Amsterdam already charged one of the highest tourist taxes in Europe. From January 2027 it will charge more. On November 12, the city council approved a 2027 budget that raises the tax on overnight stays from 12.5% to 16% of the room price, despite loud objections from the hospitality industry. The governing coalition under Mayor Femke Halsema wants to keep going, adding one percentage point a year until the rate reaches 20%, although increases beyond 16% have not yet been formally approved.
The rise lands on top of a national change. Earlier in 2026, VAT on accommodation in the Netherlands jumped from 9% to 21%. Combined with the new municipal rate, the total tax on a night in an Amsterdam hotel comes to roughly 33.5%. Put simply, on a €250 room, taxes now add the equivalent of roughly a third of the rate, before breakfast is even considered.
The city expects the tax to raise about €60 million next year and roughly €75 million by 2030. Alderman Melanie van der Horst said the money is needed for services such as waste collection in a city that welcomed a record 21 million tourists last year. Opposition parties VVD, CDA and JA21 proposed a flat €14.50 per person per night instead, but that plan was voted down.
The pushback has been broad. Forty-seven industry figures signed an open letter against the increase, and the Holland Festival warned that because about 90% of its artists come from abroad, the change hits its own budget. For travellers, the takeaway is to price Amsterdam stays carefully for 2027, compare total costs rather than headline room rates, and consider staying in nearby cities such as Haarlem or Utrecht.
Sources: NL Times, Dutch Brief
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