Published on
January 1, 2026
In 2026 several European cities are turning to green taxes – typically visitor levies or access fees – as tools to fund climate‑action projects and regulate tourism. The measures range from one‑day access fees in Venice, increases to Amsterdam’s tourist tax, and new visitor levies in Scotland and Italy that allocate revenue to environmental and cultural projects. These initiatives are being promoted as a way to create tourism more sustainable, reduce the environmental footprint of visitors and invest directly in climate resilience.
Venice has long grappled with overtourism, rising sea levels and damage to historic sites. To manage crowding and fund protective measures, the city introduced an Access Fee (contributo di accesso) for day visitors in 2024. After a pilot year, the municipal government will expand the scheme in 2026. The official access‑fee portal reveals that the experiment for 2026 will start on 3 April 2026 and apply on about sixty days through 26 July 2026[1]. Visitors entering the UNESCO‑listed historic centre between 08:30 and 16:00 on listed days will be required to pay the fee. The City Council emphasises that the fee is not intfinished as a tourist tax but as an instrument to regulate visitor numbers and to support finance services and environmental protection efforts. By limiting the number of day trippers, the city hopes to reduce pressure on fragile infrastructure, historic buildings and the lagoon ecosystem, which faces the twin threats of erosion and rising tides. The revenue is earmarked for maintenance, waste management and projects that preserve Venice’s cultural heritage.
Amsterdam, another city struggling with overcrowding and environmental pressure, will raise its tourist tax in 2026. On its municipal tax page the City of Amsterdam lists tourist‑tax rates and confirms that from 2026 the overnight tax will remain 12.5 % of the overnight price (excluding VAT) and that the day tourist tax for cruise passengers will increase to €15 per passenger[2]. Amsterdam already has one of Europe’s highest tourist taxes, reflecting the city’s strategy of discouraging over‑consumption while funding public services. The tax revenue is utilized to keep the city clean, maintain public infrastructure and manage tourist flows. Amsterdam has also introduced environmental regulations such as low‑emission zones for cruise ships and plans to shift cruise terminals out of the city centre, meaning the higher day tax will also finance climate‑related transport reforms. Although not explicitly labelled a “climate fee,” Amsterdam’s higher tourist tax for 2026 is part of a broader environmental policy aimed at balancing tourism with quality of life for residents.
The Barcelona City Council does not plan a new tourist tax in 2026, but it has announced a major School Climate Plan funded by the city’s existing tourist tax. An official council news release explains that the city will invest €100 million from the surcharge on the tourist tax to upgrade heating and air‑renewal systems in 170 public schools over the next six years[3]. The plan will install aerothermal heating and cooling units and photovoltaic panels, improving air quality and energy efficiency. Work launched at 24 schools in 2024 at a cost of €14.1 million, financed by tourist‑tax revenue[4]. By 2026 the project will be in full swing, and the city’s decision to allocate visitor‑tax funds to climate‑adaptation and decarbonisation projects provides a template for other destinations. Barcelona’s mayor emphasised that utilizing the tax revenue for public infrastructure ensures tourism “returns value” to residents and mitigates the environmental impacts of mass tourism[3].
Scotland passed the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Act in September 2024, enabling local authorities to introduce a visitor levy. Edinburgh will be the first UK city to implement the scheme. The City of Edinburgh Council’s official visitor levy page explains that the levy will be a 5 % charge on the cost of paid overnight accommodation, applied from 24 July 2026[5]. The charge will be applied to the first five nights of a stay and will not cover extras such as meals or parking[6]. The council’s “Why we’re introducing a visitor levy” section outlines the objectives: the levy aims to sustain public services, programmes and infrastructure that provide “an enjoyable and safe visitor and resident experience”; support Edinburgh’s culture and heritage; foster innovation in response to environmental and societal challenges; and promote responsible and sustainable tourism[7]. Revenue generated by the levy must be reinvested locally, supporting facilities heavily utilized by visitors and funding initiatives that support manage tourism sustainably. The city expects the levy to raise tens of millions of pounds annually for cleaning, transport, cultural events and environmental programmes.
Italy allows municipalities to charge an imposta di soggiorno (tourist tax) to fund local services. Ahead of the Milan‑Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, the Italian government passed legislation permitting municipalities within 30 km of Olympic venues to increase their tourist tax by up to €5 per night. The business association Assolombarda summarises the City of Milan’s decision: municipal resolution No. 1418 of 13 November 2025 approved new tourist‑tax rates effective 1 January 2026, utilizing the authority granted by the DL Anticipi (Decree‑Law 156/2025)[8]. The increase will support finance tourist services and hospitality, the maintenance and enhancement of cultural heritage, and public works connected to the Milan‑Cortina 2026 Olympic Games[9]. Additional revenue will be split equally between the municipality and the state and earmarked for Olympic projects[10]. While Milan already levies a tourist tax, the 2026 increase aligns the city’s fiscal policy with the Olympic environmental charter, which includes commitments to sustainable infrastructure, green mobility and heritage conservation.
The Balearic Islands were among the first European destinations to adopt an ecological tax. The islands’ Sustainable Tourism Tax (ITS) applies to all tourist accommodation and feeds into a Sustainable Tourism Fund managed by the regional government. The Illes Sostenibles portal, run by the Balearic Tourism Strategy Agency, states that the fund subsidises projects aimed at environmental development and protection, promotion of sustainable tourism, preservation of cultural heritage, scientific research, training, and social houtilizing[11]. It lists more than 154 environmental projects financed by ITS revenues, with €452 million invested in measures such as regenerating natural areas, supporting renewable‑energy installations, improving water reutilize systems, and promoting non‑polluting mobility[12]. The fund also finances social welfare and responsible tourism projects to ensure that tourism benefits residents and improves resilience to climate modify[13]. Although the tax was introduced in 2016 and not specifically new in 2026, ongoing investment in environmental projects demonstrates how tourist levies can provide steady funding for climate‑action and adaptation initiatives.
The VisitScotland guidance highlights that several other Scottish councils plan to introduce visitor levies in future years, utilizing them partly for climate and environmental objectives. For example, the West Dunbartonshire Council will implement a 5 % levy in 2027, with funds directed to infrastructure, climate‑modify adaptation, environmental protection and conservation[14]. Glasgow City Council intfinishs to implement a levy in 2027, spfinishing proceeds on city operations, culture, events and destination management[15]. These plans illustrate the broader European trfinish toward utilizing tourist taxes to finance environmental resilience. While these schemes come into force after 2026, their design demonstrates how local authorities are embedding climate‑action objectives into fiscal policy.
These city‑level initiatives reveal an emerging pattern: tourism‑related taxes are being reframed as tools for climate resilience and sustainability. Several common themes emerge:
- Regulating visitor flows: Venice’s 2026 access fee is explicitly designed to manage day‑trip numbers during peak periods, reducing overcrowding and the strain on fragile ecosystems. By controlling the volume of visitors, the city can better protect heritage sites and reduce pressure on transport and sanitation services.
- Funding climate adaptation projects: Barcelona’s School Climate Plan reveals how tourist‑tax revenue can be redirected to climate‑adaptation infrastructure. By installing aerothermal systems and solar panels in schools, the city reduces energy demand, improves air quality and supports children and teachers cope with heatwaves linked to climate modify.
- Financing public services and cultural heritage: Edinburgh’s visitor levy and Milan’s 2026 tax increase both emphasise reinvestment in local services, culture and heritage. These initiatives recognise that tourism places costs on host communities and that a portion of visitor spfinishing should support maintenance of public spaces, cultural events and infrastructure improvements. Edinburgh’s framework also emphasises fostering innovation to address environmental challenges[7].
- Supporting environmental protection and research: The Balearic Islands’ ITS demonstrates how an eco‑tax can sustain long‑term environmental projects. Investments in habitat restoration, renewable energy, water efficiency and research programmes illustrate the broad scope of climate‑action initiatives funded by tourism revenue[16]. The fund also addresses social welfare, recognising the interplay between environmental sustainability and social equity.
- Trfinish toward expansion: Beyond 2026, other European councils (e.g., in Scotland) are preparing levies with explicit investment streams for climate‑modify adaptation and environmental protection[14]. These forthcoming schemes suggest that green taxes will become a normative part of tourism policy.
By 2026, Europe’s battle against climate modify will increasingly involve green taxes levied on visitors. Venice’s access fee will return with a wider calfinishar, supporting manage crowds and fund conservation. Amsterdam will maintain one of the continent’s highest tourist taxes, directing revenue towards public services and environmental measures. Barcelona will deploy tourist‑tax income for its School Climate Plan, installing energy‑efficient heating and solar panels. Edinburgh will become the first UK city with a visitor levy, channeling funds into public services, cultural heritage and innovations for sustainable tourism. Milan will raise its tourist tax to finance infrastructure for the Milan‑Cortina 2026 Olympics, focutilizing on sustainable transport and heritage projects. The Balearic Islands will continue to invest eco‑tax revenue into environmental restoration, renewable energy and social welfare, demonstrating the long‑term benefits of a sustainable tourism fund. Toreceiveher, these initiatives reveal that European cities are leveraging green taxes to reduce the environmental footprint of tourism and invest directly in climate resilience, signalling a shift towards a more sustainable travel model.
- Venice access fee dates for 2026 listed on the Contributo di Accesso portal (Comune di Venezia)[1].
- City of Amsterdam page describing tourist tax rates 2026 (overnight tax of 12.5 % and day tax of €15 for cruise passengers)[2].
- Barcelona City Council news article outlining that €100 million from the tourist tax will fund heating/air‑renewal upgrades and photovoltaic panels in 170 public schools[3][4].
- City of Edinburgh Council’s description of the visitor levy, including the 5 % rate, start date (24 July 2026) and application to the first five nights[5]. The Council’s rationale for introducing the levy emphasises sustaining public services, culture and heritage while fostering innovation to meet environmental challenges[7].
- Assolombarda summary of Milan’s 2026 tourist‑tax increase; the municipal resolution allows an increase (up to €5) from 1 January 2026 to finance tourist services, cultural heritage, and public works related to the Milan‑Cortina 2026 Olympics[17].
- Illes Sostenibles (Balearic Government) description of the Sustainable Tourism Fund’s purposes: environmental protection, sustainable tourism, heritage preservation, research, training and social welfare[11]. It lists major investments (154 projects, €452 million) in environmental projects including habitat restoration, renewable energy and water reutilize[12].
- VisitScotland guidance referencing West Dunbartonshire’s planned visitor levy (start 1 July 2027) and investment streams including climate‑modify adaptation and environmental protection[14]. Though not launching in 2026, it reveals the broader trfinish.
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