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07
Sept
Mayor report recommends £1 a night tourist tax in North Yorkshire
A report commissioned by Labour mayor David Skaith has recommended introducing a flat £1 a night visitor levy in York and North Yorkshire.
The visitor levy, more commonly known as a tourist tax, could raise up to £26 million a year.
If implemented, anyone staying in hotels and other accommodation sites would be charged a £1 a night for each room booked.
But there could be exemptions for low-cost stays, such as campsites.
Harrogate hotels voted against implementing a similar levy in February this year. North Yorkshire Council and hotels in York have also opposed the move, fearing the extra cost could deter visitors.
Today’s report has been published by Policy Lab, which was set up last year by York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority, which Mr Skaith chairs, and York St John University.
The report, which makes a series of recommendations, says levies have not deterred visitors to places such as Edinburgh, Manchester, Paris and Barcelona.
Mr Skaith, a long-term supporter of the charge, which he has previously suggested could be £2-a-night, said:
York and North Yorkshire has something for everyone. Millions visit every year, and that’s why a visitor levy could be a total game changer for us.
Thriving communities and thriving destinations go hand-in-hand, but welcoming so many visitors puts pressure on the infrastructure and services our residents rely on.
We must get this right for our county so we can invest in our communities, and our hospitality and tourism businesses. That's why I'm committed to keep talking with the sector as the details come together.
Professor Brendan Paddison, dean of York Business School at York St John University and the academic lead for Policy Lab said:
Good policy starts with good evidence. This report is not about making the case for or against a visitor levy, it is about giving the mayor, businesses and communities the evidence they need to have an informed conversation about what could work for York and North Yorkshire. Our findings suggest that a visitor levy is a viable option worth exploring further, but the detail matters.
Any future levy would need to be simple and proportionate, underpinned by transparent governance and meaningful engagement with businesses and communities. Crucially, there must also be a clear commitment that any revenue raised is invested back into the places and visitor economy that generate it, with benefits that are visible to businesses, visitors and communities across York and North Yorkshire.
The report comes as results of the national consultation into visitor levies are expected in the coming weeks.
Combined authorities are set to receive powers to implement them later this year under the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill.
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