Only ships flying the Italian flag are affected by the boat tax
Ships flying foreign flags will be exempt from the tax, which comes into force in May of this year, as there were fears of an exodus of owners
Only owners of yachts flying the Italian flag or ships owned by foreigners who pay tax on their income in Italy will now be asked to pay. The daily taxes for visitors who are only travelling in Italian waters for a short time have also been reduced. This adjustment to the boat tax was made in response to massive protests from industry associations, particularly marina operators, who feared that owners would flee to Croatia, Slovenia or Greece.
The corresponding resolution in favour of easing the levy was passed yesterday in the Italian Senate's Industry Committee.
Andreas Fritsch
Editor Travel
