Brit holiday warning as popular destination to charge visitors extra this year

A POPULAR holiday destination has confirmed it will start charging a new tourist tax from this year.

Holiday prices are already soaring, with flights and accommodation becoming more and more expensive.

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However, some places are now starting to charge money for visitors to even enter the country.

One of those is Thailand, where officials have confirmed that tourists will have to pay a new tax to be granted access.

Holidaymakers arriving by air, land or sea will need to pay, Tourism Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn told reporters on Tuesday.

From June onwards, it will cost an extra 300 baht (£7) for those arriving by plane and $150 baht (£3.50) for port arrivals.

Air passengers will have the fee added to the cost of their plane tickets, while sea and land arrivals will have to pay on the border.

Locals and foreigners with work permits will not have the pay the tax.

Tourism organisations are not happy with the development, but the government hopes that the fee is small enough not to put people off visiting.

Instead, they hope it will bring in around 3.9 million baht (£72,000) in 2023.

They say the money will help cover health and accidental insurance for tourists as well as developing tourist attractions.

Brits will also soon have to fork out extra for holidays closer to home.

Later this year, Brits will need to have a ‘visa-waiver’ to go on holiday to countries in Europe called the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS).

This is similar to the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) required to visit the US.

Anyone between the ages of 18 and 70 will need an ETIAS from November this year.

All arrivals will need one, whether arriving by plane, boat or car, and is even needed if just transiting through Europe.

It applies to countries in the Schengen Area – the 26 European states include popular hotspots such as France, Spain, Greece and Portugal.

Tourists will need to apply online before travelling, at least 96 hours before departure.

The ETIAS visa will cost €7 (£6.10) and lasts for three years or until your passport expires.

New EU rules also mean that flights will be more expensive from this year as well.

And this will replace the need to stamp passports, which has been required for UK passengers in Europe since Brexit.

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