Finland will not introduce a tourist tax during the current government's term, Finance Minister Riikka Purra has said, after the coalition parties failed to reach agreement, Yle News reports. Purra announced on X that the proposal, which had been drawn up mainly with Lapland destinations such as Rovaniemi in mind, would not be sent to parliament.
The mayor of Rovaniemi, Joonas Hänninen, said he was disappointed, arguing that rapid growth in visitor numbers had raised the cost of infrastructure and services beyond what public funding covers, and that he hoped the next government would revisit the idea. The hospitality association MaRa welcomed the decision, saying the industry was still recovering from the pandemic and had already been hit by a rise in VAT on accommodation and restaurants from 10% to 13.5%.
Source: Yle News