{"id":3460,"date":"2026-02-18T09:36:34","date_gmt":"2026-02-18T09:36:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.robbtax.co.uk\/blog\/?p=3460"},"modified":"2026-02-18T09:36:50","modified_gmt":"2026-02-18T09:36:50","slug":"businesses-strike-back-at-proposed-tourist-tax-what-could-this-mean-for-you","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.robbtax.co.uk\/blog\/businesses-strike-back-at-proposed-tourist-tax-what-could-this-mean-for-you\/","title":{"rendered":"Businesses strike back at proposed tourist tax: What could this mean for you?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>More than 200 leaders from the UK\u2019s hospitality and leisure sector have written to the Chancellor urging the Government to reconsider the proposed visitor levies.<\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<p>Signatories included major accommodation providers such as Butlins, Haven, Hilton and Travelodge and the message was clear, \u201cholidays are for relaxing, not taxing\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>With the school half-term upon us, many businesses are assessing what a tourist tax could mean for their future and how it could impact already tight margins.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>What is the UK tourist tax being proposed?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>At the Autumn Budget 2025, the Government announced that it would give mayoral authorities in England the power to introduce a visitor levy on overnight stays.<\/p>\n<p>The charge would apply to hotels, B&amp;Bs, guesthouses, short-term rentals, campsites and other paid accommodation.<\/p>\n<p>Often referred to as \u2018tourist tax\u2019, the levy would apply to leisure and business travellers.<\/p>\n<p>However, any businesses that benefit from tourism and holidaymakers could feel the impact, even though they themselves are not taxed.<\/p>\n<p>Despite the backlash, councils have argued that the funds raised could support local infrastructure, public services and tourist development.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>What charges are already in place in the UK?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Although consultations in England are ongoing, some cities already have local schemes in place.<\/p>\n<p>This includes:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Manchester introduced a \u00a32 per night charge in 2023, raising \u00a32.8 million in its first year.<\/li>\n<li>Liverpool followed in June 2025 with a \u00a32 nightly fee, expected to generate \u00a34.5 million annually.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In Scotland, the Visitor Levy (Amendment) was introduced to the Scottish Parliament in January 2026 and this could indicate how successful or damaging a tourist tax could be on all businesses.<\/p>\n<p>The Scottish Government has also consulted on a levy for cruise passengers docking at local ports.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Why are businesses opposed to the tourist tax?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>In their letter to the Chancellor, industry leaders warned that a visitor levy could add \u00a3100 or more to a two-week UK family holiday.<\/p>\n<p>They argue this may force families to shorten trips, reduce spending in local establishments or encourage travel overseas instead.<\/p>\n<p>The letter also stressed that fewer visitors could mean fewer jobs. This could have a knock-on effect on a range of sectors that rely on tourism, including retail, entertainment, transportation, real estate and agriculture.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitbritain.org\/research-insights\/economic-value-tourism\">New research from VisitBritain\/ VisitEngland<\/a> found that tourism is worth \u00a3147 billion annually to the UK, about five per cent of the national economy and supports about 2.4 million jobs.<\/p>\n<p>The sector is already under pressure from rising costs, increasing employment wages, higher business rates and VAT at 20 per cent, which is higher than many European competitors.<\/p>\n<p>The industry leaders&#8217; closing message was that a visitor levy risks contradicting the Government\u2019s aim of growing the economy and backing British businesses.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>What could a tourist tax mean for your business?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>If a visitor levy were introduced in your area, this could affect your:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Pricing strategy and competitiveness<\/li>\n<li>Occupancy forecasts<\/li>\n<li>Customer demand<\/li>\n<li>Administrative workload and reporting requirements<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>How can we help your business prepare?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Even though a tourist tax is not confirmed, now could be the right time to forecast the effect on your finances.<\/p>\n<p>Our professional team is here to support your business and we can:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Model the financial impact of potential levies on occupancy and margins<\/li>\n<li>Review pricing structures<\/li>\n<li>Ensure accounting systems can track and report levy income separately<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If your business benefits from tourism, understanding the potential impact early can help you better prepare if the levy comes into effect.<\/p>\n<p><strong>For further advice or support, contact our team today.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>More than 200 leaders from the UK\u2019s hospitality and leisure sector have written to the Chancellor urging the Government to reconsider the proposed visitor levies.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3463,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11,8,87],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v24.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Businesses strike back at proposed tourist tax: What could this mean for you? 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