GetYourGuide to Pass Digital Services Tax Costs to Tour Operators

Tours and activities booking platform GetYourGuide will implement a new surcharge for tour operators to cover digital services taxes the company pays across five markets, according to a report from Skift. The policy change takes effect October 1 and will apply to suppliers operating in France, Italy, Spain, Turkey, and the United Kingdom.

Digital services taxes were introduced by national governments as levies targeting large online platforms including marketplaces, search engines, and social media companies once their revenues exceed certain thresholds. In the United Kingdom, for example, companies must generate more than £500 million globally from digital activities before the tax applies. These measures were designed to ensure major technology firms contribute tax revenue in countries where they generate substantial income, even without physical operations there.

GetYourGuide's decision to transfer these tax obligations to tour operators represents a shift in how such costs are absorbed within the tours and activities distribution chain. Rather than the platform bearing the full expense of these government levies, individual suppliers will now see charges reflected in their commission or fee structure when selling through GetYourGuide in the affected territories.

The move raises questions about potential downstream effects on consumer pricing and booking volumes, particularly for smaller tour operators who may have less flexibility to absorb additional costs. It remains unclear whether competing platforms such as Viator or Airbnb Experiences are considering similar surcharge structures to address their own digital services tax obligations in these markets.

The surcharge percentages for each of the five countries were not disclosed in the report. The tours and activities sector has faced mounting cost pressures in recent years, and this latest development adds another layer of complexity for operators already navigating commission structures, payment processing fees, and other platform-related expenses.