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Next year, edinburgh The city will start charging visitors for overnight stays, adding to the growing number of tourist hotspots across the country Europe And further has started taxing its tourists,
This is something you may have seen Paris, Barcelona or Amsterdam: An additional fee, added to your nightly rate Accommodation Bill. The levy is typically collected by hotels or rental properties on behalf of the local authority, and is usually reinvested in city resources.
By 2026, in some areas scotland And wales Will also start doing the same. and while England does not impose a tourist tax, some legal loopholes have allowed cities such as manchester And liverpool You will be charged a small fee when you stay overnight.
We’ve compiled the latest information on visitor fees in the UK, such as which areas you can expect extra fees, why the authorities are imposing them and where your money goes once it’s collected.
What is the visitor fee? Is it different from tourist tax?
Idioms “tourist tax” and “visitor levy” are often used interchangeably, but both refer to the same policy: a levy on short-stay occupation. Accommodation In a local authority area.
In the UK the term “visitor levy” is more commonly used by local authorities. “The language can be confusing when using words.”tourist tax“This appears to imply that those traveling on business will not be required to pay; however, the levy generally applies to all types of visitors with some exceptions. Although this will vary between local authorities, those who are exempted from paying the levy may include children, those traveling for medical reasons or people fleeing domestic violence.
The visitor levy is typically a fee per bed or room per night, which is taxed on short-term accommodation providers such as hotels.
The charge may be a flat rate for the whole period or a series of similar rates, for example, £2 per room per night. It can also be set as a percentage of the nightly charge.
scotland
The Visitor Levy (Scotland) Act becomes law in September 2024. It allows councils in Scotland to levy a tax on overnight accommodation if they wish to do so, and spend the money raised on local facilities and services used by visitors.
They must consult local businesses, communities and tourism organizations before agreeing to implement a levy in their area.
Currently, visitor fees do not apply in any area of Scotland. In January 2025, Edinburgh becomes first voting area To add a five percent surcharge on overnight stays for visitors, but it would not go into effect until July 2026.
Businesses will be required to apply the levy on any advance bookings made after 1 October 2025, for stays on or after 24 July 2026.
will also be in Glasgow five percent overnight Accommodation charges from 25 January 2027, while Aberdeen will be a little higher Seven percent charge on overnight stays from April 1, 2027.
wales
The Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy) etc. (Wales) Bill was Passed by the Senedd in July 2025To give councils in Wales the power to levy a tax on overnight stays.
Like Scotland, Wales does not currently have this feature at any destinations tourist tax With nightly accommodation in place, the earliest the council can implement it is April 2027.
The money raised from the levy in Wales will be used to maintain local facilities and infrastructure to improve tourism. If councils decide to impose charges they must consult residents and businesses.
Visitor fee will be charged per person per night and collected by the accommodation provider. For campsite pitches, hostels and hostels, the cost will be 75p per person, per night, while all other types of visitor accommodation will be charged at £1.30 per person, per night.
If you’re staying more than 31 nights in a single booking, are in emergency or council-arranged temporary accommodation, or are under 18 and staying in a campsite, hostel or hostel, you don’t have to pay the visitor levy in Wales.
England
As of October 2025, neither central government nor local councils in England have the power to levy visitor fees. To permit this, primary legislation would need to be passed.
However, some city councils, such as manchester And liverpoolA form of tourist tax has been introduced through a legal solution.
What is Housing Business Improvement District?
In a Business Improvement District (BID), local enterprises pay into a fund for community projects that will in turn benefit them. Accommodation Business Improvement District (ABID) is a version of this for hotels.
The levies are independent non-profit entities, so the levies are not established or operated by local authorities. In both Liverpool and Manchester the levy was imposed by ABID, which is run by the board.
What are the tourist tax rules in Liverpool?
By June 2025, almost 100 Liverpool paying guests stay at ABID hotels £2 per night feeThe group says it will bring in £9,2m over two years, of which £6,7m will be used to support the town’s visitor economy,
Officials do not think Liverpool is suffering from overtourism, but the ABID levy is part of a strategy to diffuse the flow of visitors.
Liverpool BID Company CEO Bill Eadie explained that it is currently focused on attracting business events mid-week to support quieter times.
“This is because our corporate base is not as strong as it could be. The board of hoteliers is an invaluable source of understanding both the ups and downs of the city and its busiest times and trends,” he explained. Independent.
Mr Eddy also said Liverpool’s hospitality businesses are “in crisis”, so the BID is trying to re-invest in the tourist experience in the city – encouraging return visits.
Following the implementation of the BID levy this summer, Mr Eddy said Liverpool had its best July on record for room bookings.
“It speaks for itself. Tourists are used to city charges; our charge is a minimum, fixed fee that is easily communicated and absorbed. We are not using it to deter tourists, so it is important to us.”
He also argued that local ABIDs are superior to nationwide legislation. “We believe a model where the private sector can invest directly in visitor economy support is the better model.”
“Business improvement districts need to be accountable and transparent, and that means we can share details of investments. It also allows a hyperlocal approach that is both flexible and responsive,” he said.
What are the tourist tax rules in Manchester?
in manchester, paid accommodation guests An additional £1 per room, per night, will be required in the Manchester ABID area.
Manchester ABID said the levy has been “warmly welcomed” by guests and accommodation providers alike, with the money generated from the levy being used to support bids for awards ceremonies such as the Brit Awards and NBA sporting events.
Who is demanding tourist tax powers in England?
From local councilors to Members of Parliament, many people are keen to introduce a tourist tax in England. This appeals for two reasons: as an income source for reinvestment in infrastructure, or to relieve the pressure of high tourist numbers.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan has expressed his support. A spokesperson for the mayor said Independent: “The Mayor believes that a modest tourist fee, similar to other international cities, will boost our economy, deliver growth and help strengthen London’s reputation as a global tourism and business destination.”
Which destinations are considering tourist taxes?
like councilor Brighton’s Bella Sankey has called for tourist tax powers To be given to local authorities, so that cities under pressure from high visitor numbers can reinvest in the visitor economy. leaders of the councils of historic english town Countries like Bath and Cambridge have also urged the government to give them powers to impose tourist taxes taking oxford Manchester and Liverpool are leading the way in considering a housing bid levy.
Councilors for areas of natural beauty in England, such as cornwallHas also expressed his support for visitor levy powers.
In June 2025, Many mayors from across the country The Mayor of Liverpool supported the campaign led by Steve Rotheram. At the time, he said England was “in danger of falling behind” as Scotland and Wales moved ahead with their own tourist taxes.
The mayors argued that powers to create a visitor levy would unlock “vital” funding for tourism and cultural infrastructure and boost regional development, as well as reduce reliance on funding from central government.
Steve Rotheram said that Liverpool ABID is focused on a small area in the city centre, and what he would like to see is a levy that extends to all six districts and shares the benefits between them.
“I do not accept the argument that this [a visitor levy] could be harmful, but what we are saying here is that we would be happy to operate a scheme,” he told Independent“We can do all sorts of wonderful things to make it more attractive for people to, in fact, come here in the first place,”
Mr Rotheram said the visitor levy would be used “to make some big investments to transform the visitor economy and make it more attractive for international visitors to come and have that experience.”
He said if accommodation introduced a charge of around five per cent on overnight stays, it could generate around £17m a year for Liverpool.
Which destinations don’t want tourist taxes?
However, not everyone is excited by the prospect of introducing visitor fees in England. a group of Hoteliers in Bournemouth appeal Against a £2 visitor fee for overnight stays in the area, claiming the overnight visitor fee “economically penalizes” the 75 hotels in the seaside resort area.
Bournemouth tried to introduce ABID, but in January this year, local reports say the proposal was derailed due to an administrative error.
Trade body UKHospitality also issued a statement earlier this year saying tourist taxes would discourage both foreign visitors and staycationers, hurting businesses, the economy and consumers.
northern ireland
A spokesperson for Northern Ireland’s Department of the Economy said: “There are no plans under consideration to introduce a tourism charge in the North.”
Read more: The City of London has demanded the implementation of tourist tax in the capital