The Greece tourist tax is levied on all visitors to the country to help preserve its historical sites, natural treasures, and tourism infrastructure. Both domestic and international visitors are required to pay the daily tax while traveling in Greece, determined by the nature of your accommodation and the travel season. This guide from Remitly covers everything you need to know about the tax, including how much you can expect to pay, and when and how to pay, so you can plan ahead and enjoy your dream Greece holiday stress-free.
Tourism in Greece
Greece has been a popular tourist destination for millennia. Even the ancient Romans travelled to Greece to see its renowned temples and monuments, experience the Olympic games, and take in the stunning nature. Today, it is a popular destination for everyone from history buffs exploring temple ruins to stag weekends seeking an affordable party spot.
An estimated 40 million foreign visitors made their way to Greece in 2024, which is four times the local population. This influx of people puts significant pressure on Greece’s nature, infrastructure, and historical sites. That’s why, in 2018, Greece started to levy a “tourist tax” to invest in climate change resilience, disaster recovery, and maintaining public services. The tax has been updated several times since then, most recently in 2025, to raise sufficient funds while keeping costs reasonable for travellers.
What is the Greece tourist tax?
While it is often just called the “Greece tourist tax,” this levy is a combination of two separate taxes: the Climate Crisis Resilience Tax and the Transient Occupancy Tax. The charge is calculated based on your accommodation, including all types—from luxury hotels to hostels to Airbnb stays. This means that the tax is levied on both international and domestic travellers. The rate also varies depending on the season, with high-season travellers paying a premium.
There were a number of updates to the law in 2025, but one of the most significant was extending the tax to cruise ship visitors, who were previously exempt because they did not stay in Greek hotels or other types of accommodation. Cruise ship passengers are now being included in the levy with a disembarkation tax. The rate varies depending on the season and where you disembark.
It is worth noting that both taxes are separate from Greece’s 13% value-added tax (VAT), which you can expect to pay when booking accommodation in Greece.
How much is the Greece tourist tax?
Your Greece tourist tax contribution is principally determined by the type of accommodation you choose, with premium rates charged for luxury hotels and more modest ones for more affordable accommodation. The rate is also significantly higher during the peak travel season to offset the high demand during the busiest months.
The Climate Crisis Resilience Tax is a flat daily fee based on your type of accommodation. Hotel star ratings are used as a simple way to differentiate between accommodations. However, bear in mind that star ratings are not universal. While you may think that you’re booking a three-star hotel online, you may still find that you are liable for a four-star tax rate upon arrival.
Below is a breakdown of what you can expect to pay per night when you are staying in accommodation in Greece. The charge is per room, villa, or Airbnb—not per person.
| Accommodation Type | High Season (April-October) | Low Season (November-March) | Transient Occupancy Tax |
| 1-2 Star Hotels | €2.00 per night | €0.50 per night | 0.5-0.75% |
| 3 Star Hotels | €5.00 per night | €1.50 per night | 0.5-0.75% |
| 4 Star Hotels | €10.00 per night | €3.00 per night | 0.5-0.75% |
| 5 Star Hotels | €15.00 per night | €4.00 per night | 0.5-0.75% |
| Short-Term Rentals (Villa/Airbnb) | €8.00 per night | €2.00 per night | 0.5-0.75% |
The Transient Occupancy Tax is charged as a percentage of your accommodation cost. The standard rate is 0.5%, but as of 2025, some municipalities are choosing to charge an optional higher rate of 0.75%.
The two taxes are charged separately because the Climate Crisis Resilience Tax goes to the national Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, while the Transient Occupancy Tax goes to the local municipality.
If you are staying with family and friends, you won’t be charged the Greece tourist tax, mainly because the Greek authorities do not have a reliable way of tracking your liability or collecting your contribution.
Greece tourist tax cost for cruise ship passengers
While cruise ship passengers visiting Greece do not pay the Transient Occupancy Tax, since 2025, they have been liable for the Climate Crisis Resilience Tax. This is charged per passenger per disembarkation in Greece; infants under two are exempt. The fee varies based on season and where you disembark, with the popular destinations of Santorini and Mykonos charging a higher fee.
The table below provides a breakdown of the Climate Crisis Resilience Tax for cruise ship passengers.
| Season | Santorini and Mykonos | All Other Greek Ports |
| Peak (June-September) | €20 per person | €5 per person |
| Shoulder (October/April-May | €12 per person | €3 per person
|
| Off (November-March) | €4 per person | €1 per person |
While it is not a common occurrence, if you disembark from your cruise ship and decide to stay in local accommodation overnight, you will be charged the Greek tourist tax again by your local accommodation. This does mean that you will be paying the Climate Crisis Resilience Tax twice.
When and how to pay the Greece tourist tax
You will be requested to pay your Greece tourist tax contribution to your accommodation provider, either upon check-in or check-out.
However, the tax will never be included in your booking fee or your room price, as it is considered a completely separate charge. It is being levied by the government and is not part of the accommodation’s income. Your accommodation is just collecting the funds on behalf of the government. This also means that you cannot pay the fee in advance as part of booking your trip through third-party booking platforms. It also cannot be paid online and must be paid in person while you are in Greece.
In the case of cruise ship passengers, the levy will be collected by the cruise ship. They will either have a method for collecting the fee when you disembark or a process for charging the levy to your room.
While some larger hotels have been known to include your tourist tax liability as a line in your final bill, most accommodations will present you with a separate bill for the tax so that they can keep the funds completely separate from their income. For similar reasons, many accommodations will also ask you to pay the tax in cash in euros, or at a minimum, as a separate card transaction. They will also usually ask you to pay upon check-in, rather than waiting for check-out. However, there are no strict rules on how exactly the tax is collected, so the exact process can be different depending on where you stay.
The rate is charged daily, so if you are spending five nights in a four-star hotel during the peak season at the €10-per-day rate, you will pay €50. If you stay for ten nights, you will pay €100. There is a six-month cap for the Transient Occupancy Tax, but this won’t affect most travellers on typical, shorter holidays, so come prepared to pay the full amount.
Top tip: Keep your tax receipt
It’s a good idea to keep your tax receipt as proof of payment. The regulations around the tax have changed recently, and some accommodations are still catching up with their processes. While the tax must be paid at check-in or check-out and accommodations are required to issue a separate receipt, differing procedures between staff could potentially cause mix-ups. Having your receipt in hand can help you sort out the confusion quickly and avoid accidental double-charges.
In addition, if you don’t pay the tax, you could potentially be flagged when you try to leave Greece or enter again at a later date, when you may be confronted with a fine. Again, having proof of payment can help you resolve any issues with greater ease.
How to manage the Greece tourist tax
Greece is just one of a growing number of nations that charge a tourist tax to help offset the impact of heavy tourism on the local environment and infrastructure. It is a reasonable contribution that they are attempting to apply fairly. However, an unexpected bill for an extra €100 can be frustrating. The best thing you can do is make sure you are aware of the tax and incorporate it into your travel budget.
These are our top tips for making sure you don’t get caught out by the tourist tax while travelling in Greece:
- Check the latest tax rates before you travel, as they are updated relatively frequently, and include the tax in your travel budget.
- Bring cash in euros with you to your accommodation so that you are ready to pay.
- If your accommodation doesn’t ask you to pay at check-in, request to make the payment to make sure everything is settled before you start enjoying yourself.
- Keep the receipt for your tax payment in case there are any issues.
- Enjoy your time in Greece!
A little forward planning can go a long way when it comes to making the most of your next Greek holiday.
Plan your Greece trip with confidence
The Greece tourist tax is considered by most to be a modest and reasonable fee for travellers that will help protect Greece’s unique beauty and history for future generations of visitors. If you don’t know about the tax, being presented with the bill in Greece can be an unpleasant surprise. But if you do your research and include the tax as a line in your budget, paying the tax can help you visit this fascinating country with a clear conscience that you are contributing to its future preservation.
Greece has been one of Europe’s most unmissable destinations for millennia, with the ruins of the Athenian Acropolis, said to be where democracy was born, the stunning, white-washed houses of Santorini, and the island beaches of Mykonos and Kos attracting visitors from around the world. Prepare for your trip with an appropriate budget that includes your liability for the Greece tourist tax.
FAQs
Do I pay tourist tax for each person or per room?
The Greece tourist tax is paid per room (or villa, etc.) and not per person. The amount is calculated on the type of accommodation you book and the season, which is why it is based on the room and not the traveller. The exception to this rule is cruise ship travellers, who are charged per person when they disembark from the ship in Greece.
Can I pay the Greece tourist tax online in advance?
No, the Greece tourist tax cannot be paid online or in advance and must be paid in person while you are in Greece. This means that the tax will not be included in any package holiday or third-party bookings. While the tax is collected by your accommodation, it is separate from your accommodation cost, so it cannot be paid online in advance, even if you book directly with the accommodation provider.
Which Greek destinations charge a tourist tax?
The tourist tax is a national tax, so you will be liable to pay it wherever you are in Greece. The rate can change depending on where you choose to visit. Specifically, for cruise passengers, there is a higher disembarkation tax for the popular destinations of Santorini and Mykonos. In addition, some municipalities choose to charge the Transient Occupation Tax at the higher rate of 0.75% rather than the standard 0.5%.
Are there any exemptions to the tourist tax?
The Greece tourist tax is universal, with very limited exemptions. Airline crew members on duty are exempt, as are direct transit passengers. Infants under two are also exempt from the tax when disembarking from a cruise ship. In addition, if you stay with family or friends, you will not be charged the tax, principally because there aren’t mechanisms in place to determine your liability or collect payment.
What happens if I forget to pay the tourist tax?
If you forget to pay your tourist tax, you may be requested to pay the outstanding tax or a fine when you are leaving the country, or when you try to return at a later date, though this is reportedly rare. Rather than pursue individual tourists, it is the accommodation venues that are held liable for ensuring the payment. Therefore, if you don’t pay, you could be causing problems for them. If you forget to pay, the best thing you can do is contact your accommodation and see how you can organize payment.
Is the tourist tax included in package holidays?
No, the Greece tourist tax is not included in package holidays as it cannot be paid in advance or online. The tax can only be paid in Greece at your accommodation. You will need to pay the tax separately while you are in Greece.