20-06-2025
Glasgow gives go-ahead for 'tourist tax' on visitors
Visitors to Glasgow will be charged an average of £4.83 per night extra for accommodation after councillors approved a new "tourist tax" for the visitor levy, which is due to come into force in January 2027, will charge 5% on overnight stays. It comes after Edinburgh councillors approved a similar charge in January and will cover hotels, hostels, guest houses, B&Bs and self-catering local authority hopes to raise around £16m per year via the tax, which it says will go towards infrastructure improvements and events in the city.
Where is a tourist tax charged?
Several other regions in Scotland are looking at similar plans, with proposals from Highland and Argyll and Bute week Comhairle nan Eilean Siar paused plans to introduce a similar visitor levy, following strong public opposition and Ayrshire Council also abandoned plans for a tourist tax in the region, as only 15% of respondents in a public consultation supported the proposal compared to 79% accommodation providers would be liable for the levy and required to submit quarterly reports - with potential penalties for non-compliant organisations. Businesses would retain 1.5% of the funds collected to cover their own by Sarah Hilley at the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
