MSP committee majority backs Visitor Levy Bill
The bill to enable Scottish local authorities to introduce a levy on overnight visitors to their area has won the majority support in principle of a Scottish Parliament committee.
In its stage 1 report on the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill, the Local Government, Housing & Planning Committee, by five votes to two, support the general principles of the bill. It concludes that the levy has the potential to bring significant benefits to visitors, the tourism sector and local residents alike in certain local authority areas, and would be unlikely to have a significant deterrent effect on visitor numbers and therefore on the visitor economy in Scotland, while recognising that not all of Scotland’s local authorities can be expected to benefit.
Conservative MSPs Miles Briggs and Pam Gosal dissented from the majority view.
In keeping with the principles set out in the Verity House Agreement, the majority welcome the degree of flexibility the bill grants to local authorities to choose whether to introduce a levy and if so, to design and implement it in a way that suits local circumstances.
They recognise concerns around the timing of the legislation in light of significant recent challenges arising from Covid-19 and the increased costs of doing business, along with concerns around the implementation of short-term lets licensing. However, given that the soonest a levy could come into force would be 2026, the majority consider that this provides sufficient time for outstanding issues to be resolved through engagement and consultation.
However, they remain mindful of the concerns of accommodation providers that the introduction of a levy could result in an additional administrative burden for them, and therefore welcome the bill’s requirements in respect of monitoring and reporting, including of any unforeseen consequences.
The committee reiterates the importance of meaningful consultation with the tourism and accommodation sector to create a genuine sense of partnership working.