Tourist tax, the cities that can increase it

The receiving municipalities a flow of tourists twenty times higher than the number of its residents will be able to double the amount of City tax. Parliament has approved the amendment to the 2023 Budget law on the subject proposed by the Democratic Party, which provides for the freedom for the local administrations concerned to define the tax amount up to a maximum of 10 euros instead of 5.

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From January 2023 the measure to counter mass tourism. Those who book early and those who stay overnight in the lagoon will pay less. Also access to discounts and reductions on museums and means of transport

The standard

In particular, the amendment proposal signed by the deputies dem Andrea Gnassi and Federico Gianassi is addressed to “provincial capitals which, on the basis of the latest survey made available by the competent public administrations for the collection and processing of statistical data, have had attendance tourist in number twenty times higher than that of the residents”.

“The aforementioned municipalities – reads again – they have to do reference to data published by Istat concerning the average tourist attendance recorded in the three-year period preceding the year in which the tax increase is approved. For the three-year period 2023-2025, the average number of tourists is considered of the three-year period 2017-2019”.

In fact, as specified to The sun 24 hours from mayor of Novara and Anci delegate for local finance Alessandro Canelli“the provision authorizes the increase only a Rimini, VeniceVerbania, Florence and Pisa”. The request of the national association of municipalities is that the same possibility is guaranteed “even smaller municipalities with a huge tourist flow”.

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The tax

There City tax and a daily tax which weighs on those who stay in the accommodation facilities of the municipalities that provide for it, or “the provincial capital municipalities, the unions of municipalities as well as the municipalities included in the regional lists of tourist resorts or cities of art”, who have to set it up with council resolution in a manner gradual and proportional at the price of the structure.

The income that it generates can be used to finance only interventions in the field of tourismOf maintenance, use and recovery of cultural and environmental assets local and public services of the territory.

The reactions

If the municipalities concerned smile, hotelier associations do not do the same. In a noteIndeed, Confindustria Alberghi underlines the challenges of an industry “squeezed between frightening cost increases, first of all that of energy, and the astronomical growth in the cost of mortgages taken out to resist the Covid crisis”.

“The increase in the tourist tax introduced in the Budget Law – it is read – weighs on still a difficult balance. The paradox is that the sector already gives a great deal to the municipalities Imu, Tari, ordinary tourist tax and many minor taxes. But apparently it’s not enough and you think you can squeeze business again”.

“Once again – concludes Confindustria Hotels – a perfect storm on businesses in the sector that damages tourism and favors those forms of hospitality that are still waiting to be surveyed and regulated precisely by those municipalities that prefer to raise the tax on hotels, instead of go to recover the resources that escape taxation. A dramatic myopia which affects a sector, the hotel sector, which contributes substantially to the economy of the territories, of the country, and to employment in Italy”.