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Thailand has said to plans to bring in the tourist tax later this year, in June. It is likely to cost 300 baht (£7.43) in a one-off fee.
Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, Thailand’s tourism minister, said that funds raised would go towards helping visitors who’ve been involved in accidents.
He added that some money might also be used to develop tourist destinations in the popular country.
The tax will be collected as a one-off fee at the airport when travellers land in the country for a holiday.
This is a different system to the type of tax in place in some areas of Europe, such as Barcelona, where the tax is charged on a nightly basis.
Mr Phiphat said: “Fee collection for tourists arriving by land requires further study, such as determining if the fee amount should be less than 300 baht because the average length of stay for these visitors is only one to two nights.
“Fees won’t be collected from foreigners with work permits and border passes.”
Tourism spending in Thailand is expected to reach at least 2.38 trillion baht this year, Mr Phiphat said.
Around 11.8 million tourists travelled to Thailand in 2022 and the number is expected to rise to around 25 million in 2023.
The tax is expected to be introduced in June 2023 but will need to get final approval from cabinet members.
Thailand has previously said there had been incidents where injured foreigners didn’t have insurance coverage.
It has said that part of the money collected from the tax will be used to cover medical bills for tourists.
The money will also go towards protecting and improving popular tourist destinations in the Asian country.
Thailand is a leading tourist destination with many travellers visiting to spend time on one of its stunning beaches.
Many Britons travel to Phuket, a popular beach destination, while others visit the capital city, Bangkok.
The northern Chiang Mai region is also a leading destination with many visitors travelling to explore its temples.
British tourists can book package holidays to Thailand and it’s a great choice for reliable winter sun.
Thailand isn’t the only country to be considering a tourist tax, with Wales also holding a consultation.
Wales is considering introducing a tourist fee to go towards protecting essential services in honeypot areas.
Barcelona has announced it will increase its tourist tax from April with a further rise planned for April 2024.
The Valencia region of Spain also has plans to introduce a tax, but this will remain optional with councils able to choose whether to apply it.
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