“It seems unacceptable and incomprehensible to us that
cruise ship passengers do not pay the tourist tax, as foreseen, and, therefore,
it is a matter in relation to which we will not abdicate and we also hope that
soon, during the first semester of this year, this will come true”, said the
vice-president of the Lisbon Chamber, Filipe Anacoreta Correia (CDS-PP).
The mayor was speaking at the Lisbon Municipal Assembly
meeting, in response to questions from the ENP deputy Cláudia Madeira about
whether the council intends to use the tourist tax for the electrification of
the Lisbon Cruise Terminal, after statements by the mayor of Lisbon.
As acting president due to the absence of Carlos Moedas,
Filipe Anacoreta Correia responded that the Lisbon City Council has made “a
great commitment” so that the tourist tax can also be charged in the activity
of cruise ships, “which is provided for in the regulation, but which has not
been charged”.
“It has been a difficult negotiation, but I can say that the
chamber is determined in relation to this matter”, assured the CDS-PP mayor.
In the city of Lisbon, the tourist tax began to be applied in January 2016 on overnight stays by national tourists (including Lisbon tourists) and foreigners in hotels or local accommodation units. Initially, it was one euro per night, but from January 2019 it increased to two euros.