𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Nearly 6 in 10 Britons do not support the introduction of a holiday tax as Labour is warned the levy could put people off breaks in England. The Government earlier this year consulted on giving strategic authority mayors across England the power to create local overnight visitor levies.

Holidaymakers staying at hotels, bed and breakfasts, campsites and self-catering properties could face a charge on top of the price of their short-stay overnight accommodation. New polling of 10,005 people by Stack Data Strategy for trade body UKHospitality found 56% of British adults opposed the visitor levy, with just 24% in favour.

Some 18% felt they would be stopped from booking a holiday in England if new levies raised costs.

Modelling suggested opposition sat at 59% in Greater Lincolnshire, the mayoralty won last year by Reform UK’s Dame Andrea Jenkyns which includes Skegness and Mablethorpe on the North Sea coast.

Last week, Dame Andrea announced the region would not bring in the so-called tourist tax, saying it would “pick the pockets of families”.

Elsewhere on the coast, opposition sat at 58% in Devon and Torbay, and 57% in Hull and East Yorkshire and the North East.

Opposition was lower in the West of England including Bristol and Bath (53% with 27% in support) and London (51% with 28% in support).

Allen Simpson, chief executive of UKHospitality, said the polling represents “a wake-up call for every MP tempted to back the holiday tax”.

He said the majority of their constituents are against the plans which he said would “deter millions from holidaying in England” and “hit hardest the very families the Government says it wants to help”.

“In her spring statement, the Chancellor (Rachel Reeves) said being able to pay for a holiday should never be too much to ask, but this tax puts a holiday out of reach for many,” he said, adding: “Let’s keep holidays relaxing, not taxing.”

Reform UK’s Treasury spokesman Robert Jenrick said none of the party’s mayors would enforce the “terrible tax” which he claimed would be “the death knell for many seaside resorts”.

The Government has said the levy would bring English destinations in line with tourism hotspots such as New York, Paris and Milan, which already charge a tourist tax.

Money raised from the levy is intended to be invested in local transport, infrastructure and the visitor economy to potentially attract more visitors.

A Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesperson said: “This poll is based on speculation.

“The final design of the visitor levy has not been decided.

“We’re clear that the levy will ensure areas benefit even more from tourism and mayors will have more money to invest in local priorities.”