Tourism (Designated Tourist Facilities) (General)(Amendment) Regulations, 2026 (No. 6)
Tourism licence fees are re-set: US$20 to apply, US$200–US$2,000 a year for hotels by star rating, US$200 for an Airbnb, US$300 for a houseboat and US$20 for a professional tour guide.
The Tourism (Designated Tourist Facilities) (General) Regulations, 1996 gain a new fee schedule, and for the first time the list explicitly names Airbnb, homestays and self-catering operators.
Registration of any designated tourist facility now costs a non-refundable US$20 application fee. Annual hotel licensing runs by star rating: US$200 for one star, US$400 for two, US$600 for three, US$1,000 for four and US$2,000 for five. Grading and regrading a hotel, motel or inn costs US$500 for one star, US$700 for two, and US$1,500 for three stars and above.
Smaller accommodation is cheaper. Guest houses and lodges pay US$200 a year at one to three stars and US$300 at four stars and above. Standard-grade farmhouses pay US$150, safari camps and self-catering accommodation US$200, Airbnb listings US$200, boats and houseboats US$300, and homestay or ad hoc accommodation US$20.
On the operator side, a professional tour guide licence is US$20 a year and a tour operator's licence US$300, while external tour operators pay US$1,500. Conference operators and venues pay US$250, events planners US$200, travel agencies US$150, and recreational facilities US$200. Aircraft, motor coaches, motorcycles, scooters and bicycles, non-consumptive photographic activity and hunting operators are US$20 each.
Restaurants are graded too: US$700 a year at four and five star, US$450 at one to three star, US$100 for fast food, US$100 for takeaway registration and US$100 for a coffee shop.
The amendment also repeals two subsections of section 3 of the principal regulations — subsections (1)(b)(ii) and (2)(c)(ii) — and inserts a new section 3 carrying the application fee. What those repealed subsections required is not reproduced in the amendment, so the principal regulations should be read alongside it.
What changed
- Non-refundable US$20 application fee for registration of a designated tourist facility
- Annual hotel licence fees of US$200 to US$2,000 by star rating
- Grading and regrading fees of US$500, US$700 and US$1,500 by rating
- Guest houses and lodges US$200 or US$300 a year; farmhouses US$150; safari camps and self-catering US$200
- Airbnb licensed at US$200 a year, boats and houseboats US$300, homestay or ad hoc US$20
- Professional tour guide US$20, tour operator US$300, external tour operator US$1,500 a year
- Conference operator or venue US$250, events planner US$200, travel agency US$150, recreational facility US$200
- Restaurants US$700 (4–5 star) or US$450 (1–3 star); fast food, takeaway registration and coffee shops US$100 each
- Section 3(1)(b)(ii) and 3(2)(c)(ii) of the principal regulations repealed
Who this affects
- hotels, lodges, guest houses and safari camps
- Airbnb hosts and homestay operators
- tour operators, travel agencies and professional tour guides
- restaurants, takeaways and coffee shops registered as tourist facilities
- houseboat and recreational facility operators
Plain-language summary — not legal advice. Always read the full instrument.