The rise of the tourism tax! As Barcelona hikes its levy for the second time in four years, here are all the other international trips that are becoming more expensive than ever

Barcelona has hiked its so-called 'tourism tax' for the second time in four years, in a bid to curb overtourism.

The Spanish city, which is home to 1.6 million people, every year hosts around 7 million visitors, which puts a strain on the city's resources.

On April 1, the local authorities increased the city tax, which travelers see at the bottom of their accommodation bill, to €3.25 ($3.52) for every night spent in the city. 

But Barcelona is not the only city which is imposing a tax on visitors, as travel has surged in the years since the pandemic. 

After lengthy delays, Venice will also begin a pilot of its daytripper tax on April 25, which will charge €5 ($5.43) on certain peak days to enter the city in order to preserve its heritage.

Barcelona has hiked its 'tourism tax' for the second time in four years, in a bid to curb overtourism

The Italian city already has an overnight tourist tax, which collected €37 million in 2023 - over $40 million. 

Travelers have long been used to being charged for add-on costs - and the amount you will pay for a hotel room in the US usually includes additional taxes or so-called 'resort fees'.

But the amount that travelers have to pay in tourism tax can vary significantly by destination. 

Some are a small extra cost tacked onto your hotel bill, while others may be a one-off or even a daily fee.

Popular places may implement this levy in response to overtourism and environmental concerns, or simply as a way to help the local economy put funds back into the tourism infrastructure. 

Barcelona first introduced its tourist tax in 2012. 

Alongside the city surcharge, which increased from €2.75 ($2.98) to €3.25 ($3.52) this month, it also imposes a regional tax which varies depending on the kind of accommodation you are staying in. 

For visitors staying in five-star or luxury hotels, it is €3.50 ($3.79) per night, for those in rentals - including Airbnb - it is €2.25 ($2.43) a night, and for those in other hotels it is €1.70 (or $1.84) a night. 

Cruise passengers, meanwhile, will be charged €3 ($3.25) for city visits less than 12 hours and €2 ($2.17) for visits longer than 12 hours. 

Considering the regional tourist tax and city surcharge, if you are visiting Barcelona and staying in five-star accommodation, you would end up paying as much as $51.16 in levies for a weeklong stay, according to The Points Guy.

Venice will also begin a pilot of its daytripper tax on April 25, which will charge €5 ($5.43) on certain peak days to enter the city

Elsewhere in Europe, Amsterdam charges a 7 percent fee on hotel rooms, as well as €3 - or around $3.26 - per night.

Paris also increased its taxes earlier this year in preparation for hosting the 2024 Olympic Games this summer. 

Île de France, the region which takes in the French capital and the surrounding area, upped its overnight tax by 200 percent in January. 

Visitors in one-star hotels now pay €2.60 (around $2.82) a night, while fees top out at around $4 per night for a luxury hotel. 

But it is not just European cities which are becoming more expensive for foreign visitors. 

In recent years, tourist payments have grown to not only include taxes on airfare and accommodation but also stand-alone levies simply for visiting a particular destination. 

The most notable example is Bhutan - a landlocked country located on the eastern edge of the Himalayas. 

Until August 2027, the country will charge a flat rate of $100 per day for visitors. 

Clint Henderson, managing editor of The Points Guy, told DailyMail.com: 'Unfortunately, tourist taxes are a rapidly growing trend. It's an easy way for localities to raise revenues without taxing local citizens. 

'It's more politically palatable and it has the added benefit of helping to deal with over-tourism. Crowds at some of the most popular "Instagrammable" locations are simply out of control and locals are fed up with the insane crowds in iconic cities like Venice.'

He said that he thinks this trend will only spread, which means some locations will become simply financially out of reach for some visitors. 

Backpackers and young nomads may choose other spots and the most crowded cities will not miss them, he added.

'Tourist taxes do tend to lower the number of visitors, but most localities will actually see that as a good thing because they want fewer, more affluent visitors instead of mass tourism,' he said.

Amsterdam charges a 7 percent fee on hotel rooms, as well as €3 - or around $3.26 - per night

Until August 2027, Bhutan will charge a flat rate of $100 per day for visitors 

Other places, including in the US, are considering implementing a tourist tax.

In his February State of the State address, Hawaii Governor Josh Green proposed a $25 fee on visitors

In his February State of the State address, Hawaii Governor Josh Green proposed a $25 fee on visitors when they arrive and check into a hotel or short-term rental property.

The state, which faces a high volume of tourists every year, has discussed the possibility of a levy in the past - including a proposal which stalled in the state's legislature last year. 

Green said it was a 'modest fee' which pales in comparison to some resort fees charged to visitors, and it could generate more than $68 million a year. 

This would go toward investing in beach preservation and prevention measures to stop another tragedy like last year's Maui wildfires. 

'The responsibility to protect Hawaii's unique natural environment should extend to visitors to our islands,' he said. 

'I believe this is not too much to ask of visitors to our islands.'