Another stealth tax

Regarding money that tourists bring into local economies when Baltic Wharf became threatened with closure estimates of the loss of tourist expenditure reached a few million pounds but this was destined for private hands including CAMC. The problems arise when local public infrastructure investments can't keep up with demands and these are funded by local rate payers eg roads, water, sewage, car parks, hospitals etc so tourist taxes would go some way to alleviating the ever increasing public costs. However bigger costs are funded by all of us via government allocations so tourists taxes would only plug a few gaps but probably better than nothing in the long run?

 

There are a few sources online showing estimates of what could be raised from a tourist tax. One suggests £428m a year for all local authority councils. Another suggests £216m across 62 cities considered. The latter picks out keys locations, like York, Edinburgh and Blackpool, that would have expectations far above the average. They estimate £6.2m a year for Blackpool for example.   

Even if toilets were to charge 50p per visit that's about 34,0000 visits every day of the year - so far, far more than that in season.

Referring to the OP: It is by no means only Scotland which has considered a tourist tax; it would be quite wrong to single out the Scottish Government for criticism. I was wondering if it is fair to call a tourist tax a stealth tax? A stealth tax is a levy that is not recognised as a tax by most people or which people may not even be aware of. On that definition, I think a tourist tax is a stealth tax. Some people see VAT as a stealth tax. 

On balance tourist taxes seem like a good idea to me. My guess is that the impact on demand would be marginal. They are common overseas.

Beyond our preoccupation with toilets a couple of worthwhile uses I can see a tourist tax being used for are perhaps providing a local authority with the seed funding to build proper parking, both day and night for motorhomers so it is not a burden on the local population. Having had the funding to set such things  the resulting parking fees could further enhance the LA funds. Also such a tax could provide funding for local community amenities like swimming pools and theatres which would benefit both visitors and local residents. With a bit of imagination so much could be achieved. It wouldn't happen in five minutes but the opportunity is there.

David

So would the parking fees for such motorhomes have incorporated into them the tourist tax? Must do for an overnight stay at least?

If not then it could be viewed as other tourist's paying the tax in other overnight accommodation are subsidising MH use?

One supposes it would depend on how the rules were set up but I assume if its a nightly accommodation tax (for want of a better word) motorhomers staying overnight in a car park, and being charged, should pay it. I can't immediately see a reason why they shouldn't? I don't see where subsidising motorhomes comes into it. I was suggested that money raised through the TT could, not would be, used to provide the facilities, so no need to use local funds and once built the LA could decide a level of nightly fee, including TT, to charge. Those fees would have to be at a level to pay for future maintenance and hopefully provide a stream of future income, probably fairly modest,  back into council coffees so really a win, win for all. This is only a think aloud exercise on my part and I sure you and others, as indeed would the local authorities themselves have a totally different set of priorities. I think I am just trying to sell the positive possibilities of such a tax. What would your priorities be?

David 

Well if the money raised by non motorhome owning people paying their tourist tax in any other overnight accommodation is used to provide and build  MH parking then they most are subsidising MH in my view.

My priorities, a bit too strong a word, but I would expect the money to be spend on things for all tourists and/or for the benefit of locals having to cope with increased numbers. 

I've nothing against a tourist tax at all and I've been paying it for years abroad and it's not an issue, it's where I want to be and so be it.

Actually as we went as a family last September we stayed in a rented accommodation rather than the family home in Florence so we payed it. But I couldn't find one local who knew what happened to all the money.

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It appears that you don't read many (if any) reviews of CMHC sites, as numerous reviews comment on the food and drink in pubs, cafes/ restarurants. and often fish and chips shops, as well as the products in farm shops, local butchers and other local shops which they have patronised in the locality and recommend, so they do actually contribute to the local economy. As for supermarkets, how do you know which supermarket or which car park they use?  When I am touring in my van, if I use a supermarket, I simply use the one which is nearest to the site! I would point out however, that German Supermarkets source many of their produce in the UK, as other supermarkets do. 

+1, I travelled to sites with enough provisions for the day the rest was bought from the areas shops & eateries. I love seeing life in different areas & real life is in the shops👍🏻. Being addressed as ‘moy Luvver’ in 3 different shops in the south West area was great with similarities in Yorkshire-without a hat-‘baht ‘at👍🏻😊

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