Come on Down to our Town. Then Pay for It.

Ft. Lauderdale has one of the lowest travel tax rates in the country. Photo by Alan Maltz.

It's not surprising that certain cities impose higher taxes on its residents than others do. But did you know that some cities also charge a very high travel tax on tourists who come for a visit?

According to a report by the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), discriminatory travel taxes (those imposed specifically on travel services above general sales taxes on rental cars, hotels and meals) can impose an average cost of 56 percent more than general sales taxes.

"The difference in the effective tax rate on travelers from one city to the next is quite remarkable," said Joe Bates, GBTA Foundation director of Research. "For instance, a traveler who visits Chicago pays 80% more in taxes during their one-night stay than a traveler visiting Ft. Lauderdale."

The study, which ranks the top 50 markets by overall travel tax burdens, shows several ways to view the travel taxes and is designed to help travelers make informed choices.

So which cities offer the lowest tax burden, which includes travel taxes and general sales tax, to travelers visiting their downtown?

1. Fort Lauderdale, FL
2. Fort Myers, FL
3. West Palm Beach, FL
4. Detroit, MI
5. Portland, OR

The cities that impose the highest total taxes on travelers are:

1. Chicago, IL
2. New York, NY
3. Seattle, WA
4. Boston, MA
5. Kansas City, MO

The U.S. cities with the lowest travel tax rates in central city locations are:

1. Orange County, CA
2. San Diego, CA
3. San Jose, CA
4. Burbank, CA
5. Ontario, CA

The cities that impose the highest discriminatory travel taxes on travelers are:

1. Portland, OR
2. Boston, MA
3. Minneapolis, MN
4. New York, NY
5. Chicago, IL