Travel Tips

Travel Tip: Tourist Taxes

Locations in this article:  Buenos Aires, Argentina Minneapolis, MN Rome, Italy

As if there weren’t enough nickel and diming tactics on the road, travelers have another fee to watch out for: a tax for being a tourist!

Here’s what’s happening, and what you need to know…

As of 2011, visitors to Rome have to pay an additional fee to stay at a hotel.

Two and three-star hotels will cost an additional 2 euros a night, while four and five-star hotels will cost 3 euros a night.

Meanwhile, visitors will also be charged an additional 1 euro at museums and other tourist attractions that charge an entry fee.

As of last year, U.S. citizens who fly into Buenos Aires have to pay a reciprocity fee of about $140. The good news is that it’s valid for multiple entries for up to 10 years.

With this move, Argentina joined other countries like Chile and Brazil.

And, of course, these types of fees aren’t limited to international travel.

According to a study from the National Business Travel Association, cities that impose the highest taxes on visitors include New York, Boston, and Minneapolis.

And let’s not forget, under the Travel Promotion Act, the U.S. now charges some foreign visitors a $10 fee to enter the country. And that move has already earned us more than $22 million.

To learn how to pay less when you travel, visit our Budget Travel section.

And check out the rest of our Daily Travel Tips here