Poland to allow more municipalities to charge tourist fee — Notes from Poland

In Poland, more municipalities will be able to charge a fee to tourists and other visitors staying overnight. President Karol Nawrocki signed a law this week abolishing the requirement for favorable climatic conditions to introduce such a fee, Notes from Poland reports.

Previously, the fee could be introduced mainly by municipalities with favorable climatic conditions, scenic landscapes and the capacity to accommodate people coming to enjoy these advantages. It also applied in localities located in health resort protection zones. In practice, this mostly concerned seaside and mountain resorts.

New rules for guests

From January 1, municipalities with scenic landscapes will be able to charge up to 5 zlotys, or €1.14, for each night spent in hotels, guesthouses and short-term rental accommodation. The fee will be charged for stays of up to one month. The current maximum rate is 3.46 zlotys.

The charge will apply not only to tourist trips but also to visits for business or health purposes. People with significant disabilities, children with certified disabilities and their guardians will be exempt. Accommodation providers will collect the funds directly and must keep detailed records. For the timely transfer of collected amounts, they will receive at least 10% of these funds.

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Krakow’s position

Krakow was one of the cities that sought changes to the rules. In 2024, city authorities asked the government to allow it to introduce the fee, stating that overtourism generates tensions and public discontent, while residents increasingly feel like tourists in their own city.

A record 16.25 million people visited Krakow last year, of whom 8.7 million stayed overnight. The city charged visitors a fee from 2004 to 2015, but later lost this option after environmental requirements were tightened. Krakow City Hall stated that the city will now again be able to introduce the fee if it meets the legal requirements and the city council adopts the relevant decision.

Before the election, Krakow’s newly elected mayor Łukasz Gibała supported a tourist tax of at least 20 zlotys per night — four times higher than the new statutory maximum. According to him, maintaining the city amid a large tourist flow is expensive, while private businesses profit from tourism and the city and its residents bear the costs.