Norwegian lawmakers have approved a long-debated proposal to introduce a tourist tax, including on cruise passengers, triggering confusion and criticism from local officials.
On Thursday, the Storting (parliament) passed the measure after a political compromise was reached earlier in the week between the Labour Party, Socialist Left Party (SV), and Centre Party, according to the local media outlet Borsen.
The proposal was also backed by the Red Party and the Green Party (MDG).
The adopted measure allows certain municipalities to impose a tourist tax of 3% per overnight stay, with cruise tourists among those subject to the fee.
“This doesn’t solve everything,” said Rune Stostad, Labour Party MP and a key advocate of the tax, during a parliamentary session on Wednesday.
According to the legislation, municipalities must demonstrate that tourism places a significant burden on local infrastructure and public services.
A detailed plan on how the revenue will be used, developed in collaboration with the business sector and approved by the ministry, is required before the tax can be implemented.
Responding to concerns over which areas qualify for the tax, Stostad said: “It will be up to the municipalities to determine whether they face heavy tourism pressure and to provide documentation. I have strong confidence that municipalities can manage that.”
