Oslo (AFP) – Norwegian lawmakers approved Thursday the introduction of a tourist tax to help finance infrastructure improvements as a boom in visitors has led to worries about overtourism.
The law introduces a three percent tax on lodgings, and may also be applied to cruise ships making stops, in areas particularly affected by tourism.
The country registered last year a record 38.4 million night stays, including more than 12 million by foreigners, according to official data, as the country’s picturesque fjords attract more and more visitors.
However, public toilets and parking have been overwhelmed in some locations, causing tensions with local residents.
The funds raised by the tax will go exclusively to improve tourism infrastructure.
A lot of the trips from things like cruise ships are organised, so a bus load of people will turn up somewhere all at once. Lots of places will have multiple cruises arriving at around the same time, and will have other organised trips too. If the toilets weren’t designed for that many people at once, you’ll get long queues, as well as needing more cleaning and maintenance.
You could build more toilets and hire more staff, but the money has to come from somewhere. Depending on the area, there might not be anything there that generates money either.