Glasgow’s Plan for Tourist Tax Aims to Boost Council Revenue
Glasgow is considering a new tourist tax to help fund local services and improve tourism facilities, with a proposed 5% charge on overnight stays.
Glasgow, Scotland, Tourist Tax, Visitor Levy, Council Revenue
Glasgow: The city is looking at a visitor levy that would charge people staying overnight in hotels, B&Bs, and other accommodations. They’re thinking about a 5% fee.
City councillors are set to discuss this proposal soon. If it goes through, it could bring in over £10 million a year to help improve tourism facilities.
Last year, the Scottish Government allowed councils to introduce such charges. Since then, Glasgow officials have chatted with folks in the hospitality and tourism sectors.
Ricky Bell, the City Treasurer, mentioned that people visit Glasgow for various reasons, whether for business or to enjoy events and culture. He noted that it’s hard to predict how this tax might change visitor habits.
Interestingly, cities like Barcelona and Paris have seen growth in visitors even after introducing similar taxes. So, there’s hope that Glasgow might not see a drop in tourism numbers.
The proposed 5% rate is seen as a good balance. It should generate enough income while not being too high to scare off tourists. It would average out to about £4.29 per night.
All types of accommodations in Glasgow would be included, even those that don’t hit the VAT threshold. However, local accommodation providers want to ensure that the funds raised are used to support the Glasgow Tourism Strategy, not just to fill budget gaps.