On Tuesday, MSPs voted in favour of the general principles of a Bill which could empower councils to introduce a Visitor Levy.
If fully approved in Parliament, the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill will allow local authorities including the City of Edinburgh Council to introduce a charge on overnight visitor stays, with the funds raised to be used to benefit the local area and its visitor economy.
Welcoming the vote, Cammy Day, Council Leader, said:
A Visitor Levy stands to benefit all of Edinburgh and I’m excited to see the many ways in which we can use this to create a better experience for residents and visitors alike.
Having long campaigned for the powers, I welcome government’s recognition of the scheme as a ‘force for good’. A Visitor Levy in Edinburgh should not be a radical idea and a levy presents a major opportunity to generate millions of pounds in additional revenue just as so many other major cities do so successfully across the world.
We’ve engaged with industry and residents in great detail already about the right type of levy for our city, so we’re well placed to implement it at the earliest opportunity. Frustratingly, due to the 18-month lag stipulated by the Bill, this cannot be before late 2026 at the earliest. That said, our ask has been for local flexibility over the design of the scheme and how it can be spent, and the Committee has backed that view and will include business travel in the Bill.
Clearly this is a subject residents and visitors also feel strongly about and we're keen to make sure their views shape our proposals and the largescale consultation we bring forward in just a few months’ time. I’d urge anyone who hasn’t already take part to fill in our visitor levy survey which closes this Friday. We've had a fantastic response so far with over 3,600 participants and I'd like to thank everyone who has taken the time to share their views with us.