Substantially more Polish municipalities will gain the power to charge overnight visitors a daily fee following new legislation that removes environmental criteria for imposing such levies, according to Notes from Poland.
President Karol Nawrocki signed the changes into law this week after the government proposed them earlier this year. The amendments scrap the requirement that only areas with beneficial climatic features may charge visitor fees, broadening eligibility to any municipality with scenic qualities.
Under the revised rules taking effect from 1 January, local authorities can charge up to 5 zloty (€1.14) per night for stays in hotels, guesthouses and short-term rental properties for periods of up to one month. This represents an increase from the previous maximum of 3.46 zloty.
Kraków set to reinstate charges after decade-long gap
The changes hold particular significance for Kraków, which has been pressing for the reform. The city levied a visitor’s fee between 2004 and 2015 but lost the ability to do so when environmental requirements were tightened. Kraków’s chronic air pollution problems had disqualified it, though the city has since taken substantial steps to address air quality.
Last year, Kraków welcomed a record 16.25 million visitors, with 8.7 million staying overnight. City authorities have argued that “overtourism leads to tensions and social discontent” as the “local community suffers” and residents “increasingly feel like tourists in their own city”.
Kraków city hall confirmed it would now be able to collect a visitor’s fee “if the statutory conditions are satisfied and the municipal council adopts an appropriate resolution”. The city’s recently elected mayor, Łukasz Gibała, who will be sworn in next week, has indicated he favours a tourist tax of at least 20 zloty per night – four times the new legal maximum.
“In western European cities there are rates of that size and higher,” Gibała told Money.pl. “Maintaining the city in the face of the influx of tourists is costly. In Kraków, private business owners profit from tourism, whilst the city and its residents foot the bill.”
Broader application and collection changes
The legislation also expands the scope of who must pay. Previously only people visiting for tourism purposes were liable; now the fee applies to all overnight stays, including those for work or health reasons, broadcaster TVN reports. People with significant disabilities, children with certified disabilities and their carers will be exempt.
Collection procedures have changed as well. Accommodation providers will collect fees directly and must maintain detailed records, according to the Infor news service. Providers who remit fees on time will receive at least 10% of the money they collect.
Until now, visitor fees could only be charged by municipalities with beneficial climatic features, scenic qualities and capacity to accommodate visitors seeking those benefits, as well as localities in designated spa protection areas. In practice, this largely restricted fees to seaside and mountain resorts.
Poland recorded the European Union’s second-largest growth in tourist accommodation nights last year, with a 7% increase. Only the Mediterranean island nation of Malta, at 9.9%, saw faster growth.
What this means for Poles in the UK
Poles planning visits to Poland from the UK should budget for additional accommodation costs in popular destinations from January onwards. While the maximum charge stands at 5 zloty (roughly £1) per night, major tourist cities like Kraków may implement fees approaching this limit once municipal councils pass the necessary resolutions.
The fee will apply to all overnight stays regardless of purpose, meaning even visits to family in tourist areas or business trips to cities like Kraków could incur the charge. Only people with significant disabilities and children with certified disabilities along with their carers are exempt.
Anyone booking hotels, guesthouses or short-term rentals should confirm whether the property is located in a municipality charging the fee and factor this into travel budgets. The accommodation provider will collect the charge directly, so it may be added to the final bill. For a week-long stay in Kraków, the fee could add up to 35 zloty (approximately £7) per person to the total cost.
