Popular destinations introduce new green tourism taxes

WorldEnvironment
7 Apr 2026 • 7:33 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

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  • Consumer watchdog Which? has warned that new green tourism taxes are causing higher cruise fares for passengers.
  • Popular destinations such as Santorini, Barcelona, Iceland, and Mexico have introduced these additional sustainability charges to offset the environmental impact of cruising and manage overtourism.
  • Examples of these new levies include a €20 tax for disembarking in Santorini during peak season and a daily ISK 2,500 fee in Icelandic ports.
  • These taxes are typically added to passengers' onboard accounts and are monitored via scannable cruise cards upon disembarkation.
  • Passengers are usually refunded the charges if they choose not to disembark or if a port call is skipped due to reasons like extreme weather.

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