What is the tourist tax?

Tourist taxes (also called visitor charges) are small additional fees usually charged to visitors when staying overnight at certain locations.

They are normally charged per person and are paid to the accommodation or holiday company when checking out.

Tourist taxes can vary depending on the location and the time of year. Typically, you might expect to pay more in busier areas or during peak holiday seasons.

Tourist taxes are starting to become more and more common around the world as a response to the negative effects of over-tourism. The sharp increase in tourism in the 21st century has started to see increased pressure on infrastructure, natural resources, housing and local environments, pushing many governments to enforce mandates to tackle tourism.

New 2024 Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole Tourist Tax

From 1st July 2024, a supplementary charge of £2.00 + VAT per room per night will be added to accommodation bills in 70 hotels in the area.

This supplementary charge is collected from all paid accommodation establishments that fall into the Bournemouth, Poole, and Christchurch area. The hotel and tourism industry in the towns says the initiative will ‘secure and develop’ the conurbation’s position as one of the nation’s leading destinations.

The tourist tax is used to fund and deliver an improved visitor experience for guests, helping to promote tourism in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole. It is anticipated this charge will raise around £2million every year, which will be invested back into the area.

Where’s next?

There are several discussions ongoing throughout the UK regarding the implementation of tourist taxes, including local authorities such as Cornwall, Cambridge, and Thanet.

In addition, the Scottish and Welsh governments have also put forward plans to allow local authorities introduce their own tourist tax levies. Earlier this year, MSPs voted to approve plans for Scottish local authorities to bring in their own tourist taxes, which may mean tourist taxes being introduced in high-traffic tourist areas such as Edinburgh and the Highlands and Islands.

Tourism taxes are more common in continental Europe and they are starting to pop up around the UK, hinting towards a UK-wide trend in the near future. So when you’re looking at a destination for your next event, check if it has a visitor charge or you may risk going overbudget!

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