Many travelers planning a trip to Morocco notice an unexpected detail only at the final step of booking: hotel reservations often include extra charges beyond the listed room rate.
On booking platforms, these additional costs can reach up to 50 dirhams ($5) per night, either displayed separately as “taxes and fees” or already included in the final price.
Tourism professionals say these charges are not platform service fees, but two legally required taxes applied to classified accommodation establishments across Morocco.
What are these extra charges?
According to tourism expert Zoubir Bouhout, travelers, including Moroccan tourists, generally pay two types of taxes when booking accommodation in Morocco, whether online or directly at the hotel: the Tourist Promotion Tax and the stay tax, known in French as taxe de séjour.
The Tourist Promotion Tax (TPT) is a mandatory charge collected by hotels and other licensed accommodation providers and transferred to the Moroccan National Tourist Office, which promotes Morocco as a travel destination.
“It represents the private sector’s contribution to national tourism promotion,” Bouhout told Hespress English.
The amount depends on the official classification of the establishment, particularly its star rating.
Luxury hotels are generally charged 15 dirhams ($1.50) per night, while five-star hotels and first-category guesthouses pay 11 dirhams. The rate is 8 dirhams for four-star hotels and second-category establishments, 5 dirhams for three-star hotels, and 4 and 2 dirhams for two-star and one-star hotels, respectively, according to Upsilon Consulting, a Moroccan chartered accountancy firm.
What is the stay tax?
The second charge is the stay tax, a local fee that benefits the commune where the hotel, riad or accommodation is located.
Unlike the Tourist Promotion Tax, this amount can vary from one city to another because it is set by local councils.
“Each commune determines the amount establishments must apply as part of their contribution to local public services,” Bouhout said.
The tax applies to hotels, motels, private clubs, holiday villages and tourist residences, but excludes unclassified hotels, guesthouses, campsites and youth hostels.
It is charged per person, per night, with rates of up to 30 dirhams for luxury hotels, 25 dirhams for five-star hotels and private clubs, 7 dirhams for four-star establishments and holiday villages, 5 dirhams for three-star hotels, and 3 dirhams for one- and two-star hotels.
For luxury and five-star hotels, the amount is capped at 10% of the room price per person per night. Children under 10 are exempt.
How is it paid?
Tourist taxes are usually not included in the room’s advertised base price and are often paid at check-in or check-out. On some booking platforms, they may also be automatically added during the online reservation process.
These taxes are common in many countries worldwide.
In France, for example, tourist taxes range from €0.65 to €8.13 per person per night, while in the Netherlands they average around €3. In Italy, they generally range from €2 to €7 depending on the city.
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