6.75 per night, totalling €47.25 per week.  Spain’s beautiful Seville is planning to charge holidaymakers for Plaza de España entry to combat overtourism. More on this soon.

Hotel stays in Kyoto Japan, are subject to a lodging tax of up to 10,000 yen (£52) and tourists heading to Ecuador must now pay an entry tax of $200 (£155) for international visitors and $100 (£78) for those from neighbouring countries. 

From 7 January 2025 the UK imposed a new fee of £10 for permission to enter. The online system is called Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), and visitors from the US, Europe, Australia and Canada and many other non-British citizens must apply to gain entry.

The EU too will begin implementing a new tourist visa-waiver program, ETIAS. Any non-EU citizens travelling from outside the Schengen zone will need to fill out an application online form online and pay €7 to enter the EU.

Meanwhile, Bali in Indonesia levies $10 (£7.70) tourist tax as a pre-emptive measure to deter badly behaved tourists. They have even compiled a handbook about bad behaviour which they give out to culprits. 

Here is a snapshot of who charges tax:

Austria: The tourist tax of 3.2 per cent is added to your accommodation bill.

Belgium: The tourist tax hovers around £3.50, and is added to your accommodation bill.

Bhutan:  Daily Sustainable Development Fee in Bhutan has dropped to $100 for adults.

Bulgaria: The tourist tax hovers around £1.30.

Caribbean Islands: Most Caribbean Islands make a charge. Visitors to St Lucia can expect to pay between  $3 to $6, whereas in the Dominican Republic, it is higher.

Croatia: In Croatia, the amount you pay depends on the season and the lodging type. Expect to pay 1 Euro per adult traveller per day.

Czech Republic: in Prague, tourist tax typically costs around CZK 50 per night (around £1.71).

France: The tourist tax varies depending on the style of accommodation. Expect to pay ranges from less than one Euro for campsite stays to more than 10 Euros for five-star hotel stays.

Germany: In Berlin, the standard tourist tax is five per cent of the accommodation price. However this could vary in other German cities.

Greece: the price you pay in Greece depends on the standard and size of your accommodation. It shouldn’t be more than £3.50 per night.

Hungary: travellers should expect to pay four per cent of the cost of accommodation per night in Budapest

Indonesia: Travellers pay 150,000 rupiah (£7.60) upon entering Bali.

Japan: Expect to pay 1,000 yen (about £5.50) in tourist tax.

Malaysia: The cost of tourist tax across Malaysia is roughly £1.70 per night

Portugal: charges tourist tax in 13 cities, including Lisbon and Porto. The cost is €2 per night in high season (April to October).

The Netherlands: the amount of tourist tax differs per municipality. Amsterdam is one of Europe’s most expensive places for tourist tax at 12.5 per cent of the accommodation price.

Switzerland: the price of tourist tax varies and ranges from about CHF 2 (£1.81) to CHF 7 (£6.34) per person per night.

Slovenia: The rate hovers around €3.

Spain: In Barcelona, the fee is €4 (£3.48), whereas in the Balearic Islands, the fee is around €1 (87p).

Thailand: A travel tax to enter Thailand has been proposed for mid-2025. If approved, the fee will be around £6.87 for those arriving by plane.

USA: When travelling to the USA from the UK, visitors need to apply for an ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorisation) to stay in the country for up to 90 stays. It is valid for two years. The cost of an ESTA is $21 (about £17).
 

The post The Tourist Tax – destinations you are taxed to enter or stay overnight appeared first on The Travel Magazine.

Emilia Romagna is situated in North Eastern Italy with Ravenna a treasure trove of history, art, and culture. Known as the “City of Mosaics,” it’s home to some of the most exquisite Byzantine art in the world. So much so that the city boasts eight UNESCO World Heritage sites

The city’s golden age began in 402 AD when Emperor Honorius moved the capital of the Western Roman Empire from Milan to Ravenna. Its strategic location near the Adriatic Sea and its surrounding marshlands made it easily defensible. It later became the centre of the Ostrogoth Kingdom and then a vital city in the Byzantine Empire.

It’s also been the home of celebrated literary figures. Dante Alighieri, the author of The Divine Comedy, spent his final years here and was buried in 1321. English romantic poet. Lord George Gordon Byron arrived in 1819, at the age of 31, during his self-imposed exile from England. There’s now a brand new museum in the Palazzo Guiccioli where he lived during his short three year stay.

Byron Museum

The Byron Museum is a shrine to the poet’s life and works. Inside this historic building, now beautifully restored, state of the art technology including interactive displays, audio guides and video, transports visitors back to the 19th century. It chronicles Byron’s life from his aristocratic beginnings in England to his time in Italy and, ultimately, his heroic death in Greece.

Visitors are introduced to his early years, marked by privilege and scandal, and his rise to fame with works like Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage and Don Juan. It was his love affair with Teresa Guiccioli that brought him to Ravenna but she was already married. Strangely, he shared the Palazzo with the couple and Teresa’s most moving mementoes are on display – romantic jewels, locks of hair, even a fragment of Byron’s skin.

Byron was more than just a poet; he was also a fervent supporter of liberty and justice. The museum delves into his involvement in the Italian Risorgimento, the movement for unification and independence to his last days fighting for Greek independence. Recently discovered is a set of frescoes painted on the walls of what was his study,

Tomb of Dante

Byron was a great admirer of Dante Alighieri, whose final resting place is in Ravenna. Just a few steps from Basilica of San Francesco, the tomb was built between 1780 and 1782 by Camillo Morigia. Inside is a bass-relief by Pietro Lombardo dating back to 1483. There’s also a Dante Museum nearby inside the splendid Franciscan cloisters.

Pine Forest of Classe

Byron was known to ride on horseback through the Pine Forest of Classe, also an inspiration for Dante’s Divine Comedy, just outside the city. This natural retreat provided him with a sense of freedom and tranquillity. Today, visitors can explore the forest’s trails and imagine the poet’s solitary rides through its verdant expanse.

Classis Ravenna – Museum of the City and of the Territory

Located in the former sugar factory of Classe the museum relates the history of Ravenna from Etruscan-Umbrian origins, the Roman Age, the Gothic kingdom, the Byzantine Age up to the Middle Ages. With more than 600 original findings on display, along with the graphical and 3D reconstructions it tells the story of the evolution of the city and its territory

UNESCO World Heritage Sites

These early Christian and Byzantine buildings are celebrated for their extraordinary mosaics, unmatched in their detail, vibrancy, and craftsmanship. You can also learn the art of mosaic making at Koko Mosaico.

Basilica of San Vitale

Arguably Ravenna’s most famous monument, the Basilica of San Vitale is a masterpiece of Byzantine art and architecture. Completed in 548 AD, the dazzling mosaics depict biblical scenes, imperial portraits, and intricate geometric patterns. The images of Emperor Justinian and Empress Theodora, surrounded by their courtiers, are particularly striking, offering a glimpse into the opulence of the Byzantine court.

 Mausoleum of Galla Placidia

Located near the Basilica of San Vitale, the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia has some of the oldest mosaics, dating back to the 5th century. Inside, the ceiling glimmers with a starry sky mosaic, a symbol of eternity and divine promise. The rich blue hues and intricate designs contrast with the warm sunlight streaming through the alabaster windows.

Basilica of Sant’Apollinare Nuovo

Originally built as a palace church for the Ostrogoth King Theodoric, in the 6^th century, the Basilica of Sant’Apollinare Nuovo is another gem. Its mosaics depict scenes from the life of Christ, as well as processions of saints and martyrs, all rendered in exquisite detail. The contrast between the Gothic and Byzantine styles reflects Ravenna’s diverse cultural history.

Basilica of Sant’Apollinare in Classe

Located just outside the city in the former port town of Classe, the apse of this basilica features a stunning mosaic of Sant’Apollinare, the first bishop of Ravenna. He’s depicted standing amidst a lush green landscape dotted with sheep, birds and trees with the sky holding a gemmed cross with Christ’s face at its centre.

Factfile

INFO: Ravenna Turismo has information about the city.

Emilia Romagna Turismo has information about the region.

GO: British Airways flies direct to Bologna from London Heathrow

STAY: Hotel Centrale Byron is right in the centre of the city.

EAT: Osteria Passatelli in converted cinema has good pizza.

L’Enoteca Ca’ de Vèn in a traditional building serves local specialities.

La Campaza near Classe  has good fish dieshes.

Taverna Byron on ground floor of Palazzo Guiccioli is handy for the Byron Museum.

The restaurant in the refurbished Mercato Coperto has good fresh pasta.

DO: Koko Mosaico offers mosaic workshops.

The Ravenna Festival takes place every June and July with over one hundred performances from more than a thousand artists.

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