The tourist tax in the municipality of Évora will be set at 1.5 euros, with certain exemptions.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the Évora City Hall confirmed the implementation of the tax, despite “doubts, criticisms, suggestions, and proposals” from tour operators.
“The first months represent a period of adaptation” for operators and the city hall “to the implementation and operationalization of the tourist tax, seeking through dialogue and clarification to address any issues arising from practice,” highlighted the municipality.
In response to complaints, the local authority decided to extend the deadline for the first report to the city hall concerning the August collections, initially scheduled between September 1 and 15.
Thus, tour operators in the municipality will have to make the first report only between October 1 and 15, coinciding with the deadline for the second report concerning September, with payment due in the following 10 working days.
With the implementation of the tourist tax in Évora, the Alentejo region will no longer be the only one in the country without municipalities levying the tax, with Évora City Hall expecting a minimum annual revenue of 600,000 euros.
In Portugal, 40 municipalities already levy a tourist tax
Currently, out of 308 Portuguese municipalities, over 40 are already applying a tourist tax, with Terras de Bouro, in the Braga district, being the latest to join the list in June.
Each municipality sets the tax rate and defines its application rules, but there are common criteria for all, such as exemptions for children (with payment starting from age 12 in some cases, later in others) and people with disabilities equal to or greater than 60%, in addition to citizens staying for medical treatments.
The maximum tax charged in Portugal until this month is four euros per night, which has been the case in Lisbon since last September.
In mid-July, the Secretary of State for Tourism, Commerce, and Services, Pedro Machado, advocated for the “rationalization” of the tourist tax application in Portugal, noting that the current disparity and municipal management do not always ensure “added value and advantage” for the sector.
