Edinburgh Council Backs Tourist Tax

Edinburgh has moved one step closer to being the first place in the UK to introduce a tourist tax, after the city’s lawmakers backed the measures.
Accommodations where the fee will be charged will include hotels, hostels, bed and breakfasts, and short-term lets such as those bookable on Airbnb. Campsite stays will be excluded.
The next step in the process will be a 12-week public consultation where input will be sought from businesses, residents, and visitors and this will inform the details of the final scheme which will be agreed in January 2025. It is expected the Visitor Levy will come into force in the summer of 2026.
The City of Edinburgh Council says that the tourist tax will raise between £45 to £50 million a year by 2028/2029, which will be invested in the city’s infrastructure and tourism.
The council called the plans “groundbreaking,” saying in a statement, “Edinburgh will become the first place in the UK to launch such a city-wide levy, which will drastically help the Council manage the demands of increased tourism while ensuring sustainable investment in the visitor economy, public services, city maintenance, affordable housing and preserving the Capital’s cultural heritage.”
Council Leader Cammy Day, of Scottish Labour, called the plans a “once-in-a-generation opportunity for Edinburgh.”
“This is a fantastic opportunity to further enhance Edinburgh’s reputation on the world stage as a must-visit destination,” Ellis added.
“UKHospitality Scotland will consult with members across Edinburgh during the consultation period and respond, reflecting the views of our members,” Thompson said.
Hotelier Sir Rocco Forte called for a boycott of the levy, writing in The Scotsman last month that it was a “pernicious tax which will be charged on top of other taxes that can only damage tourism, the lifeblood of much of the Scottish economy.”
“It’s deeply disappointing that Labour-led Edinburgh Council have chosen to hit visitors, small businesses and Edinburgh’s local economy with this harmful tourist tax.”
Earlier this month, Member of Scottish Parliament Sue Webber highlighted that the tourism tax will not only affect those visiting from overseas or even from other parts of the UK, but Scots visiting their capital.