Tourist Tax? What Will Be Taxed Next?

David49

In many places the Tourist Tax is payable at the destination separately, this is very inconvenient if it needs paying in cash in the local currency.

It should be added to the original booking cost

I agree with this.
Make it simple.

Fallingstar

David49

In many places the Tourist Tax is payable at the destination separately, this is very inconvenient if it needs paying in cash in the local currency.

It should be added to the original booking cost

I agree with this.
Make it simple.

Cash avoids businesses paying a levy to banks/card processing companies and then having to claim it back, the tax would have to be increased to cover both the card charges and businesses' costs of administration. Paying cash keeps it simpler and cheaper.

Good idea.

Margs yes I do happily pay the tourist tax. It's only fair on the places we visit.

I'm glad Wales is bringing in the tourist tax. Visitors should pay a contribution to the facilities they use.

I think it’s a good idea and only fair. Hopefully, the money will be channelled into those areas themselves as they are often the ones with most need.
I think the Edinburgh tax seems pretty steep, though. 5% each day would for the first five days would be quite a hike, a quarter more to pay.

"Cash avoids businesses paying a levy to banks/card processing companies and then having to claim it back, the tax would have to be increased to cover both the card charges and businesses' costs of administration. Paying cash keeps it simpler and cheaper."

No it isn't

We don't use local currency overseas everything is online or contactless including buying an ice cream. Using cash is much more expensive, conversion cost contactless are much lower than cash conversion. Many outlets dont actually take cash in any case they just don't want the security and accounting cost of cash.
We do carry sterling cash in case of a failure online but we never have had to use it

Tourist tax. It’s basically a tax on the people providing accommodation. Those providing accommodation in Gwynedd have to hit 182 days or they get clobbered The idea was to stop people letting out their holiday homes and claiming back the council tax. As a result of this rates have plummeted with people trying to get the days in. Other cost have risen.
It’s fine for people in tourist hot spots but for others like a farmer with a holiday let out in less popular area it can become impossible. It can make the difference of surviving as a small farmer and not. I am not griping as infact we have built up our days with no problem Add a tourist tax and it is a further milestone round their necks

I guess most of the cash will go into the council I wait in eager anticipation to see if much spills back to benefit the tourists

Edinburgh has made it quite clear where the money will be spent.

I would pay it to visit you all.

Around here, and if we travel to South American and Caribbean countries, we are often charged 18% tourist tax. Even places in the US charge it. Vegas for a example.

Tourists can easily drain the resources, so having a find to help that is a smart idea.

25Avalon

How about a tax on takeaways to pay for clearing up the empty boxes etc dumped everywhere?

Takeaway food is already taxed at a higher rate via VAT than food consumed within the premises

karmalady

It will at least contribute towards paying for the public toilets, which tourists use and which are kept clean

Doubt it. There will still be a separate charge.

This is necessary because Thatcherism has cut Local Authority subsidy by 70% in some places. Councils being starved of cash so are unable to function.

jenpax

25Avalon

How about a tax on takeaways to pay for clearing up the empty boxes etc dumped everywhere?

Takeaway food is already taxed at a higher rate via VAT than food consumed within the premises

There should be a special tax that goes direct to the local Council for clean up. VAT does not pay for that.

The only thing that worries me is how hotels will decide who is a tourist? Easy(ish) with foreign visitors but how about people who stay in a hotel when visiting their family and friends? How does anyone prove their status? Great idea otherwise. And where will the revenue be spent - general public services or specific areas which are most adversely affected by tourism? It sounds like a nightmare of logistics to me.

CarrotTop

The only thing that worries me is how hotels will decide who is a tourist? Easy(ish) with foreign visitors but how about people who stay in a hotel when visiting their family and friends

That’s a worry for us as well. It already costs us a lot to go and visit family at the other end of the country, who haven’t got room for us to stay with them.
Since a tourist is defined as
a person who travels to a place for pleasure, leisure, or sightseeing rather than for business or permanent settlement.

We would also have to pay.

I think it is miserable. Like Communist China, they do it, too.

nanna8 it's pretty miserable living in a place that can be inundated with tourists using our buses, dropping their litter and blocking our pavements preventing people from getting to work and appointments. Generally wearing out our city infrastructure. Currently us residents have to pick up the tab for this. I'm all in favour of a tourist tax.

Aveline

nanna8 it's pretty miserable living in a place that can be inundated with tourists using our buses, dropping their litter and blocking our pavements preventing people from getting to work and appointments. Generally wearing out our city infrastructure. Currently us residents have to pick up the tab for this. I'm all in favour of a tourist tax.

Living in a tourist area like we do, I agree with some of your points, though not the using our buses since that ensures more frequent buses for us too. We can tell when it’s the end of the tourist season.

However, as I explained at 10.am, any additional cost for visiting family is worrying. We did a one night stop to visit family on the way to our holiday destination. A Holiday Inn wanted £239 for one night and the lowest we could find was
£172. It might start at e.g. 5%, but we all know it would soon creep up.

Re the cash vs card argument, I read today that a hotel near us in Hornby has decided to go cashless. They said 90% of visitors already pay by card. They must see some financial advantage to this or they wouldn’t bother.

Re the buses, the tourists cram into them and crush everyone with their backpacks and cases. There aren't enough buses and my son even sometimes had to run to work as bus after bus goes past the stop as they're full. Maybe now with the tourist tax the council will be able to afford some more buses.

Not surprised we are getting it, it's been around for a while abroad.
However, as long as its used as intended, public spaces etc not being used for plug budgets gaps.

The UK is merely coming in line with many other countries around the world. The government has announced now Regional Mayors will decide whether to impose tourist levies. The government has not set a fixed national tax and the fee is expected to be capped at around 5% of the total accommodation costs for hotels, B and Bs and holiday rentals. I don’t have a problem with this. I would imagine increasingly more areas in the UK and other countries will continue to follow this trend.

Tourism is a competitive industry so it would not be competitive to levy a tax comparatively much higher than other countries or neighbouring locations. Holiday Inn and others hotel chain cost per night prices vary across the UK depending on location. I doubt that will change any time soon. Uk is not an outlier in this trend- e.g.

Is there a tourist tax in Australia

In Australia, there is no nationwide tourist tax, but there are tourist taxes per state. Victoria, and the Australian Capital Territory states impose a specific levy on short-term stays, while the rest of the country, think New South Wales, Queensland, or Tasmania, does not charge any tourist tax. In Victoria, this tax is known as the Short Stay Levy (SSL). In the Australian Capital Territory, it's called theShort-term rental accommodation levy (STRAL). In addition there is a Passenger Movement Charge tax is levied as a departure tax This PMC tax is included in international air or sea departure ticket price when leaving Australia. Currently it costs AU$70 dollars per passenger and set to increase to AU$80 on January 1 2027.

Why is there a tourist tax Australia
The tourist tax supports local infrastructure and services that enhance your travel experience. Funds go towards maintaining tourism hotspots, improving facilities, and ensuring sustainable visitor experiences. It’s a small contribution to keep (parts of) Australia welcoming for millions each year.

Similarly The UK has not introduced a nationwide tourist tax. Instead, tourism levies and visitor taxes are handled on a regional or local level rather than by a single national mandate.

Current Rules Across the UK

England The central government announced plans in September 2026 to give regional mayors the power to introduce a local overnight visitor levy (expected to be capped around 5%), but it is not nationwide or active yet. Some cities use workarounds like Accommodation BIDs.
Scotland Councils have the legal power to implement local levies. Edinburgh introduced a 5% visitor levy in July 2026, and Aberdeen plans a 7% levy.
Wales The Senedd passed legislation allowing local councils to introduce a visitor tax starting as early as April 2027, but none are active yet.

Burnham is desperate to keep the benefit claimants voting for Labour. Benefits before defence. What a way to run a country!

What's that got to do with tourist tax?