Poland Expands Tourist Fee Authority to More Cities

New Legislation and Expanded Scope

Poland's President Karol Nawrocki signed new legislation this week, significantly broadening the scope for municipalities to levy a daily visitor fee.

Effective 1 January 2027, this change removes previous environmental criteria, such as requirements for beneficial climatic features or spa protection area status, which had limited the charges primarily to seaside and mountain resorts. The revised law now permits any municipality with 'scenic qualities' to implement the fee.

The maximum charge for overnight stays, up to one month, will increase to 5 zloty (€1.14) per night, up from the previous limit of 3.46 zloty. Furthermore, the fee will apply to all visitors, irrespective of their purpose of travel—whether for tourism, work, or health—a departure from the earlier rule that targeted only leisure travellers.

Exemptions are provided for individuals with significant disabilities, children with certified disabilities, and their designated carers.

Kraków's Advocacy and Overtourism Concerns

The city of Kraków, a prominent European tourist hub, actively campaigned for these legislative adjustments. Last year (2025), Kraków recorded 8.7 million overnight tourists out of a total of 16.25 million visitors.

The city's authorities confirmed that with the new law, it can now reinstate its visitor fee, which was previously collected between 2004 and 2015 before being discontinued due to stricter environmental requirements.

In its 2024 appeal to the government, Kraków highlighted that 'overtourism leads to tensions and social discontent,' noting that 'residents increasingly feel like tourists in their own city.' This sentiment underscores the growing challenge of managing high visitor numbers in popular destinations.

Fee Collection and Accommodation Provider Role

Under the new regulations, accommodation providers, including hotels, guesthouses, and short-term rental operators, will be directly responsible for collecting these visitor fees. The Infor news service reported that these providers are mandated to maintain detailed records of fee collection.

To incentivise prompt remittance of funds, providers are entitled to receive a minimum of 10% of the money they collect when passing it on to the municipalities in a timely manner. This operational shift aims to streamline the collection process and ensure broader compliance across the hospitality sector.

Poland's Tourism Growth and Future Fee Potential

The legislative change coincides with a period of robust tourism growth for Poland. In 2025, the country registered the European Union's second-fastest growth in overnight stays in tourist accommodation, with a 7% increase. This placed Poland behind only the Mediterranean island nation of Malta, which saw a 9.9% rise.

The newly elected mayor of Kraków, Łukasz Gibała, set to be sworn in next week, has publicly supported a significantly higher tourist tax. Prior to his election, Gibała suggested a fee of at least 20 zloty per night, four times the new maximum, citing the substantial costs involved in maintaining the city amidst tourist influxes, as reported by financial news service Money.pl. This indicates a potential for further increases in visitor charges in key Polish destinations.

Implications for Asian Travellers

For Asian travellers planning trips to Europe, particularly Central European itineraries that often include Poland, these new charges represent an additional, albeit modest, cost to consider from 1 January 2027. Tour operators catering to the Asian market will need to update their pricing and information to reflect the daily fee of up to 5 zloty.

This development mirrors trends seen in several Asian destinations, such as Bali or Kyoto, which have implemented or are exploring similar tourist levies.

These measures aim to manage the environmental and social impact of tourism, fund local infrastructure, and address resident concerns, providing a relevant parallel for how such policies can affect travel planning and destination management across different global regions.