News / Tourism
Hoteliers fear ‘tourist tax’ could deter visitors from Bristol
Hoteliers have criticised a Lib Dem plan to introduce a ‘tourist tax’ for Bristol.
Members of the Bristol Hoteliers Association (BHA) have urged the city council to support hospitality businesses more and generate additional income in other ways rather than passing extra costs onto visitors.
One suggestion is that the council should introduce annual licence fees on AirBnB properties.
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BHA chair Raphael Herzog, general manager of the De Vere Tortworth Court near Wotton-under-Edge, said: “It feels like, once again, we are being hit for no sound reason.
“Why would a guest pick Bristol and pay a tourist tax when there are plenty of other cities they can visit which do not impose additional charges?
“It would surely impact on the number of people wanting to visit Bristol compared to other cities.
“But there are ways to look at areas such as AirBnB, as this is not regulated at all.
“Other cities in Europe charge a licence fee of around £180 a year and cap the number of nights per year that people are able to rent out their accommodation.
“Bristol City Council could impose annual licence fees on AirBnB properties, which will provide an income as well as enabling the authority to better regulate the accommodation available in the city.”
Herzog added: “Introducing an annual licence fee for short-term lets will create more of a level playing field among accommodation providers, whereas businesses like ours are only like to suffer more if a visitor charge is imposed.
“Bristol as a whole should be doing everything it can to encourage people to visit the city, not impose additional charges which might deter them from coming.”
There is a Bristol Hotel in many cities across the world, with Bristol’s own Bristol Hotel on Prince Street overlooking the docks – photo: Doyle Collection
Bristol’s Lib Dem councillors introduced an amendment to the recent budget to facilitate a feasibility study on a visitor charge.
Brislington West councillor Jos Clark said the adoption of a visitor charge “would allow us to improve the experience of people taking advantage of the city’s rich cultural heritage”.
Clark said: “If introduced, we would advocate for the money raised to be spent on improving public facilities, such as toilets.
“Seven years ago, under the previous Labour administration, all 18 on-street public toilets were shut.
“Reopening these would be a worthy use of the money raised from such a charge.
“Funds could also be spent on improving signage in the city, helping people to get around easier.”
While some areas in England have introduced schemes led by their hotel sectors, Bristol’s Lib Dem group say “a better way forward for Bristol would be for a scheme that incorporated short-term lets as well as hotels and ideally included the whole of the city region”.
Main photo: Marriott
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