When planning your budget for a long-awaited vacation, you usually focus on the cost of the flight, room category, and entertainment expenses. However, in 2026, an important detail was added to these expenses – tourist tax. Unlike the old resort fee, which was paid "out of pocket" upon check-in, the new tax has become part of the accommodation cost.

If you decide to buy tickets from Moscow to Mineralnye Vody for a sanatorium stay or plan to book tickets from St. Petersburg to Sochi, it's worth understanding in advance how the final amount on your bill will change.

Tourist Tax in Russia in 2026

Since 2025, a full-fledged tourist tax has been introduced in Russia instead of the experimental resort fee. The main difference is that now it is not paid by tourists directly to the administrator, but by hotels and hostels to the budget. But for you, this means that the room rate will increase by the amount of this tax.

This year, the tax rate has increased. If in 2025 it was 1%, then in 2026 municipalities have the right to set it at 2% of the accommodation cost.

• Minimum threshold: The law sets a "minimum" – the tax cannot be less than 100 rubles per day. This means that even if your hostel room costs 2000 rubles (2% of which is only 40 rubles), the hotel is still obliged to include 100 rubles of tax for each day in the bill.

• Krasnodar Krai (Sochi, Anapa, Gelendzhik): The tax applies everywhere here. When booking a hotel for 10,000 rubles per day, you will pay 10,200 rubles – these additional 200 rubles will be directed by the hotel towards the improvement of beaches and parks.

• Stavropol Krai (Kavminvody): Kislovodsk and Pyatigorsk have also switched to the new system. Benefits are provided for those staying in sanatoriums with vouchers, but in regular hotels, the tax is automatically added to the room price.

Resort Fee in St. Petersburg

The Northern Capital applies a differentiated approach depending on the season. In 2026, the following rules apply in St. Petersburg:

• Low season (January – March, October – December): the rate is 1%.

• High season (April – September): the rate increases to 2%. Given the popularity of "White Nights," plan your accommodation budget with this surcharge in mind. The tax also cannot be less than 100 rubles per night.

Global Practice

Many countries have long introduced accommodation taxes, and their amount often depends on the "star rating" of your chosen hotel.

• Turkey: The accommodation tax is 2% of the hotel service cost. In most cases, when purchasing a package tour, it is already included in the price. But if you book apartments or a boutique hotel independently, clarify whether this tax is included in the final amount to avoid additional payments upon check-out.

• UAE: In the emirates of Dubai and Abu Dhabi, the "Tourism Dirham" system is in effect. The amount is fixed: from 7 to 20 dirhams per night (approximately 180-500 rubles) depending on the class of accommodation. In five-star hotels, the fee is the highest.

• Uzbekistan: There is a tourist fee for foreign citizens here, which varies depending on the region and type of accommodation. On average, it costs from 0.5 to 3 US dollars per day. It is usually requested to be paid in local currency – sums.

• Thailand: The country periodically introduces and revises fees for foreign tourists (around 300 baht), which are often included in the airfare, but in some provinces, local hotel fees may also apply.

Practical Tips

1. Cash payment: Despite digitalization, many Russian hotels ask for the resort fee to be paid in cash, as these funds go to a special account. Keep some small bills with you.

2. Benefits are important: Many categories of citizens are exempt from paying the fee in the Russian Federation: veterans, disabled persons of groups I and II, low-income families, and children under 18. To avoid paying, you must present the original document confirming the benefit.

3. Private sector: If you rent an apartment through classified ad services from a private individual without a contract, the fee is usually not charged. However, when booking through official platforms, the tax may be automatically added to the bill.

4. Business trips: If you are traveling for work, you will also have to pay the resort fee. Be sure to get a receipt for the fee payment from the hotel so that accounting can reimburse you for these expenses.

Tourist taxes are not an attempt to "profit" from guests, but a way to preserve the beauty and comfort of the cities we love to return to. Knowing these rules, you can plan your budget down to the last penny and enjoy your vacation without unnecessary organizational hassle. Have pleasant travels and only fair hotel bills!