热门旅游地纷纷向游客多收费

Planning a holiday? You may need to set aside a little extra for tourist taxes. As visitor numbers climb to record levels, more and more popular destinations are asking tourists to pay towards the cost of their visit. One of the most striking examples is Kyoto, the historic Japanese city famous for its temples and traditional streets. In March, the city sharply increased its accommodation tax. Guests in budget rooms now pay about twice as much as before, while those staying in the most luxurious hotels can be charged up to 10,000 yen per person, per night. Local residents have long complained about crowded buses, noisy streets and visitors taking photos on private property. City officials hope the tax will help them manage crowds and protect cultural sites. Norway is taking a similar approach. After a record 12 million foreign tourists stayed overnight in a single year, the government has allowed popular areas to charge visitors up to 3% on hotel stays and cruise trips. The money can only be spent on things that tourists use, such as public toilets, car parks, signs and walking tracks. Supporters say these taxes are fair, because they help local communities cope with large numbers of visitors. Critics worry they will make travel more expensive for ordinary families.