North Yorkshire mayor backs tourist tax calls

York and North Yorkshire's elected mayor has backed calls for a tourist tax to help fund public services and pay for the upkeep of tourist hotspots.

David Skaith has joined senior York councillors and York Central's Labour MP Rachael Maskell in calling for the visitor levy, with the mayor suggesting a county-wide tax.

The Labour representative said mayors would need more powers to raise their own funds as they take on further responsibilities.

The government said it had no plans to give local authorities in England powers to introduce tourism taxes.

Industry body Hospitality Association York previously said the introduction of further costs could "negatively impact the local economy" and may put tourists off.

West Yorkshire mayor Tracy Brabin recently told MPs a visitor levy had been floated in talks with the chancellor about further tax powers for regional authorities.

It follows the introduction of a 5% tax on visitor accommodation charges set to come into effect in Edinburgh in July 2026, with a nightly £1 charge already in use in Manchester.

Skaith said York and North Yorkshire welcomed more than 25m visitors a year, adding: "A modest visitor levy, like those in most European cities, would allow us to invest in public services.

"That would help us to keep our great places attractive for both residents and visitors as well as improving services that residents rely on, such as transport."

The mayor's comments come amid debate about how a potential tourist tax would be implemented in York and who would get powers to levy it.

Labour-run City of York Council's leader and deputy leader - Claire Douglas and Pete Kilbane - have both backed a visitor levy.

Kilbane said the local authority would lobby the government for levy charge powers so it could control how the money was spent.

Maskell estimated that charges of £1 or £2 a night on stays in York could raise £1.7m and £3.4m a year respectively.

But Hospitality Association York warned the hospitality industry already faced mounting costs, including upcoming minimum wage and National Insurance increases.

Rebecca Layton, who is Indie York chair and runs the Galtres Lodge Hotel, said: "Fundamentally we're against it as a business and as the hospitality association.

"One of the problems is there is no real detail behind it - there are various figures flying around, we haven't had the detail to be able to give a proper response."

York-based sales and marketing business owner Keith Rozelle told the Local Democracy Reporting Service he would welcome the charges.

"Something has got to be done because councils' budgets have been pared to the bone," he said.

"The city is an amazing place, I want to keep it amazing."

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