How much is tourist tax in Greece? Climate Crisis Resilience Fee explained
SUMMER months are just around the corner and you may be planning your next getaway.
If Greece is on your list then it's important to know about the tourist tax. Here's all the information.
How much is Greece's Climate Crisis Resilience fee?
Greece's Climate Crisis Resilience fee has replaced the previous hotel tax.
According to the Greek government, charges will range from €1.50 (£1.30) to €10 (£8.60), depending on accommodation, quality and the time of year.
The fee is capped at €4 (£3.45) in the low season.
The following fees will be in effect from March to October:
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- €1.50 euros per night for one or two-star hotels (previously €0.50 euros)
- €3 euros per night for three-star hotels (previously €1.50 euros)
- €7 euros per night for four-star hotels (previously €3 euros)
Why was the tax introduced?
The tax was introduced due to Greece facing a year of historic natural disasters.
Record rainfall and heat waves destroyed over 1,500 square kilometres of land and led to 37 deaths.
The funds collected will go towards repairing the damage that the natural disasters caused.
But you will be charged interest if you don't repay your balance in full at a rate of 19.9 per cent.
And you will be charged interest on cash withdrawals until your balance is paid off too, at a rate of between 19.9 and 27.95 per cent depending on your credit score.
In other words, just because you are using plastic abroad doesn't mean you don't have to pay these credit cards off like you normally would.
Always pay off your balance before the end of the month with these cards to make sure that any money you saved isn't wiped away by paying interest.
For more on travel credit cards you can read our guide here.
Pre-paid cards: An alternative to carrying cash around is to get a pre-paid card.
These cards allow you to put a set amount of cash on the card at a fixed exchange rate.
So if the rate is good at the moment, you can put money on your card and it will stay that rate when you are on holiday.
Just keep in mind that these cards can sometimes have hidden costs and charges so be sure to read the small print.