𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Some of Britain’s most beloved tourist destinations face a tax of as much as £300, it has been reported. Trips to places like the Peak District, Scarborough, Whitby, Cromer, Sandbanks and Bamburgh Castle could cost more, as as many as 10 of England’s 14 regional mayors are believed to want to, or are considering introducing overnight visitor levies. The government said in the latest Budget that it would be giving mayors, and potentially other local leaders, subject to consultation, the option to introduce a visitor levy on overnight visitor accommodation in their area.

Officials added: “This will fund further investment in growth locally, including the visitor economy. The government is consulting on the design of the levy.” But the policy has encountered a backlash. But mayors in Yorkshire, the north east, the West Country and swathes of the Midlands are said to be backing the move. These areas account for nearly 40% of domestic tourism, data suggests.

Local authorities in Bath and North East Somerset, Bournemouth, Oxford City, and North Norfolk, as well as others, are also considering imposing the tax, the Telegraph reported.

Labour MP Chris Webb suggested after the King’s Speech on May 13 that a visitor levy could dent the economy in seaside resorts, such as Blackpool.

The representative for Blackpool South mentioned that he used to sell kiss-me-quick hats as a teenager, adding that the tourism sector “supports pubs, cafes, restaurants, theatres, attractions and transport links”.

He said: “Before the introduction of the Overnight Visitor Levy Bill, the concerns of the sector must be taken seriously, because additional costs and additional burden will hit them hardest.

“And if we are serious about supporting British tourism, I repeat my calls on the Chancellor to reduce VAT hospitality and tourism in line with other European countries.”

UKHospitality claimed the policy is “wildly unpopular” and warned it could add £100 to the cost of a two-week family holiday.

Allen Simpson, its chief executive, said: “The Government has confirmed it will legislate to make family holidays more expensive during a cost-of-living crisis.

“It’s a shocking U-turn after it told both the House of Commons and UKHospitality that it would not implement a holiday tax.

“The facts are simple. A holiday tax will increase the cost of a staycation for Brits, it will hit lower income families hardest, it will lose the Treasury money and it will cost 33,000 jobs.

“A holiday tax is wildly unpopular, as well as economically destructive. Twice as many people oppose it than support it, and voters are 10 times more likely to punish an MP who supports a holiday tax than they are back them.”

A government spokesman said: “The visitor levy will give Mayors more power to raise money and invest it in their priorities, like improving holiday destinations and growing the local economy to put more money in people’s pockets.

“The final design of the visitor levy has not been decided and it will ultimately be up to mayors to decide whether to use it.”