A coalition of mayors from across England have called on the government to give them the power to implement a visitor levy in their cities.
This type of levy would introduce new charges designed to apply only to tourists visiting each region, providing a source of local funding for tourism infrastructure and cultural attractions.
A united statement published on Tuesday 3 June by the mayors of the Liverpool City Region, Greater Manchester, London, the North East, the West Midlands and West Yorkshire argues that the introduction of a visitor levy would reduce the cities’ dependence on government funding and empower regional growth.
While current legislation does not allow English cities to implement and administer their own visitor levy, the mayors argue that international examples, pilot scheme feedback, and public attitudes all point to support for the measure.
It said that while these regions collectively attract hundreds of millions of visitors annually and contribute billions to the UK economy, none currently benefit from a dedicated funding stream to reinvest in tourism resilience and growth.
According to the statement, a recent visitor levy in Liverpool received strong backing while a survey revealed 70% of tourists in Manchester were willing to pay a small charge if it was used to visibly enhance tourism services.
Visitor levies have been implemented in many European cities, including Lisbon, Venice, Rome, and Barcelona.
The mayors said that in Liverpool, a visitor levy could raise nearly £11 million per year and a levy of £1 to £5 per night in Manchester could raise between £8 million and £40 million per year.
Other major cities including London, Newcastle, Birmingham, and Leeds all stand to gain a boost to their tourism infrastructure funding through such a levy.
What the visitor tax will be spent on
The mayors proposed that tailored visitor taxes should be developed for invested regions, reflecting the needs of each city, sharing best practices and supporting a broader rollout across further mayoral authorities.
They said funds raised by the visitor levy would be reinvested in the following:
- Supporting major cultural and sporting events
- Enhancing infrastructure that visitors and local people rely on
- International marketing to boost global competitiveness
- Collaboration with devolved nations to promote the UK as a unified tourism destination
- Skills development and business growth programmes
They said that as devolved governments in Scotland and Wales move ahead with their own tourism levies, English regions are now at risk of falling behind.
“A small charge on overnight stays – the kind most of us wouldn’t think twice about when travelling abroad – would give us the power to reinvest directly into the things that make our area so special,” said Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram, who is spearheading the campaign.
“From unforgettable events to the everyday essentials that support them, it’s about keeping our region vibrant, competitive and ready to welcome the world.”
London Mayor Sadiq Khan noted that aligning London’s tourism levy approach with other major cities on the continent would provide a great boost to an industry that accounts for one in seven jobs in the city and nearly 12% of its economy.
“London attracts millions of visitors every year who come here to experience our world class museums and galleries, visit our historic attractions and enjoy an amazing array of sporting events,” Khan said.
“A modest overnight accommodation levy, similar to other international cities, would boost our economy, deliver growth and help cement London’s reputation as a global tourism and business destination.”
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