The Norwegian Parliament is currently considering a tax specifically aimed at cruise tourism, rejecting a broader tax proposal that would impact the entire travel industry.
This debate arises from a surge in cruise arrivals, alongside an increase in tourists arriving by car and mobile homes, which activists claim have strained small villages and their resources in Northern Norway.
The upcoming parliamentary discussions are scheduled for next week, where the proposed cruise tourism tax and visitor tax for Svalbard will be on the agenda.
Details regarding the rate of the proposed tax or its implementation timeline have not been disclosed.
The focus on cruise tourism underlines the growing pressures faced by smaller communities due to increasing tourist numbers.
