A popular UK city that is often named the world’s most beautiful is considering introducing a tourist tax for its visitors in a bid to boost funding for its historic attractions, it has been reported.
York is a historic city in North Yorkshire, England, renowned for its rich heritage, stunning architecture, and vibrant cultural scene.
However, the Labour-run council is reportedly in talks with the hospitality industry for introducing a European-style small nightly charge for those staying at accommodation in the city.
Last year, the famous destination witnessed nine million visitors including 1.7million who stayed overnight.
Katie Lomas, a Labour councillor on York City Council who is the executive member for finance, told The Telegraph: “People are already very used to paying an extra small charge per night on their hotel bill for the tourist tax in Europe.
“What we want to do is look at how we charge a levy for tourists. York has a vibrant tourism economy and that’s great for the city and brings a lot of income to local businesses. But it doesn’t give any income to the city council for the maintenance of public spaces.”
She added: “There’s no funding from the Government for things like maintaining historic assets. From the discussions we have already had with the hospitality industry, I don’t think they would have any concern about the type of levy we would introduce.”
However, Conservative councillor Chris Steward said he did not support the tax, telling The Telegraph that because they “are becoming more common on the Continent, a lot of councillors see it as a good way to get a bit of free money”.
He added: “I think it would just be seen as a revenue raiser. We have got a Labour council that is freely spending money and just wants more money to spend to fix their black holes.”
The move comes as London’s Mayor Sadiq Khan is working on a plan to implement tourist tax in hotels in London. His team is reportedly taking clues from Manchester and Liverpool, which have already brought in similar charges, as well as other cities around Europe.
A tourist tax, also known as a visitor levy, is a fee charged to travelers for staying overnight in accommodations within certain destinations. The revenue generated is typically used to support local infrastructure, maintain tourist attractions, and promote sustainable tourism.
Cities like Barcelona, Venice, and Paris have well-established tourist taxes, often ranging from €1 to €5 per night (£0.8 to £4.12 approximately).
In Asia, popular destinations such as Japan and Malaysia have introduced small levies to support sustainable tourism.
In UK, the concept is not widespread though but many cities are in plans to adopt it. For instance, Edinburgh City Council has begun drafting a scheme for a tourist tax, and expects to launch it from April 2026. Aberdeen City, Argyll and Bute, and Highland councils are also planning to consult on a levy.
