Mayor outlines next steps for York and North Yorkshire visitor levy
Regional meetings with tourism and hospitality businesses explore levy implications
The Government's consultation on the proposed Overnight Visitor Levy has concluded, enabling the Mayor of York and North Yorkshire to map out the next steps in a series of meetings with tourism and hospitality businesses.
Over the last month, Mayor David Skaith has connected with more than 100 hospitality and tourism business owners across Skipton, Harrogate, Scarborough, and York.
These discussions centered around research conducted by the York and North Yorkshire Policy Lab into the potential benefits and risks of the Mayoral Overnight Visitor Levy.
The initial findings suggest that a £2 per person, per night charge could generate up to £52 million annually.
The research aims to explore how the levy could be implemented, considering both percentage and flat rate options, and whether there should be exceptions, such as for residents.
Following the national consultation's closure, the potential approval of the levy will prompt Mayor Skaith to hold a region-wide consultation before any implementation proceeds.
York and North Yorkshire are known for attracting millions of visitors each year, which has created nearly 54,000 jobs but also places significant strain on local services.
"A total game changer"
Mayor Skaith says he is committed to ensuring that those who live and work in the region benefit from the levy by prioritising areas and public services that are under pressure, without imposing additional costs on residents.
“York and North Yorkshire is beautiful, with something for everyone. That’s why millions of people come spend time here every year, it’s a success story for our region, with over 54,000 jobs, but it also adds a lot of pressure to local services."
“I’m focussed on the people who live and work here and who feel the impact of millions of visitors. I’ll make sure that we prioritise the places and public services that feel the most pressure, without costing residents an extra penny."
“A visitor levy could be a total game changer for our region, it’s an opportunity to drive investment into our communities, and back businesses in our tourism and hospitality sectors with the support we all know we need, but nobody has the money for right now. We must get this right for our region and that’s what I’m focussed on as we go through this process.”