From this Monday, April 1st, passengers on cruise ships disembarking in Lisbon pay tourist tax. This tax is worth two euros, charged by travel operators. Thus, the distinction that existed in relation to hotel and accommodation guests, who have already been paying this fee for several years, ends.
This Monday, April 1st, the application of the tourist tax to cruise ship passengers disembarking in Lisbon came into force. This tax is applied to all foreign citizens over 13 years of age who disembark at terminals located within the municipality of Lisbon. “We achieved in two years what was not achieved in seven years: making cruise passengers pay the tourist tax. This is a measure of elementary justice, because other tourists who visit us already paid this fee in hotels and accommodation”.
“It was neither understandable nor acceptable to have a concept of tourism for some – in which we asked them to contribute to improving the city – and not have it for others”, says the president of the Lisbon City Council (CML), Carlos Moedas. Still in the mayor’s opinion, “this is also a fair measure for Lisbon residents. Receiving tourists is not just about giving them the best we have to offer, without the city also benefiting from their visit. Tourism is only beneficial when we all win. It is essential that all tourists can make a contribution to improving the city, because only in this way can we maintain a balance in the relationship between those who live here and those who are passing through”.
CML expects to raise 1.2 million euros from taxes
On the other hand, charging this tourist tax to those arriving in Lisbon by sea “is also a necessary measure”, argues Moedas. In this way, he explains, “the city needs to invest more in areas that are fundamental for its proper functioning, such as Urban Hygiene. This amount that we are going to charge each passenger will have a small impact on each person’s wallet, but for the city it means annual revenue in excess of one million euros. And I prefer this revenue to come from a productive and profitable activity, such as tourism, than to come from the pockets of Lisbon residents, already so punished by the tax burden in recent years”, argues the president of the CML.
This measure predicts annual revenue of 1.2 million euros and could represent 0.3% of total tourist tax revenue for the city. Finally, with the application of this tax to cruise passengers, the distinction that existed between these tourists and hotel and accommodation guests, who have already been paying this tax for several years, ends. The tourist tax is charged when purchasing the travel package, in the case of cruise passengers. In the remaining cases, the tax is paid upon arrival in Lisbon, and charged by the respective accommodation.
