The first coastal ‘tourist tax’ in the UK is set to be introduced in Dorset after hoteliers in the region voted for the plans.
An accommodation business improvement district (ABID) will be set up in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) so that a levy can be collected from hotels.
From 1 July, guests at around 70 large hotels will be charged an extra £2 per room per night, with the levy expected to generate around £12m to support the region’s tourism over five years.
The money will help sustain several large-scale events, such as the Bournemouth Air Festival, create new events, launch marketing campaigns, generate job opportunities, and support placemaking.
BCP Council leader Vikki Slade said: ‘We congratulate the ABID on being the first for a coastal destination.
‘We are excited at the prospect of working alongside them to deliver a more productive and resilient visitor economy and destination management.’
The BCP ABID said that with local authority budgets becoming increasingly unable to support local events, the ABID model – which has been used in Manchester and Liverpool – is likely to become widespread.
