Municipalities may grant a 100% bonus or surcharge on the tourist fee

The Bureau of Tourism of theBasque Country met this Tuesday  in Vitoria-Gasteiz, where issues related to the tourism sector have been discussed, including the introduction of the tax on tourist stays, the registrationof the Ministry of Housing and Urban Agenda and the creation of a single window, as well as the normative status of the preliminary draft of the Tourism Act and the Territorial Plan for Tourism Resources.

In this regard, the tourist fee shall apply in the Basque Country as a whole , taking into account the "specific specificities" of each municipality at the local level, and the municipalities shall have a margin ofautonomy to grant 100% of the tax bonus , i.e. not to pay, or to impose surcharges. 

Javier Hurtado , Counsellor for Tourism, Trade and Consumer Affairs of the Basque Government Turismo, Comercio y Consumo, has explained that, after analysing the possibilities of introducingthe tax on tourist stays, it will be dealt with by means of aforal rule approved by the General Meetings of each Historical Territory , which will take the form of a municipal tax.

This rule, he adds, "is intended to be homogeneous" in the three Historic Territories. It shall be a generaltax on tourist stays, but shall contain "its own peculiarities, depending on the accommodation establishments of the municipalities" and "with scope for municipal autonomy".

That being the case, the municipalities will be left with the full collection of this rate , but they will be able to accept bonuses up to 100%, i.e. no tax, or surcharges if they deem it necessary.