Visitor levy will be big boost for Edinburgh
The Scottish Greens have welcomed Edinburgh City Council’s vote to support a 5% visitor levy on hotels and overnight accommodation. It is similar to schemes already in place in popular tourist destinations across the world including Paris, Barcelona and New York.
The power to apply a levy was secured by Scottish Green MSPs during previous budget negotiations. Edinburgh’s Green Councillors have led calls for such a levy since 2011, and presented proposals for an 8% rate.
Edinburgh Green Cllr Alys Mumford said:
“The idea of a visitor levy was first raised by Edinburgh’s Greens councillors more than a decade ago, and today the Council has approved an ambitious plan with green values at its heart – raising investment for public services and affordable housing.
“While we’re disappointed that the Labour administration didn’t take the opportunity to set a more ambitious rate for the levy, as well as caving in to the demands of corporate lobbyists around the implementation timeline, it shouldn’t detract from the major step forward it represents.
“Green Councillors across Scotland are working to implement visitor levies for their areas, and the decision Edinburgh has made will set the model for that. We look forward to visitor levies being standard practice around the country, as they are in many European countries.”
Scottish Green MSP Lorna Slater welcomed the news, saying:
“This will be a big boost for Edinburgh.
“We’re incredibly fortunate that so many people want to visit our city. Tourism brings a lot of money into local economies, but our councils see very little benefit from it.
“I’m delighted that Scottish Green Cllrs have led the call for the levy and that Green MSPs were able to deliver the powers to apply it.
“It is a simple step that will ensure that tourists are able to contribute to the services that they are using, while providing vital funding for our local authorities.”