Our Labour government have offered elected mayors the power to introduce an overnight visitor levy, like those already seen in Scotland and across Europe.
I stand by my view that a levy has the possibility to be great news for Cheshire’s tourism economy but there is an important nuance.
If I’m elected mayor of Cheshire & Warrington, I’ll consult hotels first – and if they support it, I’ll let them decide how the money is spent.
In reality, an overnight levy of say 1% would mean hotels adding a very small cost to the stay. Many of us will have been on a European break where this has happened. This isn’t new and there is no real evidence that visitors cancel when a few extra euros is added to their bill.
The idea is that this money is then reinvested into local tourism, the visitor economy and our high streets – driving real growth.
Cheshire has an important visitor economy. If we invest in its future, drive footfall, encourage trade, clean up the streets, create attractions and bring events, our county will thrive because the whole tourism and wider hospitality sector benefits. Our local hotel businesses know best how to start that chain reaction.
That’s why any levy must be done in consultation with them, giving hotels a say – and control in how it’s spent. It cannot be thrust upon them or flatly denied by those who claim to speak for a whole sector.
The hotels I’ve spoken with so far are open to my plan, but they already feel taxes are high and they want assurances the levy won’t be wasted on vanity projects. They know that tidier, safer and more vibrant places drive repeat business, and welcoming more visitors is good for them and the wider economy.
I’m keen to show them that, when it comes to growth and prosperity, Labour can be trusted to listen carefully, stand in their corner, and work together to make things better.