Scottish city to introduce 7% 'tourist tax' on visitors

Councillors person fixed the greenish airy for the instauration of a 7% visitant levy for Aberdeen.

The "tourist tax" volition not travel into unit until astatine slightest April 2027, but it is expected to make millions of pounds a twelvemonth that volition beryllium reinvested backmost into the city.

The complaint for overnight stays volition use to paid accommodation, including hotels, B&Bs, hostels, impermanent houses, camping sites, caravan parks, and vessels that are permanently oregon predominantly situated successful 1 place.

Cruise ships and centrifugal homes volition beryllium exempt from the levy, arsenic good arsenic those successful receipt of disablement payments.

A study to Aberdeen City Council's concern and resources committee said that with the mean edifice country costing astir £70, the levy would outgo an other £4.90 per night.

On that basis, the caller complaint could make up to £6.8m a year.

Funds raised volition beryllium enactment towards projects that assistance heighten leisure and concern tourism successful the city.

The committee approved the levy connected Wednesday.

It volition bring Aberdeen successful enactment with different visitant blistery spots, including Venice, Barcelona, Amsterdam and New York.

Councillor Alex McLellan, committee convener, said: "The income generated from the visitant levy, paid by those visiting the city, volition supply a immense boost to our section system and let america to put successful bringing large events and conferences present connected a much regular basis.

"Across Europe we are paying akin amounts to enactment per nighttime subsidising their thriving economies, and we should bash the aforesaid to guarantee we tin vie successful presumption of attracting some concern and leisure tourism to Aberdeen."

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The levy comes aft Holyrood past twelvemonth passed authorities giving councils crossed Scotland the quality to present specified a charge.

Both Edinburgh and Glasgow person approved a 5% levy connected overnight stays successful hotels, short-term lets and B&Bs.

Edinburgh's tourer taxation volition travel into unit from 24 July 2026, portion Glasgow's volition travel connected 25 January 2027.

Stephen Gow, seat of VisitAberdeenshire, said: "A well-managed strategy that supports the aims of the region's destination strategy volition thrust continued maturation of Aberdeen's visitant economy.

"Aberdeen welcomed 2.2 cardinal overnight visits successful 2024, contributing to an economical interaction from tourism of implicit £500m.

"The headroom for maturation successful the leisure and league sectors volition beryllium fulfilled done effectual concern successful promotion, events, and improvement of the tourism sector."