England’s regional mayors will soon have the power to introduce a levy on overnight stays in hotels, B&Bs, guesthouses and holiday lets.
Under the plans, areas with directly elected mayors could choose to add an overnight-stay charge. Fees would be managed locally and spent on improving public transport, funding culture and events, and upgrading visitor services.
Officials highlight that this brings English cities into line with global tourist hubs like Paris, Milan and New York — many of which already harness overnight levies to fund growth.
Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government Steve Reed said: ‘Tourists travel from near and far to visit England’s brilliant cities and regions.
‘We’re giving our mayors powers to harness this and put more money into local priorities, so they can keep driving growth and investing in these communities for years to come.’
Cllr Claire Holland, chair of London Councils, said: ‘We welcome the news that London will be able to introduce an overnight accommodation levy – this has been a long-standing ask from boroughs.’
Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, Steve Rotheram, said: ‘Our visitor economy is worth more than £6bn a year and supports over 55,000 local jobs. A modest levy could raise up to £17m annually – money that would stay local and be reinvested in the things that make our region stand out: our world-class culture, iconic events, vibrant public spaces and the infrastructure that ties it all together. It’s only fair that those who enjoy everything our region has to offer play a small part in helping to sustain it.’
