The new tax on early booking holidays in Turkey will come into force on 1 January 2023. Find out more about how the changes in legislation will affect tourists booking their Turkey travel guidelines

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From January 1, 2023, a new tourist accommodation tax will come into effect in Turkey, which will be charged to hoteliers: 2% of the amount received for the accommodation of guests. However, information began to appear on social networks that hotels began to warn future visitors about the need to pay additional funds.

When can a hotel ask a tourist to pay a fee?

According to the text of the law, the new tax applies exclusively to hoteliers. Tourists, travel agencies or tour operators should not pay it. However, the text of the law does not specify who should pay the fee in case of early bookings for tours for 2023, which took place before the introduction of the new tax.

Due to the fact that there are no clear instructions, hoteliers choose one of the options at their discretion:

• to pay 2% and not to charge tourists additional funds;

• demand additional payment for the tour from travel agencies or tour operators;

• additionally charge 2% from tourists upon check-in.

Experts believe that it is possible that the tourism authorities of the country will provide additional recommendations explaining how to act in case of early booking. However, for the time being, at the first stage, each hotel or hotel chain will choose the most suitable option for itself, offer it to guests and partners and analyze their reaction. That is why some hotel chains have already begun to announce that they reserve the right to demand the payment of accommodation tax from tourists during check-in.

It will become clearer how to act in this situation at the beginning of January, when hotels will begin to accommodate tourists according to the new rules.

Which tourists will not be affected by the new tax?

Representatives of Turkish travel operators emphasize that issues with the tax may arise only in tours that were booked before the new law comes into force, i.e. until mid-December 2022. If the tour was purchased in the second half of December, the tax is already included in its price.

Pay attention! In order to protect yourself from insurance events and receive assistance in choosing an insurance policy, as well as to be informed about your actions in the event of an insured event, VisitWorld recommends taking out travel insurance in advance.