Booking choice: The big bus chase, from $128 per person. Check dates Tour details
Norway's law on besøksbidrag, the visitor contribution, lets municipalities under heavy tourist pressure add a levy to overnight stays. Tromsø's council voted for it in June 2026 and sent its plan to the government on 1 July.
Here is what the law says, where Tromsø's plan stands, and what it adds to a winter stay.
The quick answer
Tromsø plans a 3% levy on the price of a night's accommodation, before VAT, from 1 January 2027. On a room at NOK 2,000 before VAT, that is NOK 60 a night. Tours are not covered, so your northern lights chase costs the same. The plan still needs approval from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries.
What is Norway's visitor contribution (besøksbidrag)?
A national law that lets approved municipalities charge 3% of the price of an overnight stay, excluding VAT, and spend it on public goods that visitors use.
The law passed by the Storting sets the levy at "3 prosent av vederlaget som betales for overnattingen, eksklusive merverdiavgift", 3% of what you pay for the night, before VAT. It covers rooms, apartments, cabins and houses at hotels, hostels and other accommodation, including private rentals, for stays under 30 consecutive days.
The money is ring-fenced for reiselivsrelaterte fellesgoder: trails, toilets, waste handling, infrastructure and other shared things that wear out faster as visitor numbers grow. It cannot disappear into the general budget.
Has Tromsø's tourist tax been approved?
Not yet. Tromsø sent its plan to the ministry on 1 July 2026, and the levy cannot start until the plan is approved.
Tromsø kommune says the council dealt with the plan in June 2026, sent it to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries on 1 July, and that the levy cannot take effect before the ministry approves it. The ministry has not published a decision yet. The city also put a draft local regulation for the accommodation levy out for consultation.
Visit Norway lists five municipalities with plans submitted as of September 2026: Tromsø, Lyngen, Karlsøy, Vågan and Stranda. The levy follows where you sleep, so for most aurora visitors that means Tromsø's.
| Date | Step | Status |
|---|---|---|
| June 2025 | The Storting passes the visitor contribution law | Done |
| 24 June 2026 | Tromsø council approves its plan | Done |
| 1 July 2026 | Plan sent to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries | Done |
| Next | Ministry approval and a local regulation | Pending |
| 1 January 2027 | Planned start of the 3% levy | Depends on approval |
Does the tourist tax apply to northern lights tours?
No. The levy is charged on accommodation only. Tours, meals and transport are outside it.
The law ties the levy to the price of a stay that covers the hours between midnight and 06:00. A chase that keeps you out until 03:00 does not count, no matter how late it ends. The big bus chase stays at $128 and the minibus chase at $257 whatever the ministry decides.
Cruise passengers are a separate case. Tromsø's plan also covers a future cruise levy, which is not set yet.
The levy does not touch tour prices: photos and a hot drink included, half the minibus price.
Check dates for the big bus chaseHow much will the tourist tax add to a stay in Tromsø?
About NOK 60 a night on a room priced NOK 2,000 before VAT, or NOK 240 over a four-night aurora trip.
Accommodation in Norway carries 12% VAT (Skatteetaten), and the levy is worked out on the price without it. A room shown at NOK 2,240 including VAT is NOK 2,000 before VAT; 3% of that is NOK 60. It is per room, not per person, so a couple pays the same as a solo traveller.
For scale: a four-night stay with two chases costs far more in tours than in levy. We would not change a single plan over it.
| Example stay | Price before VAT | 3% levy |
|---|---|---|
| 1 night, mid-range hotel | NOK 2,000 | NOK 60 |
| 4 nights, same hotel | NOK 8,000 | NOK 240 |
| 1 night, central hotel at peak | NOK 3,000 | NOK 90 |
| 5 nights, apartment at NOK 1,500 | NOK 7,500 | NOK 225 |
| Northern lights chase | Not accommodation | NOK 0 |
Why is Tromsø introducing a tourist tax?
Volume. The city counted more than 1.3 million commercial overnight stays in 2025, up 10% on the year before, and wants visitors to share the cost of what they use.
Tromsø's plan for the visitor contribution lists nearly 2.9 million arrivals at Tromsø airport in 2025, 180 cruise calls and more than 193,000 cruise passengers. In a resident survey 81% said tourism makes the roads feel unsafe, and 83% reported more queues and traffic.
Book a chase and you leave the driving to someone who knows where to stop. More on the 2026-27 season and on tour prices.
Frequently asked questions
Do I pay the Tromsø tourist tax on a northern lights tour?
No. The levy applies only to paid overnight accommodation. Tours, meals and transport are not covered.
When does the Tromsø tourist tax start?
The plan is 1 January 2027. It needs approval from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries first, and the ministry has not published a decision yet.
Is the Tromsø tourist tax charged per person?
No. It is 3% of the room or rental price before VAT, so two people sharing a room pay the same as one.
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Northern Lights Big Bus Chase
- Photographer guides and a full photo gallery
- A hot drink and hot water
- Start and finish at Prostneset bus terminal
Northern Lights Minibus Chase
- Professional photographer guide and a dedicated driver
- Winter suit and boots, if you send your sizes after booking
- A warm meal, snacks and hot drinks
Northern Horizon Small-Group Chase
Thermal suit, campfire and a portrait for the lowest price here
