Tourism, new tourist tax hypothesis: up to 25 euro in luxury hotels

New developments are in sight for the tourist tax: the tax could be extended to all almost 8,000 municipalities (not only capitals, unions of municipalities and tourist municipalities as is currently the case) and remodelled according to a gradual criterion: from an amount of up to 5 euro in the case of overnight stays costing less than 100 euro up to a maximum of 25 euro per day in extra-luxury hotels (over 750 euro per night). The proceeds would be used not only for measures in the tourism sector, but also for waste collection and disposal. The changes are envisaged in the draft of the 'August decree' that will reach the Council of Ministers on Wednesday and has already provoked negative reactions from trade associations. The Ministry of Tourism, however, makes it known that this is a non-final hypothesis that will not see the light of day in the next few hours: 'Discussions with the trade associations and other institutional players with a view to a possible proposal to amend the tourist tax regulations have not yet been concluded; the dialogue will continue in September'.

According to the hypothesis contained in the draft, a graduated criterion would be applied to the new tourist tax in proportion to the price range of the accommodation (and not on the basis of classification): regardless of the number of occupants a fixed amount of up to 5 euros if the price per night of stay is less than 100 euros; up to 10 euros for daily rates from 100 to 400 euros; up to 15 euros if the price per night is between 400 and 750 euros; up to 25 euros for stays of 750 euros per night. The cost of ancillary services is not taken into account when calculating the price threshold.

The municipalities will have to allocate the revenue collected from the tourist tax for tourism-related measures, but not only: the resources will also go to waste collection and disposal.

Confindustria Alberghi is making a stand against the rule being studied, because accommodation facilities cannot be 'a mere ATM for municipalities'. President Maria Carmela Colaiacovo says she is "surprised" that "after months of fruitful dialogue and confrontation" we are "suddenly proceeding with the approval of a text" that would seem to blow up "some of the cornerstones on which the reform under discussion was grafted". This is especially true for the revenue allocation constraint, which was created to support tourist activities and which 'instead of being strengthened, would seem to be lost' to cover the costs of the waste service.

The hypothesis also worries Federalberghi: tourism businesses 'do not agree with the proposal to further increase the tax'. Not least because "only a few months have passed since, in view of the Jubilee, the ceiling was raised by 40%, from 5 to 7 euros per night and per person, and the possibility of using it to cover the cost of waste collection was introduced, distorting the purposes of the institute".