The Highland Council in Scotland is starting a consultation process to look into the impact a tourist tax would have on the region. More than six million people visit the picturesque Highlands every year and under new Vistor Levy legislation passed by SMPs at Holyrood earlier this year, the council has the power to introduce a tourist tax to visitors who stay overnight in the area. The charge would apply to overnight accommodation such as hotels , B&Bs and holiday lets to raise money to improve infrastructure, such as roads and public toilets, that incur wear and tear due to tourism.
A page dedicated to the Visitor Levy has been published on the council’s website that includes key information about the legislation, the process so far, and the next steps. It mentions a similar consultation carried out in 2019 that surveyed 6,600 residents and business and found that the majority were in favour of the tax. In this assessment, the Highland Council calculated the tax could bring in between £5 million and 10 million a year from the tax, but a new consultation process is needed.
The Vistor Levy legislation says that local authorities must publish a new outline for the tourist tax scheme for consultation prior to considering the results and deciding on whether or not to introduce a levy. After that, there will be an 18-month implementation period, meaning that the tourist tax would start sometime in 2026, if all procedures were followed and there was enough local support. Economy.