Tourist Fee Mauritius: What This New Tax Means for Your Holiday

You’ve booked your flights, scrolled through a thousand photos of turquoise lagoons (yes, they really are that blue), and you’re counting down the days until you land at Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport. Then someone mentions a tourist fee Mauritius introduced recently, and suddenly you’re wondering if there’s extra paperwork, surprise costs at check-in, or some complicated process you weren’t expecting.

Let me put your mind at ease right now. It’s simple, it’s small, and it won’t mess with your holiday vibe.

I’m writing this as someone who’s been driving visitors around this island for years—through sugarcane fields that stretch to the mountains, along coastal roads where the Indian Ocean glitters on one side and local dholl puri vendors set up on the other. We’ve picked up families at arrivals, couples on their honeymoon, solo travellers ready to hike Le Morne, and groups planning catamaran trips to the northern islands. And lately, everyone’s been asking the same thing: what’s this new tourist fee about?

So let’s break it down, Mauritian style—no stress, no confusion, just the facts you actually need.

What Exactly Is the Tourist Fee?

The tourist fee Mauritius rolled out on 1 October 2025 is an official government charge that applies to anyone staying overnight in tourist accommodation on the island. Think of it as a small contribution toward maintaining the infrastructure, beaches, nature reserves, and services that make Mauritius the kind of place where you can snorkel over coral reefs in the morning and watch the sunset from Chamarel’s Seven Coloured Earth in the afternoon.

It’s also called the Accommodation Fee in Mauritius or the Tourist Tax in Mauritius, depending on who you’re talking to. Same thing, different names.

Here’s what you’re actually paying: a flat nightly charge for each person aged 12 and above. Kids under 12? They’re exempt. Mauritians, residents, Premium Visa holders, and anyone with a valid Residence Permit don’t pay it either. If you’re staying somewhere for free (maybe a friend’s villa or a work arrangement), the fee doesn’t apply.

But if you’re a tourist booking a hotel, guesthouse, tourist residence, or one of those beautiful domaines tucked into the hills, you’ll be paying the Tourist Fee each night of your stay.

How Much Are We Talking About?

Look, I’m not going to dance around it—the amount is modest. It’s the kind of charge that won’t change your holiday budget in any meaningful way, especially when you consider what you’re getting in return: an island with some of the cleanest beaches in the world, well-maintained national parks, and a tourism industry that genuinely cares about keeping things running smoothly.

The fee is collected in euros, and your accommodation will handle the whole thing. You don’t need to visit a government office, fill out forms, or deal with the Mauritius Revenue Authority directly. Your hotel or guesthouse collects it at check-in, and they remit it to the MRA on your behalf.

Easy.

Who Collects the Tourist Fee, and When Do You Pay?

This is one of the things to know about tourist tax that actually makes life simpler: you pay it when you check in at your accommodation. Not when you book online months in advance, not when you’re standing in the immigration queue at the airport with your landing card, but when you arrive at your hotel, guesthouse, or resort and they’re sorting out your room keys and welcome drinks.

The property manager is responsible for collecting the fee and passing it along to the government. If your plans change and you shorten your stay, you’ll get a refund for the unused nights. If you arrive late or leave early, the fee still applies to those nights—it’s based on the official definition of a “night,” which covers the hours between 6 p.m. and midnight, and midnight to 6 a.m.

So even if you’re catching a red-eye out of Mauritius and checking out at 4 a.m. (not ideal, but it happens), that last night still counts.

What Proof Do You Need to Show?

If you’re exempt from the tourist fee Mauritius charges—say, you’re a Mauritian living abroad, or you hold a Premium Visa—you’ll need to show proof at check-in. Your passport usually does the job. For kids under 12, the date of birth on their passport is enough.

Residence Permit holders should have their documentation handy. It’s straightforward stuff, and most accommodations are used to handling it by now.

Does the Tourist Fee Apply to All Accommodations?

Yes, if it’s a registered tourist enterprise. That includes hotels (from budget-friendly guesthouses in Flic-en-Flac to premium beachfront resorts in Belle Mare), tourist residences, and domaines—those gorgeous hillside estates you see advertised for longer stays.

If you’re staying in a private Airbnb that isn’t registered as a tourist accommodation under the Tourism Authority Act, the rules might be different. But most places you’ll book through major platforms or travel agents are covered.

Is the Tourist Tax Included in Your Booking Price?

No, and this is important: the Accommodation Fee in Mauritius is not included in the advertised room rate. When you’re comparing hotels online or getting quotes for your stay, the nightly rate you see doesn’t include the Tourist Fee. It’s added separately at check-in.

This isn’t a sneaky move—it’s just how the system works. The fee goes directly to the government, so accommodations can’t bundle it into their pricing the way they might with breakfast or airport transfers.

Speaking of Mauritius airport transfers: if you’re landing at SSR International and you haven’t sorted out how you’re getting to your hotel yet, let me save you some hassle. We run private airport pickups through Taxi Service Mauritius—clean vehicles, English and French-speaking drivers, and someone waiting for you with a name sign even if your flight’s delayed. No haggling with taxi touts outside arrivals, no wondering if you’re being overcharged. We’re a registered tour operator with over 1500 five-star reviews on TripAdvisor and the 2025 Travelers’ Choice Award, and our rates are significantly more affordable than what you’ll pay for an airport or hotel taxi. Just saying.

What If You’re Island-Hopping or Staying in Multiple Places?

If you’re the type who likes to move around—maybe a few nights in Grand Baie to soak up the north coast energy, then down to Le Morne for kitesurfing and mountain views, then over to the east for the calm lagoons of Belle Mare—you’ll pay the Tourist Fee at each accommodation. It’s per night, per property.

But honestly? That’s part of the fun of Mauritius. The island’s small enough that you can drive coast to coast in a few hours, but each region has its own personality. The south is wild and dramatic, with cliffs and nature reserves. The north is lively, with markets, restaurants, and that constant buzz of people enjoying themselves. The west has the best sunsets (I’ll fight anyone on this), and the east has lagoons so calm you can wade out for what feels like forever.

We run full-day sightseeing tours that cover all the classic spots—Chamarel, the Black River Gorges, Île aux Cerfs, Grand Bassin—plus custom itineraries if you want to go off the usual route. And if you’re keen on getting out on the water, we also arrange speedboat and catamaran trips, dolphin-watching excursions, and hiking adventures. Seven days a week, because holidays don’t follow a Monday-to-Friday schedule.

Is the Tourist Fee Refundable?

If you cancel your entire trip, the Tourist Fee isn’t an issue—you won’t have checked in, so you won’t have paid it. But if you shorten your stay after you’ve already checked in and paid for, say, seven nights, and you decide to leave after five, the accommodation will refund you for those two unused nights.

It’s a fair system, and most properties handle it without any fuss.

Why Did Mauritius Introduce This Fee?

Here’s the thing: tourism is the backbone of our economy, and keeping Mauritius beautiful, safe, and welcoming takes investment. The beaches you’ll lounge on, the marine parks you’ll snorkel in, the roads that take you from the airport to your resort—they all need maintenance. The Tourist Tax in Mauritius helps fund that.

Other destinations around the world have similar charges. It’s not unique to us, and it’s not a money grab. It’s a way to make sure that the island you fall in love with on this trip is just as stunning when you come back in five years (and trust me, people always come back).

Does the Tourist Fee Change Your Holiday Plans?

Not really. Mo ti pe dir twa—I’m telling you—the tourist fee Mauritius introduced is one of those things that sounds like a bigger deal before you arrive than it actually is. You’ll pay it at check-in, probably while you’re still buzzing from the flight and the warm air and the fact that you’re finally here, and then you’ll forget about it.

What matters more is how you spend your days. Are you going to cram everything into a week, or take it slow and let the island work its magic? Are you booking a tour that actually shows you the real Mauritius—the roadside fruit stalls, the tiny temples tucked into the hills, the way the light hits the ocean at Gris Gris—or are you sticking to the resort pool?

(No judgment if you do stick to the pool for a day or two. Sometimes that’s exactly what you need.)

A Few Last Things to Know About Tourist Tax

The fee applies whether you’re staying one night or three weeks. It applies if you check in late after a delayed flight, and it applies if you check out at dawn to catch a morning catamaran trip to Île aux Cerfs. It’s collected by your accommodation, not by immigration or customs, so you don’t need to worry about it when you’re going through the airport on arrival.

And if you have questions or need clarification, the Mauritius Revenue Authority has a hotline and a website with all the official details. But honestly, your hotel will walk you through it. They’ve been doing this since October, and by now it’s just part of the check-in routine.

Getting Around Mauritius Without the Stress

Once you’ve sorted the Tourist Fee and settled into your accommodation, the real holiday begins. And this is where a lot of visitors realize they didn’t think through the logistics. Mauritius doesn’t have a big public transport network for tourists. Buses exist, but they’re slow, crowded, and not always reliable if you’re trying to get to a specific beach or hiking trail on time.

Renting a car is an option, but driving here takes some getting used to—we drive on the left, the roads can be narrow and winding, and if you’re not familiar with the island, you’ll spend half your holiday looking at Google Maps instead of the scenery.

That’s where we come in. Taxi Service Mauritius isn’t just about airport pickups (though we do a lot of those). We run private taxi services and sightseeing tours across the island, and we’ve been doing it long enough to know which routes avoid the midday traffic near Port Louis, which beaches are worth the detour, and where to stop for the best dholl puri on the way back from Chamarel.

We’ve got seven preset itineraries that cover the highlights, or we can build a custom day trip around what you actually want to see. Families with young kids? We’ll pace it so there’s time for snack breaks and beach stops. Couples who want to hike Le Morne at sunrise and then spend the afternoon on a catamaran? We’ll make it happen. Groups looking to swim with dolphins off the west coast? We know the best operators and the best times to go.

And because we operate seven days a week, you’re not stuck planning around someone else’s schedule. Your holiday, your pace.

Final Thoughts: Don’t Let the Tourist Fee Stress You Out

The tourist fee Mauritius introduced is a small, straightforward charge that helps keep this island as beautiful as it is. You’ll pay it once per night, per person over 12, at check-in. Your accommodation handles the collection, and if your plans change, you’ll get refunded for unused nights.

That’s it. That’s the whole story.

What you should actually be thinking about is how you’re going to fit everything into your trip—whether you’ll prioritize the beaches or the mountains, the snorkeling or the street food, the lazy mornings or the early starts to catch the best light over the lagoons.

And when you land at SSR International, tired from the flight but already feeling that holiday excitement kick in, you’ll want someone reliable waiting for you. Someone who knows the island, speaks your language, and won’t add stress to the start of your trip.

We’ll be there. Clean car, cold water bottles, and a driver who’s genuinely happy to welcome you to Mauritius. Because the tourist fee Mauritius charges might be new, but our approach to hospitality isn’t. We’ve been doing this for years, and we’ve got the reviews, the Travelers’ Choice Award, and the repeat customers to prove it.

Bienvenue dan Moris—welcome to Mauritius. Let’s make sure your holiday is everything you’ve been dreaming about.