tourist tax and guest registration: why your host asks for your ID

When you arrive at a holiday apartment in Croatia, your host will ask for your ID card or passport, and your bill may include a line called "tourist tax". Here's a short guide to what that's about and how much it should be.

why your host asks for your id

Every guest in paid accommodation in Croatia has to be registered in the national eVisitor system. That applies to hotels and to private apartments alike. Your host does the registration, which is why they need the details from your document. It isn't curiosity. It's an obligation for every accommodation provider.

what the tourist tax is

Everyone who stays overnight in accommodation in a place where they don't live pays the tourist tax. It's charged per person, per night, and the money goes to the local tourist boards.

The amount isn't the same everywhere. The government sets a minimum and a maximum, and the actual rate depends on the place and on whether it's high season.

Example: in Rijeka in 2027 the tax is €2 per person per night in season (1 April – 30 September) and €1.50 out of season.

who pays less or nothing

Under the tourist tax rules:

• children under 12 don't pay
• young people aged 12 to 18 pay 50%
• people with a disability of 70% or more and one companion don't pay
• people on business stays, pupils and students studying away from home, and school trip groups don't pay either

what to do

1. When you book, check whether the tax is included in the price. Some hosts include it, others charge it on arrival.
2. Have ID ready for every guest, children included. Your host needs details for each person.
3. Ask for a receipt. The tax should be shown clearly.
4. Not sure what the rate is for your destination? The local tourist board or your host can tell you quickly.

For a couple of euros a night you get tidy beaches, information centres and events paid for by the tourist boards. Your host doesn't keep any of it. They only pass on the official amount.