Another stealth tax

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As David says it's quite common place in Europe to have tourist taxes. I don't think there is anything stealth about such a tax either. Personally I think the real question to ask is what such taxes will be used for. If the answer is to improve the visitor experience by providing facilities for tourists and locals alike it could be a very good thing. If on the other hand it's just part of general taxation, not such a good idea?

David

Good idea. I wish Cornwall Council would introduce it too.

My Council Tax here is £3000 a year and I would be delighted for incoming tourists to pay something towards roads, policing, hospital costs and so on. And my water bill is about to go up too so the tourists here can have cleaner beaches. 

As AD says it’s a normal charge for tourists in many other countries already.,

Last time this came up it was Edinburgh Council that wanted to introduce it, it was voted down by the residents of the city.

As far as I can make out it is not favoured by the voters, especially in Edinburgh.  Hotels there, and elsewhere, are already expensive enough without adding an extra tax.  

There is talk of £2 per night per room, so presumably also £2 per pitch?   A flat rate like that on a CL would be a big increase!  

Other countries where they have it, like Switzerland, you get free or reduced rate public transport, same in some parts of Germany, where not all areas have a tourist tax.

I wonder what benefit the tourists here would get?   Many areas do rely on tourism for income and jobs, an extra tax would be a good way to discourage  people from visiting IMO.

The Town Mayor of St Ives is already pushing for such a tax, Euro.

Don't forget the lifeguards on the beaches funded by Cornwall Council. Although we welcome tourists and they do bring business, my goodness, they stretch our publicly funded resources as well.

I wonder how the Scottish Govt proposes to tax the wildcampers?

 

 

 

Hopefully nothing, as long as the money is ring fenced (as has been promised) for tourist related spending, I’m all for it. There is still plenty to be sorted out though, it does need setting at a sensible level and I am not so sure about the percentage of cost proposal that I have seen mentioned. Personally I think a flat rate per person / per night would be better. If the club does have any input I would prefer it was related to those features of the tax rather than opposition.

KjellNN put:-
I wonder what benefit the tourists here would get? Many areas do rely on tourism for income and jobs, an extra tax would be a good way to discourage people from visiting IMO.

We spent 36 nights in Scotland last September / October, so if fixed at £2 per night as you mention £72 on over a month of touring. I wouldn’t see it as make or break on our decision to tour in Scotland. Given the north coast is over 500 miles from home and costs £106 in fuel, we would go somewhere closer if that was the case.

I think the retailers in St.Ives set their own tourist tax the way they all bump  prices massively in the summer TW

 

JK

Can you blame them really? The peak season in Cornwall is so short and they need to survive all year on a few weeks' takings. Like so many places, St Ives is tumbleweed town out of the summer months. I dare say you and I would make the most of the tourist season too. 🤷🏻‍♂️

Yeh!!! and they expect me to pay £10 for a crab sandwich and eat it on a 2ft sq table on the pavement being jostled by all and sundry, having a laugh....

"The peak season in Cornwall is so short and they need to survive all year on a few weeks' takings"

is this really true, we were there this year early May and the places we visited we heaving, and no doubt if the weather holds, this will continue thru into September 

p.s. loved it though and will be back in Deven for 12 days shortly