Porto City Council will begin reviewing the tourist tax, currently set at three euros per night, with the amount potentially rising to four euros.
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Author: Redaction
Review paves the way for a new rate
Porto City Council will proceed with a review of the tourist tax regulations, starting a process that could result in an increase in the amount paid by visitors. The tourist tax is currently three euros per night, after rising from two to three euros in 2024.
The proposal to be put to a vote by the council does not yet set a new amount. At this stage, it provides for a 10-working-day period during which interested parties can participate and submit contributions on the regulatory changes.
The possibility of increasing the tourist tax to four euros has already been raised by the council, bringing the amount charged in Porto closer to that applied in Lisbon.
Tourism grows and generates more revenue
The review comes amid a period of growth in tourism activity in the city. Between 2019 and 2025, the number of overnight stays increased by 45.6%, exceeding 6.6 million last year. Over the same period, the number of guests grew by 37.2%, surpassing three million. The average length of stay also increased, from around 2.04 nights in 2019 to 2.16 nights in 2025. In the first six months of 2026, overnight stays rose by 4.48%, while the number of guests increased by 3.53% compared with the same period of the previous year. The growth in tourism was also reflected in municipal revenue. In 2025, the tourist tax generated €32.3 million, 54.5% more than in the previous year.
Porto seeks to balance tourism and the city
The council considers that the increase in visitor numbers also means greater use of public services and infrastructure, including urban cleaning, mobility, security, culture and heritage.
In this context, the tourist tax is seen as a source of revenue to cover part of the costs associated with tourism activity. The review is also linked to the municipal strategy to fund free public transport for residents.
At the same time, the council aims to maintain Porto as a tourist destination without compromising the quality of life of those who live in the city. The goal is to strike a balance between tourism activity and residents’ needs.
Following approval to begin the procedure, a period will be opened for interested parties to participate. Only at a later stage is a specific proposal for the new tourist tax amount expected to be presented.
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