Updated 8.02am: The Government said no new taxes but its opponents reckon a new border levy on travellers is exactly that.

Inbound travellers will be charged $16 and outgoing travellers $6 from January - a move that'll raise $100 million a year.

Finance Minister Bill English is adamant it's a levy.

"You can argue about what you call it. It's a border levy, and we know what it's going to pay for and we know who's paying it."

But Labour Leader Andrew Little is calling it tax.

"The government said no new taxes at the last election - here's a tax."