Latest news with #TSJC
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Yahoo
Where Brits will pay the most tourist tax in Europe this summer
Tourist taxes come in many forms and can be a minefield for travellers to work out. They can be applied at a national or local level in each country, but are typically added to a hotel or guesthouse bill. The tax can be a fee per stay, per night, or per person. Sometimes, it's an upfront cost to enter entire countries, cities or areas – and these fees are constantly changing. 'Tourism tax used to be a by-product of a need from local governments to make money – it was a sign of desperation. Now there are hundreds, if not thousands, of tourist taxes,' says Tom Jenkins, CEO of the European Tourism Association. Confusingly, there's little consistency in how taxes are applied. 'The application is so random – sometimes it's a per night, per person, on-arrival charge. It's very difficult for people to understand where they're going to be stung,' says Jenkins. 'The irony is, it tends to deter the very people destinations want to attract – people who stay overnight and spend money in restaurants and attractions. Instead, tourist taxes typically incentivise people to take day trips.' Tourist taxes are usually put in place to help fund services that are negatively impacted by large numbers of holidaymakers, helping to finance maintenance work and preserve cultural and architectural heritage. Many destinations, such as Barcelona, after courting tourists for years, are now victims of their own success. Reports claim that Santorini's old cave-like buildings are now suffering under the pressure of heavy footfall on the island's narrow streets. Local businesses benefit from visitors, but local authorities haven't typically received direct revenue from tourism – tourist taxes go directly to municipalities, and these fees are assumed to support infrastructure improvements. Tourist tax is a balancing act. Places reliant on tourism worry that such taxes may negatively affect businesses in the tourism sector by dissuading people from visiting. The Canary Islands High Court of Justice (TSJC), for example, suspended its tourist tax in Mogán, Gran Canaria, in March, only 24 hours after it came into effect. It was later reinstated at the end of the month. Others see it as a tax on local businesses. 'It's a misnomer,' says Jenkins. 'It's a tax on businesses in tourism, because tourists pay what they can afford. 'There is a victim in this – and the victim is the business – because their costs go up.' *The below is a guide. Always check tourist taxes before you travel, as they are liable to change. An ETA (Electronic Travel Authority) is required before arrival. It costs AU$20 (£9.65) per person and must be applied for in advance. In Vienna, a tourist tax of approximately 3.2% is usually added to your accommodation bill. In Brussels, the tourist tax is around €4.24 (£3.60) per night and is added to your accommodation bill. Rates vary between cities. Until September 2027, Bhutan has reduced its Daily Sustainable Development Fee to USD $100 (£75) per adult per day. Tourist tax varies by destination and hotel standard, it's usually around £1.30 per night. Most Caribbean islands charge a tourist tax, with rates varying by location. In St Lucia, the fee is around $3 to $6 (£2.25-4.50) per night. In the Dominican Republic, it's higher but often included in package holidays or airline fees. Tax depends on season and accommodation type – roughly working out around €1 (85p) per adult per day, but can be up to €2.65 (£2.25) per night for Dubrovnik, depending on the season. In Prague, the tourist tax is typically CZK 50 per night (approximately £1.71), added to your accommodation bill. In France, the tourist tax varies based on accommodation type, ranging from less than €1 for campsites to more than €15 (£12.72) for luxury hotels and palaces. In Germany, tourist tax rates vary by city. For instance, in Berlin, the standard tourist tax is 7.5% of the accommodation price. In Greece, the tourist tax depends on the standard and size of your accommodation. Recently, the tax was replaced with a 'climate tax,' costing up to €8 (£6.80) per night, indicating a clearer allocation of funds towards environmental initiatives. Cruise ship taxes are also in effect, with up to €20 (£17) per person in certain destinations. In Budapest, travellers pay a fixed fee of Ft1000 (just over £1.70) per person per night for a maximum of six nights. Children under 18 are exempt from this fee. Taxes around Italy vary from place to place. Rome charges between €4 (£3.39) and €10 (£8.50) per night, depending on your accommodation, and it's payable for up to 10 nights. Venice famously hit the headlines in 2024 for its €5 (£4.21) day-trip fee, depending on the day of the visit (which doubles to €10 or £8.42 per person for last-minute day trippers). Those wishing to stay overnight have to pay between €1 (85p) and €5 (£4.21) per person per night, depending on the accommodation classification and the season. Children under the age of 10 and disabled people go tax-free, young people between 10 and 16 years of age go half price. JapanIn Japan, travellers are required to pay a tourist tax of 1,000 yen (about £5) on departure. MalaysiaIn Malaysia, the tourist tax is RM10 per night (approximately £1.75) per night, added to your accommodation bill. New Zealand The Antipodean country's International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy increased from NZ$35 (£15) to NZ$100 (around £44) in 2024. PortugalPortugal charges a tourist tax in many cities and regions, including Lisbon, €4 per night, up to a maximum of 7 nights (roughly £3.40), and Porto, €3 (£2.50) per night, up to a maximum of €21 (£17.80) or seven consecutive nights. The cost varies slightly between locations and between low and high seasons. The NetherlandsIn the Netherlands, tourist tax rates differ per municipality. In Amsterdam, for example, the rate is 12.5% of the accommodation price. SwitzerlandIn Switzerland, the tourist tax varies depending on the destination, ranging from about CHF 2 (approximately £1.80) to CHF 7 (approximately £6.30) per person per night. Basel's tax is CHF 4.20 per person a night for hotels, B&Bs and apartment rentals, children go free. SloveniaIn Slovenia, the tourist tax rate changes from destination to destination. It's generally around €3 (£2.50) per night, with higher rates in cities and lower rates in rural areas. SpainIn Spain, several cities have recently increased their tourist tax rates. In Barcelona, the fee was topped out at a maximum of €7.50 (£6.30) per night, but is reportedly set to increase to €15 (£13) per night while in the Balearic Islands, the fee ranges from €1 (85p) to €4 (£3.30). United StatesWhen travelling to the US from the UK, visitors need to apply for an ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization), which allows stays of up to 90 days. The cost of an ESTA is $21 (approximately £17), and it's valid for two years. Proposed future tourist taxes More countries are planning on rolling out different forms of tourist taxes in the future including Thailand, which will introduce a THB 300 (£6.80) for those arriving by plane. Plans are also in place to charge a 3% tax on overnight stays in Norway. In the UK, London, Wales and Liverpool are also proposing tourist taxes.
New York Times
06-04-2025
- New York Times
Explained: Why a Spanish court overturned Dani Alves' prison sentence for sexual assault
Thirteen months after being found guilty of sexual assault and sentenced to four and a half years in prison, former Barcelona and Brazil full-back Dani Alves has had his conviction overturned on appeal. Alves, 41, was accused of sexually assaulting a 23-year-old woman in December 2022 in the private bathroom of a suite at the Sutton nightclub in Barcelona. He was arrested and placed in preventive detention on January 20, 2023. Advertisement Alves has repeatedly denied the charges against him but admitted during his trial that sexual penetration did take place, though he said it was consensual. The former footballer acknowledged he had lied in previous statements in an attempt to preserve his marriage. He was found guilty at the Tribunal Superior de Justicia de Catalunya (TSJC, the Catalan high court) in Barcelona on February 22, 2024, and ordered to pay €150,000 (£128,000, $163,000 at the time) in compensation to the complainant and was banned from contacting her for nine years. Alves was granted bail the following month (March 2024) while all sides awaited the outcome of appeals submitted against the initial ruling. The prosecutor's office wanted to increase the sentence to nine years in prison, the private prosecution was asking for a 12-year sentence and Alves and his defence team wanted the decision overturned. Then, last week, on March 28, an appeal court at the TSJC, which was presided over by one male judge and three female judges, unanimously upheld Alves' appeal, overturning the ruling from last year. So, how did this happen? And what were the reasons for such a different decision? The Athletic consulted Sonia Ricondo, a lawyer who specialises in gender violence, to help explain the key details from a convoluted, 101-page ruling. 'We do not share the conviction reached by the Court of First Instance expressed in its ruling, the exposition of which contains throughout the reasoning a series of gaps, inaccuracies, inconsistencies and contradictions regarding the facts, the legal assessment and its consequences,' said the TSJC. So, what are those gaps, inaccuracies, inconsistencies and contradictions? This latest ruling focuses, in particular, on the evidence — the expert reports (fingerprints, examination of the complainant's body) and the recordings from the nightclub's security cameras. Advertisement Before considering exactly what the TSJC said, it's worth remembering what the trial heard happened that night, from the testimonies of those involved and CCTV footage. On the night of December 30, 2022, Alves went to the Sutton nightclub in uptown Barcelona with a friend. The complainant was also there with a cousin and a friend. Alves was often at the nightclub and went to table No 6 in the VIP area he frequented. The complainant and her two companions were invited to that VIP area by some Mexicans. At some point during the night, Alves invited them to his private suite. They were talking and dancing until the former footballer went to the bathroom in the private suite, which was accessed through an adjoining door, and two minutes later, the complainant followed him into the room. At 4am, approximately 20 minutes later, Alves came out of the suite first, taking someone else's glass and heading for another table. Seconds later, the complainant also left the suite, and she then asked her cousin if they wanted to leave the place. They went to go and, on reaching the corridor that leads to the exit, the complainant burst into tears and was attended to by the nightclub staff, who activated the sexual assault protocol. While she was being attended to, Alves and his friend passed by without speaking to the complainant or her companions. The complainant was taken to the Hospital Clinic in Barcelona, where she underwent a medical examination. Samples were taken from her body and her clothes. Doctors found injuries to her knees and symptoms of post-traumatic anxiety and depression. This is what the court heard, from multiple witnesses, and saw, from the CCTV footage. What happened inside the bathroom of the private suite was not captured by any cameras. The complainant claimed that Alves tried to penetrate her vaginally, that he tried to get her to perform oral sex, which she refused to do, and that when he saw that she wanted to leave, the former footballer used his greater strength to throw her to the ground. According to the complainant, this caused her to injure her knee. Advertisement Seeing no way out, according to the complainant, and in such a small space, she felt intimidated and unable to react. Using physical force, she said that Alves pushed her down onto the toilet and penetrated her vaginally until he ejaculated inside her. From this statement, the TSJC concludes that the fingerprints marked in the expert report found 'are incompatible with her account because the only fingerprint found is that of the right hand on the left side of the cistern, which cannot be the case if she was looking towards the toilet as she claims'. This means that the fingerprints found do not coincide with the posture described by the complainant during the act. Another inconsistency highlighted by the TSJC is regarding the complainant's claim that she did not perform oral sex on Alves, as the former footballer claimed. She said that he brought his genitals to her face and that she moved his penis away from her mouth. According to her, he used force to get her on her knees but when asked if she would perform oral sex, she said no. The new ruling outlined how there was DNA evidence in the complainant's mouth that belonged to Alves and supported his claim that oral sex had taken place. The third contradiction, according to the TSJC, lies in the reason for the injuries to the complainant's knees, which are linked to when Alves is said to have forced her to try to perform oral sex on him. If the first ruling did not consider oral sex to be proven, says the TSJC, then the injuries to the knees could not be related to that motive. 'The account is inconsistent because that knee injury could have occurred in the small space in many ways, as all forensic scientists and medical professionals admit,' explains the new ruling. The second key point of the TSJC's different ruling is consent. While the first ruling gave a lot of veracity to the testimony of the complainant to conclude that there had been no consent to the act, the new ruling says that it cannot be proven that there was no consent. To do this, it points to the recordings of the moments before they both entered the bathroom. Advertisement The complainant claimed to feel uncomfortable and her companions described Alves' attitude towards her as overbearing. On this, the TSJC says the following: 'Her statements about the atmosphere of discomfort in the private room have been totally inaccurate, they do not conform to what can be seen on the cameras that record the 20 minutes they spent in the room talking, dancing and having drinks… Mr A. entered the bathroom… the complainant followed two minutes after talking to her friend and cousin and giving them the drink she had in her hand, with a friendly farewell to her cousin.' In short, the TSJC judges do not consider that the images reflect the complainant's discomfort, so they do not consider her account or that of her cousin and her friend to be proven. Therefore, they see no reason why the complainant would not give her consent to Alves. 'The ruling does not say that the TSJC does not believe the complainant, but it weighs up the evidence that there was, the presumption of innocence weighs more, which within the Spanish judicial system has an important weight and to destroy it there must be very strong evidence,' Ricondo explains to The Athletic. 'It says that in this case the insufficiencies of evidence that they talk about tip the balance towards his version of events.' The TSJC concluded: 'The insufficiencies of evidence that have been expressed lead to the conclusion that the standard required by the presumption of innocence has not been met, which will have the effect of leading to the revocation of the ruling of the court of first instance and the handing down of an acquittal.' They also ordered for the €150,000 compensation to be returned to Alves and for the removal of precautionary measures such as probation and a restraining order. 'The first ruling had its sights set on the 'only yes means yes' law,' says Riccondo. Advertisement Spain passed legislation in 2022, referred to as the 'solo si es si' law ('only yes means yes'), that stated sexual consent must be affirmative by acts that 'clearly express the will of the person' and that it cannot be assumed by default or through silence. 'In the new ruling, they set aside that law and went over what did not agree with the complainant's account piece by piece,' explains Ricondo. 'In the first ruling it was explained that the complainant's attitude could not make us decide whether or not the aggression had taken place and it destroyed many stereotypes about the complainant's behaviour. 'The second ruling reflects none of this and leaves behind arguments that the first ruling had vindicated. There has been a very brutal paradigm shift between the first and second rulings.' At the end of the new ruling, it says that Alves' version cannot be taken as proven either when he says that the sex was consensual. But as he is not the complainant, he does not have to prove anything. 'In the Spanish judicial system, the verisimilitude, credibility and reliability that you study is that of the person who has made the accusation, not that of the accused. Within this framework, like it or not, he can explain whatever version he wants. It is the accuser who is required to be credible,' Ricondo explains. What's next? Esther Garcia, the complainant's lawyer, has announced that she will appeal against this new ruling. The public prosecutor's office has also appealed. 'This appeal is being made to the Supreme Court. It will be difficult because this type of appeal has very restricted formal and procedural requirements when requesting a conviction,' Ricondo explains. The final ruling is pending but for the moment, Dani Alves has been acquitted of all charges and all the precautionary measures have been lifted, pending the Supreme Court's decision.
Express Tribune
28-03-2025
- Sport
- Express Tribune
Dani Alves wins appeal as Spanish Court overturns rape conviction
Former Barcelona and Brazil defender Dani Alves has won his appeal against a sexual assault conviction, as a Spanish court overturned the ruling on Friday, citing insufficient evidence. Alves, 40, was sentenced in February 2024 to four years and six months in prison after being found guilty of assaulting a woman in a Barcelona nightclub on New Year's Eve in 2022. The former right-back denied any wrongdoing throughout the trial and was released on bail in March 2024 while awaiting his appeal. The Tribunal Superior de Justicia de Catalunya (TSJC) ruled that the evidence presented was not enough to dismiss Alves' presumption of innocence. "The testimony of the victim is not sufficient to maintain the conviction of the accused, and in this case, the presumption of innocence prevails," the court stated. The ruling highlighted inconsistencies in the initial verdict, citing surveillance footage that showed a level of familiarity between Alves and the complainant before the alleged incident. The TSJC also noted that the Barcelona court, which initially convicted Alves, did not consider all available evidence and placed excessive weight on the complainant's testimony. The decision nullifies the previous ruling, dismisses the prosecution's appeal to increase Alves' sentence, and lifts all legal restrictions against him. Alves, a multiple-time La Liga and Champions League winner with Barcelona, also represented Brazil in three World Cups and won Copa América titles. His last club was Mexico's Pumas, who terminated his contract following his arrest. The case was the first high-profile trial under Spain's revised sexual assault laws, introduced in response to the 2016 Pamplona gang-rape case. The ruling has sparked debate over the interpretation of consent and the legal standards for sexual assault convictions.
The Independent
14-03-2025
- The Independent
Canary Islands judge blocks tourist tax after just one day
A judge in the Canary Islands has blocked the archipelago's first tourist tax just one day after it was introduced. Authorities in Mogán, one of Gran Canaria 's most popular holiday destinations, agreed to impose the fee, which is set at €0.15 (£0.13) per person, per day, for those staying in hotels, holiday homes and other tourist accommodation. Mogán City Council said the profits would be exclusively used to finance activities, services or infrastructure in the popular tourist area, as well as promote tourism in the municipality. But according to Canarian Weekly, the Canary Islands High Court of Justice (TSJC) ruled against the tax on Wednesday 12 March – just one day after it was introduced – arguing that it was 'poorly written' and 'confusing'. Judge Francisco José Gómez de Lorenzo-Cáceres stated that the tax created 'an inappropriate and disproportionate burden' and should have been regulated by a formal law. The backlash also follows complaints from the Federation of Hospitality and Tourism who claimed the tax would result in excessive administrative complications. Authorities in Mogán, which is 93 kilometres outside the capital city of Las Palmas, approved the tax on 28 February. The tax will now remain suspended until the TSJC reviews the council's arguments, which Mogán plans to submit following official notification from the court. A spokesperson for Mogán City Council confirmed the authority's intention to appeal. 'In view of the precautionary suspension of the Fiscal Ordinance Regulating the Fee for Services and Activities Derived from Tourism Activities and the Sustainability Obligation, the Mogán City Council is awaiting the formal ruling of the Canary Islands High Court of Justice, which it learned of through the media. 'The Mogán City Council has always been aware that this circumstance could occur, and therefore, when the local government is duly notified, it will appear before a judge or court within three days to defend the aforementioned ordinance and to ensure that the precautionary suspension measures can be lifted.' The Independent has contacted Mogán City Council for further information. Mogán is the latest tourist destination to consider a tourist levy amidst growing concerns about the environmental and social impact of mass tourism in the region. It follows Venice, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Mallorca, Ibiza and Dubrovnik, who have all introduced a tourist tax i n a bid to combat the effects of overtourism.
