Managing local taxes can be complex, with rates changing by region, property type, or season. The Tourist Taxes module simplifies this process by centralizing all settings, ensuring compliance with local regulations, and giving you a clear view of each booking’s payment status.
How to Set Up a New Tourist Tax?
The correct configuration of the tourist tax depends on whether VAT is included in the price (the so-called European model) or excluded from it (the so-called American model). Follow the configuration steps that apply to your market. Please also check the compatibility of the tourist taxes with portals.
Step-by-Step Configuration – European Model (VAT Included in price)
Start: Go to Accounting > Tourist Taxes and click NEW.
1. General Details
Define the basic information for your tax:
Name of tax: Enter the name of the tax.
VAT/Sales: Select the VAT applied to the tax (if any).
When does the guest pay?: Specify when the tourist should pay the tax.
2. Setup and Rate
These sections work together: your settings in Setup affect the options in Rates.
Does the tax change according to the season?
Decide if the tax amount is fixed or varies during the year:
No: Same tax every day.
Yes: Enable Use it to set different seasons. Seasons always start at the beginning of the year—cover the entire year.
On which entity is the tax charged?
Define how the tax is calculated:
Booking: Set a fixed price per booking (€) or a percentage (%) of the rental. Apply per booking, night, or day.
Guest: Apply tax per person. Enter a price per person.
Important: Percentage (%) cannot be combined with “per person/night” or “per adult/night.” To charge per adult, use a currency amount (e.g., €25 per person/night, or update the amount directly in the booking).
Adults vs Children
Set different prices if needed:
Specify the age range for children.
People younger than this range are babies (no tax).
People older than this range are adults (adult price applies).
Advanced Settings
Charge Limit: Apply tax only for the first X days of a stay (e.g., charge only the first 7 days of a 20-day booking).
Pets: Set a rate for pets. The booking must include the system’s “Pets” extra.
Allowances: Add discounts if applicable.
3. Associated Accommodations
Choose which properties the tax applies to:
Apply to all accommodations, or
Select specific properties if it applies only to a group.
Tip: You can create multiple taxes to cover all regulations and scenarios for your properties.
Step-by-Step Configuration – American Model (VAT excluded from price)
Start: Go to Accounting > Taxes > Taxes list, click on NEW and select Tourist Tax.
1. General Details
Define the basic information for your tax:
Name of tax: Enter the name of the tax.
VAT/Sales: Select the VAT applied to the tax (if any).
When does the guest pay?: Specify when the tourist should pay the tax.
2. Setup and Rate
These sections work together: your settings in Setup affect the options in Rates.
Does the tax change according to the season?
Decide if the tax amount is fixed or varies during the year:
No: Same tax every day.
Yes: Enable Use it to set different seasons. Seasons always start at the beginning of the year—cover the entire year.
On which entity is the tax charged?
Define how the tax is calculated:
Booking: Set a fixed price per booking (€) or a percentage (%) of the rental. Apply per booking, night, or day.
Guest: Apply tax per person. Enter a price per person.
Important: Percentage (%) cannot be combined with “per person/night” or “per adult/night.” To charge per adult, use a currency amount (e.g., €25 per person/night, or update the amount directly in the booking).
Adults vs Children
Set different prices if needed:
Specify the age range for children.
People younger than this range are babies (no tax).
People older than this range are adults (adult price applies).
Advanced Settings
Charge Limit: Apply tax only for the first X days of a stay (e.g., charge only the first 7 days of a 20-day booking).
Pets: Set a rate for pets. The booking must include the system’s “Pets” extra.
Allowances: Add discounts if applicable.
3. Associated Accommodations
Choose which properties the tax applies to:
Apply to all accommodations, or
Select specific properties if it applies only to a group.
Tip: You can create multiple taxes to cover all regulations and scenarios for your properties.
Compatibility of the tourist taxes with portals
Always configure tourist taxes in the portals first, then reflect them in the VRMS. How taxes are handled depends on each platform:
Airbnb: The platform may collect and remit the tax, or you may do it. If Airbnb collects, it appears as “taxes collected by the portal” and does not affect VRMS. If you collect, it is registered in VRMS but still labeled as Airbnb tax.
Booking.com: Full connection synchronizes the taxes; partial connection does not. Taxes may be charged by the portal or by you at check-in. Only one season is supported; multiple taxes are sent separately but unified by Booking.com.
Vrbo: You always collect and remit the tax.
Marriott: Taxes are sent as plain data and do not appear in the reservation breakdown.