A coalition of mayors from across England led by Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram is calling on the government to grant devolved powers to explore and implement a visitor levy in their regions.
The group which represents nearly 21 million people across the Liverpool City Region, Greater Manchester, London, the North East, the West Midlands and West Yorkshire argues that the move would ‘unlock vital funding for tourism and cultural infrastructure, empower regional growth, and reduce dependence on central government funding.’
The news follows a similar call made by the Friends of the Lake District. Last year the charity published a report which suggested money from tourism could help ease pressure on the area and hoped to start a debate the proposal. In a statement to Business Crack earlier this year the chair of the Lake District Partnership, a group made up of 20 organisations drawn from the public, private, community and voluntary sectors, said there were no current plans to implement a ‘tourist tax’, or any of the measures proposed in the Who pays for the Lake District? report.
But if the approach by the metro mayors is successful a new mayor in Cumbria could find their way clear to raise funds in the county.
In a statement, the mayors urge the Government to consider including enabling legislation in the forthcoming English Devolution Bill or a specific Finance Bill, which would give local authorities the freedom to design and introduce a locally administered visitor levy.
Currently English legislation does not allow cities to implement a visitor levy of the kind already in place in locations abroad. The mayoral group say pilot schemes in the UK and what they say are ‘changing public attitudes’ all point to growing support for such a measure here. In Liverpool, a Business Improvement District-led visitor levy received support, while in Manchester, a survey revealed 70% of tourists are willing to pay a small charge if it is used to visibly enhance tourism services.
“The Liverpool City Region is a global icon of creativity, culture, and character – attracting more than 60 million visitors every year and supporting a £6.25 billion visitor economy. That’s something to be incredibly proud of – but it also comes with pressures on our infrastructure and services,” Steve Rotheram, mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said. “A small charge on overnight stays – the kind most of us wouldn’t think twice about when travelling abroad – would give us the power to reinvest directly into the things that make our area so special. From unforgettable events to the everyday essentials that support them, it’s about keeping our region vibrant, competitive and ready to welcome the world.”
The mayors say there is an urgency of the request as devolved governments in Scotland and Wales move ahead with their own tourism levies claiming English regions are at risk of falling behind.
“This is a landmark year for West Yorkshire’s visitor economy, with Bradford UK City of Culture attracting millions of people to our region,” Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said. “Giving mayors the power to ask visitors to pay a small fee makes sense. It would allow us to invest more into making our regions even better places to visit, unlocking opportunities to boost growth and help our businesses thrive.”
The group is now calling for rapid engagement with HM Treasury and DCMS alongside input from business and tourism stakeholders to move the proposal forward for what they say would shape a more sustainable future for England’s visitor economies.
