The regulation, published today in the Official Gazette, explains that “the regulation […] comes into force in the month following its publication […], and does not apply to reservations demonstrably made before that date”.

Payment of the tax in that municipality in the district of Viana do Castelo is applicable from the age of 16 and is limited to a maximum of “seven consecutive nights”.

The amount is one euro during the low season and applies to all accommodation establishments, including local accommodation, campsites and caravan parks.

The regulation states that the fee is also payable for “paid overnight stays” in hotels, guesthouses, apartment hotels, tourist villages and apartments, as well as rural tourism or tourism establishments.

The following are exempt from payment: “citizens with disabilities, with a disability equal to or greater than 60%, provided they present proof of this condition”, and “former combatants or widows/widowers of former combatants who hold the card”.

The same applies to “citizens whose stay is motivated by eviction situations or situations that imply displacement in similar situations, duly proven”, or who are “temporarily housed by public social bodies of the State and/or municipalities, in social or tourist accommodation establishments”.

The exemption also covers those who are accommodated due to “social emergency or civil protection” situations or who, “due to conflict and displaced from their countries of origin”, resides “temporarily in Portugal, provided that this is duly proven by the services responsible for this asylum request”.

The same situation applies to “citizens whose stay is the result of a pilgrimage, namely to Santiago de Compostela or Fátima, provided that this is duly proven by a pilgrim’s credential/passport/document” for the first night.

Among the justifications for applying the tax, the municipality indicates “statistics that reveal a significant growth in the tourist occupancy rate in recent years”.

“From 2013 to 2022, the number of overnight stays in the municipality of Caminha increased from 46,992 to 117,208, that is, it grew by 249.42%”, notes the council.

The regulation also indicates that the hotel offer currently consists of “512 rooms, 325 in hotel facilities, 118 in local accommodation and 69 in rural and residential tourism”.