Bath and Bristol move closer to tourist tax as councils argue visitors should pay their way
Visitors to Bath and Bristol could soon face a new charge on overnight stays, with local leaders arguing that tourism should help pay for the
Visitors to Bath and Bristol could soon face a new charge on overnight stays, with local leaders arguing that tourism should help pay for the wear and tear it leaves behind. The plan is moving closer under new government powers that would let regional mayors introduce the tax.
The idea has backing from Helen Godwin, mayor of the West of England Combined Authority, who says the revenue could be recycled into better transport. But hotel and hospitality figures are warning that an extra levy may push some customers away. Simple as that.
‘They need to contribute’
Bath and North East Somerset Council leader Kevin Guy made the case bluntly, pointing to the scale of the pressure on the city. Bath alone draws about five million visitors a year, he said, and that flow leaves a mark on streets, pavements and public toilets.
Speaking to BBC Radio Bristol, Guy said he had been clear from the start that those visitors should help pay for the public realm. “They need to contribute towards the pavements, the public toilets, the public realm in general,” he said, adding that the change would improve things for residents and tourists alike.
Mayoral powers open the door
The proposed tax would apply to overnight accommodation in places such as Bath and Bristol, if the new government plans go ahead. Regional mayors would be the ones able to bring it in.
Godwin said she supported the scheme and would want the money reinvested, particularly in transport. For city leaders, the pitch is straightforward: if visitors use the roads, buses and public spaces, they should help fund them too.
Hospitality leaders see the risk differently. They fear higher costs could make the two cities less attractive at a time when businesses still depend heavily on visitor spending.
The debate now shifts to how the scheme would be designed, who would collect it and whether councils can persuade both residents and the tourism sector that the price is worth paying. That fight is next.
