Fear of tourists staying away from Delft: justified concern or hot air?

Will tourists really stay away from Delft because of a tourist tax that is €1 or €2 higher per night? Or because museums are closed, festivals disappear, and the city becomes less lively?

In an article by Omroep West (also covered by NOS) hotels warn that higher taxes will scare visitors away. But this is rather short-sighted, because there is sufficient empirical evidence that this is not the case.

Facts in perspective

The article by Omroep West presents Delft as if it is already very expensive compared to other European cities. It is even suggested that Paris and Barcelona have lower tourist taxes. The opposite is true:

• In Paris, the tourist tax ranges from €2 to €15.60 per person per night, with most guests in 3- and 4-star hotels paying about €5–8.
• In Barcelona, the current rate is between €5.70 and €7.50 for most hotels, and future maximums may rise to €15.

What drives prices up is the national VAT increase that will take effect in 2026 (from 9 to 21 percent). But that applies to all hotels in the Netherlands. And as for the tourist tax? Delft is not really that “expensive” at all, if we look at other cities:

• Rotterdam: 6.5%
• The Hague: €6.20 p.p.p.n.
• Utrecht: 8.5%
• Amsterdam: 12.5%

At €4.50, Delft is modestly priced (more about tourist tax in the Netherlands).

So is there nothing going on?

In Delft, major attractions are closed due to renovation: the Prinsenhof and the Nieuwe Kerk tower. In addition, accessibility is worsening because of the closure of the Koepoortbrug.

Such attractions likely contribute to the motivation of tourists to visit Delft and spend money in hospitality and culture. If these cannot be visited, a lower tourist tax will not make the difference.

National cutbacks, local choices

Culture is often dismissed as a “leftist hobby” and thus a bit of a piggy bank to scrape money from for other purposes. For festivals and museums, which are an important part of the attractiveness of many destinations, it is therefore becoming increasingly difficult to stay afloat.

This shifts the responsibility more toward municipalities. They face the question of how to remain attractive to visitors and residents. Tourist tax can play a role in this, but the debate should be broader: which resources and choices are needed to keep an attractive destination attractive? Taxes are a possible tool, not a goal.

Start with facts, not fear

Higher or lower tourist tax: there is a lot of evidence that it does not affect visitor numbers. A VAT increase can of course hit hard, and those concerns are completely understandable. However, let us have the conversation based on correct data and a realistic picture of what attracts visitors, not on fear or false comparisons.