Canadians have to shell out more cash to visit Paris with updated tourist tax

Visiting Paris has gotten just a bit more expensive for some travellers from Canada.

Tourists from Canada planning a romantic getaway in Paris should note that it's now going to cost a little more to stay in the City of Light. Tourists have long been paying an accommodation tax, with the rate varying according to the type of accommodation. And this year, that rate just saw a modest increase.

According to the Public Service website, the rate is charged per night for each adult, and as of Jan. 1, tourists looking to splurge on more high-end accommodations will have to pay more.

This means that guests staying in five-star hotels will be charged a nightly rate of €11.70 or C$18.88 (up from €11.38 or C$18.36), while those staying at a Parisian palace must now pay €15.93 or C$25.70, up from €15.60 or C$25.17.

The rate increase, however, doesn't impact guests staying in hotels rated one to four stars. Currently, guests at one-star hotels or holiday, bed and breakfasts, or group inns pay a nightly tax rate of €2.60 (C$4.19). Two and three-star hotels will continue to charge €3.25 (C$5.24) and €5.53 (C$8.92), respectively, while four-star hotels charge €8.45 (C$13.63).

The fee also applies to one and two-star campsites, and the rate will remain unchanged at €0.65 (C$1.05). The same applies to upscale campsites, which will continue to charge €1.95 per night (C$3.15).

According to the local government, tourists don't have to pay the fee separately as it's automatically charged by landlords and hoteliers.

The Paris Tourist Office states that revenue collected from the tourist tax goes towards the "development and promotion" of tourism. It also goes towards mitigating the impact of tourism and protecting natural areas.

Paris isn't the only major tourist hotspot to take on a multi-tiered approach when it comes to accommodation taxes.

This year, Hawaii started charging visitors a "green fee," a 0.75 per cent tax that will go towards protecting and preserving Hawaii's natural resources. Kyoto is set to apply a similar tax rate starting March 1.