A €10 tax soon to apply to tourists staying in Dublin

The news is not going to please. Tourists visiting Dublin may well be required to pay a €10 tourist tax in future.

This measure, still at the proposal stage, would be a maneuver by the Irish government to get around the exceptional 9% VAT rate currently applied to tourism in Ireland.

Indeed, the VAT rate for the tourism sector had been sharply reduced since 2011, in order to boost the country’s economy. But the government, now in search of new public funds, seems to be backtracking and sidestepping the issue.

As a result, travelers booking accommodation in Dublin will be required to pay a €10 tax, in addition to the price of their room. (Example: €50 per night + €10 tax = €60).

For the time being, this measure will only apply to the Irish capital… and could be extended to the whole country at a later date.

In any case, this project, relayed exclusively by Irish Mirror magazine, is still at the discussion stage. The latter is already causing controversy among tourism agents. Many fear that Dublin’s hotels and Beds and Breakfast will be deserted by tourists, in favor of neighboring towns and villages.

The minister in charge of this project is expected to comment on the subject in the coming weeks.