If you’re planning to get abroad to Spain for some winter sun next year, you’ll have to pay more to stay in popular holiday hotspots in the country.
UK tourists will have to pay a brand new tourist tax in the Valencia region after the charge was given the go-ahead.
Tourists will be charged up to €2 (£1.75) per person per night if they stay in the region, which include the Costa Blanca.
The tax, which is expected to bring in 30 million euros a year for green projects has also been extended to cruise visitors to the region.
However, Benidorm has said that it will ‘never’ introduce the charge - although there are fears this could change due to financial pressures.
The tax only applies to people staying overnight in the region and some people are exempt from paying the fee – such as children under the age of 16 and people with certain disabilities.
Approval for the new charge in Valencia was published on Monday 19 December in the Official Gazette of the Generalitat Valencia.
Despite the charge, it’s fortunately unlikely that tourists will see a massive impact on their holiday costs as prices range from a 50 cent cost if they stay in a hostel, while five-star hotels will charge two euros.
Four and three star hotels (which make up a whopping 80 per cent of the Costa Blanca’s hotels) will charge €1 per person per day, and cruise passengers will need to pay €1.50.
The tax will come into force from December 19, 2023.