Many Scottish local councils are considering a mandatory levy on overnight stays, known as a tourist tax, to help cope with an influx of visitors and fund services in popular areas. The tax could raise up to £50 million annually in Edinburgh alone.
Princes Street in Edinburgh. The city expects to raise up to £50m a year from a 5% surcharge on overnight stays from July 2026.Princes Street in Edinburgh. The city expects to raise up to £50m a year from a 5% surcharge on overnight stays from July 2026.
On Monday, the Welsh government will announce proposals for a visitor levy mirroring powers introduced in law by the Scottish parliament this year, and similar taxes in major European cities such as Berlin and Barcelona. Highland council expects it could raise £10m a year from the levy, which could be invested in French-style aires, or motorhome camping areas, if locals call for those in a consultation it launched last week.
Rob Dickson, the director of industry and events at VisitScotland, which supports the levy, said many tourism businesses realised during the Covid crisis that the sector needed to invest in the places they worked in to make it sustainable. A well-written policy would allow tourism firms to help design the scheme.The Glenfinnan viaduct in Scotland, where Highland council has started consulting businesses and residents about a levy on overnight stays.“Tourism should be good for everybody.
Tourist Tax Scotland Local Councils Visitor Levy Tourism Impact
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