Edinburg councilors are all geared up to introduce tourist tax

Published on : Wednesday, January 30, 2019

As per a new report, proposals for bringing in a £2 tourist tax in Edinburgh would be capped at seven nights.

Edinburgh City Council is all set to confirm its plans for the first tourist levy of the UK after the move won strong public support.

The tax proposes a flat £2 per night room charge, exclusion for campsites and a cap of seven consecutive nights.

If won the support of the councilors, the plan will then be put to the Scottish government.

The council is prepared to impose the £2 per night room charge for what it calls a Transient Visitor Levy (TVL).

The new tax would be applied to all accommodation types, like Airbnb-style short-term lets, but visitors staying in campsites would be excluded whatsoever.

Also, a cap of seven consecutive nights is being suggested after concerns increased about the effect on seasonal and festival workers who live in Edinburgh for long periods of time.

To quote Council Leader Adam McVey, “The capital’s population is increasing rapidly and visitor numbers continue to grow.

“Our economic strength has brought us a great deal of success as a city but the reality is, without an additional income stream, we will struggle to manage and support this success in future.”

“Tourism and hospitality are key drivers of our economy and this levy provides us with a way to sustainably support its continued success and reduce impacts on residents all year round.”

“That’s why a visitor levy is an obvious choice for Edinburgh. It will help us continue to invest in and manage the success of tourism on our city.”