Norway, frequently named as one of the world’s most breathtaking destinations, is the latest European nation to consider a tourist tax as it grapples with record-breaking visitor numbers. The Scandinavian country, which Tripadvisor users say “could rightfully claim to be one of the world’s most beautiful countries,” is experiencing mounting pressure on its natural and urban environments.

In 2024, Norway saw a surge in tourism with a staggering 38 million overnight stays, prompting calls for action to manage the impact. One traveller summed up the nation’s allure, describing Norway as having “one of the most spectacular views I have seen anywhere on earth.”

In response, the Norwegian government has proposed a new bill that would allow municipalities to introduce a 3% levy on overnight stays at hotels, campsites, and short-term holiday rentals. Originally set at 5%, the rate was scaled back following concerns from the tourism industry.

If approved by Parliament, the tax could be rolled out as early as summer 2025. A 3% levy would add approximately £4.10 to a £140-per-night hotel stay.

The aim of the tax is to equip local governments with tools to maintain infrastructure and services strained by tourism. Funds would be earmarked for projects considered tourism-related “common goods,” including public toilets, trail maintenance, and signage improvements.

Municipalities choosing to adopt the tax will be required to collaborate with local tourism operators on how the funds are used.

“We know not every municipality needs this,” Trade and Industry Minister Cecilie Myrseth told national broadcaster NRK. “But in high-pressure areas, it’s about building trust between the local population and visitors.”

However, the proposal hasn’t been without controversy. The tax would not apply to cruise passengers, day-trippers, or those traveling in camper vans, visitors who often frequent the country’s most popular destinations. Critics argue the exemption leaves a significant portion of the tourism load unaccounted for.

“They’re still using our roads, our toilets, our scenic trails,” said one local resident from the fjord town of Flåm. “They should contribute too.”

The government has acknowledged the concern and signaled it is exploring separate mechanisms to collect contributions from cruise tourists in the future.

If Norway moves forward, it will join a growing number of European destinations—such as Venice, Barcelona, and Amsterdam—that have turned to tourism taxes to balance the economic benefits of visitors with the need to protect local communities and the environment.

With summer around the corner and another influx of tourists expected, Norway’s Parliament faces increasing pressure to act swiftly.

Scheduled for March 2026, the journey is set to stop in 14 countries: France, Switzerland, Austria, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, China, Japan, Canada and the US. The tour is operated by Adventures By Train, who specialise in luxury trips – but nothing previously to this extent.

Although it promises to visit many UNESCO world heritage sites, this once-in-a-lifetime trip isn’t for everyone, with an eye-watering price tag of £112,900 per ticket. If booking as a couple, the tickets would be somewhat cheaper, priced at £89,950, reports Time Out. Only twelve lucky passengers will be able to step aboard for the service’s first trip, which will depart from London St Pancras railway station on 17 March 2026.

Travellers will be riding in first class and pass through stunning landscapes and rail routes, such as travelling on European sleeper trains through the Alps and the California Zephyr Amtrak route round the Rocky Mountains.

Director of the company Jim Louth said the trip ‘provides the perfect mix of world-class rail travel’ inside ‘optimum comfort’.

The groundbreaking rail route isn’t only limited to train travel. Passengers will sail on a 23-day voyage  from Tokyo to Vancouver, as well as crossing the Atlantic aboard the famous Queen Mary 2.

Due to the trip containing lots of intense travelling, the majority of the five-star hotels on the route are renowned for their comfort and style, such as The Langham in New York and Pera Palace in Istanbul.

Whilst 100 days might seem like a long time to be travelling around the world, one couple recently took it a step further with their plan to spend the next 15 years living on an all-around-the-world cruise, in order to escape both the mundanity and soaring bills of everyday life back home.

Lanette and Johan Canen, both 55, lived in Hawaii for 10 years but are now 6 months into an adventure of a lifetime.

‘People think we’re ultra rich for being able to do this,’ Johan told MailOnline. ‘But it’s cheaper than our rent and living costs in Hawaii. This is for normal people’.

When people think of an African getaway their minds likely jump to safaris, savannahs or bustling cities. But the continent of Africa knows no boundaries and its range of holiday types is as diverse as its people and cultures.

Unknown to many is the vast array of islands, dotted around the continent that offer visitors the chance to see Africa in a completely different way. With a host of islands filled with stunning, sandy beaches and spectacular wildlife and exquisite cuisine, there is plenty to be seen across the continent’s islands. As European islands complain of too many tourists and authorities introduce measures to curb visitors, perhaps Africa could prove to be the perfect alternative.

Madagascar

To some, Madagascar is an animated children’s film but to others, it is the epitome of an idyllic beach destination.

Located in the Indian Ocean, off of the coast of Mozambique, the island is full of rare wildlife, untouched beaches and dense rainforests.

A sanctuary around 400 animal species and 900 plant varieties, few places on earth can compete with the beauty of the exotic island.

Lamu, Kenya

With just 25,000 residents, the small island off of the coast of Kenya feels to many like stepping back in time.

One of the oldest Swahili settlements in East Africa, the island has very few cars and is well known for its historic architecture inspired by Swahili traditions.

The relaxation of the sandy beaches is mirrored by the vibrancy of the islands markets and the richness of its history which is all encompassing for guests.

Mauritius

Mark Twain once wrote that ‘Mauritius was made first and then heaven, heaven being copied after Mauritius’.

Twain’s view was no doubt shaped from its replication of common views of paradise, where bright sunshine, met turquoise water and sandy beaches. In the modern day, very little has changed.

One of the jewels of the Indian ocean, the island is a melting pot of culture owing to its history as colony of both France and Britain.

Away from its beaches, the island’s rugged mountains provide visitors ample opportunities to reward physical exertion with sublime views, whilst the island is one of the best places in Africa for those looking for water sports such as windsurfing or kitesurfing.

Zanzibar

Zanzibar is a semi-autonomous province of Tanzania and consists of the island of Zanzibar or Unjuga, Pemba among several smaller islands.

A former cornerstone of the spice and slave trade, the island is infused with a variety of cultures.

The markets in Stone Town offer the best of everything the island has to offer from a culinary perspective while the tropical beaches boast turquoise water filled with a variety of colourful fish and sealife.

Bazaruto Archipelago

For those looking for a unique, off the beaten track getaway, the five dune islands of Bazaruto Archipelago offer just that and more.

Located just off of the Mozambique coast, the archipelago, boasts sublime coral that provides the perfect setting for scuba divers and snorkellers.

Declared a National Park in 1971, the islands are home to a handful of small villages tucked away within beneath orange and cashew nut trees in habited by samango monkeys, providing travellers the opportunity to experience Africa in a way that nowhere else can.