Iran’s 5 Euro Entry Fee: A Review of Global Tourism Fee Models
Parliament Passes Law: Every Foreign Tourist Must Pay 5 Euros. However, Is Iran Alone on This Path? A Look at a Global Trend from Bali to Mexico.
Imagine a plane landing softly on the runway of Imam Khomeini Airport. You are a European tourist who has been planning for months to see Iran’s wonders. As you pass through the gate, you notice a new fee: the equivalent of 5 Euros in entry fees. You may be a little surprised, but this is a new story of modern hospitality; a story being told not only in Iran but all over the world.
Iran’s Islamic Consultative Assembly has recently passed a law that requires every foreign tourist entering the country by air to pay an amount equivalent to 5 Euros in fees. This money is to be spent directly on strengthening tourism infrastructure, improving airport services, and protecting the environment. But where did this idea come from? Is Iran reinventing the wheel or just joining a global club that already has many members?
From the paradise of Bali to the mountains of New Zealand
Let us take a virtual trip around the world. If your destination is the dream island of Bali in Indonesia, you will have to pay about 10 euros in fees upon arrival. Thailand also plans to charge about 9 euros from each incoming passenger from 2026, part of which will be used to pay for the tourist’s own insurance.
But New Zealand has gone one step further and charges between 20 and 57 euros when applying for a visa as an International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy to protect its pristine nature.
In the Americas, the Dominican Republic charges $10 upon arrival, and Mexico charges about 12 euros in airport fees in the tourist region of Quintana Roo.
Different models for a common goal
But not all countries take money at the door. Japan, a meticulous and orderly country, has a different approach. They charge you around 8 euros when you check out, which is usually added to the price of your plane ticket, and you may not even notice it.
The Bahamas, like Japan, charges around 27 euros when you check out.
It is interesting to note that Europeans are less likely to resort to direct airport taxes. In Paris, Rome, or Barcelona, instead of an entry fee, you pay a nightly occupancy tax. This means that for every night you stay in a hotel, a small amount is added to your bill and used to improve the city’s services and infrastructure. This is another way to achieve the same goal: sustainable tourism development.
Iran and a global decision
Now back to Iran. The decision to charge 5 euros per tourist is not a strange innovation, but rather a completely logical and global trend. Tourism is like a big party, and every party has its costs.
These small fees are actually a contribution from each guest to help the host to welcome more guests of better quality in the future. This policy helps governments to provide the resources needed to maintain attractions and improve services without putting a strain on public budgets.