• Swindon & Wiltshire Economy
• Thursday December 4 2025

Tourism tax – West mayor writes to sceptical hoteliers

The Mayor of the West of England has written to the region’s hoteliers, to persuade them that the tourism tax proposed in last week’s Budget is a good idea.

The Bristol Hoteliers Association says the tax could put people off visiting the city and be a disastrous blow to their businesses.

Instead, they would like to see national and local government levelling the playing field between established hotels and the unregulated casual holiday lets market, which includes AirBnB.

Back in March, the association suggested people who operate AirBnBs could be charged an administration fee and a cap on the number of nights their property can be used for guests could be introduced.

Bristol as a whole should be doing everything it can to encourage people to visit the city, not impose additional charges which might deter them from coming,” said association chairman Raphael Herzog.

In her letters to hoteliers and the wider tourism industry, Helen Godwin said “proceeds have the potential to enhance and support the sector’s businesses and workers – including with better transport options.”

In her letter, the Mayor encourages people to respond to the government’s national consultation, which runs until February, ahead of new laws going through Parliament next year. Further regional consultation would follow, she says, before the introduction of any levy, reassuring businesses that “nothing is happening overnight”.

She acknowledged that “The last few years have not been the easiest” for the sector, and thanked hoteliers, saying: “The tourism and visitor economy sectors – including businesses across the hotel, hospitality, cultural and creative industries – are part of what makes our part of the world so special.”

“Devolving this power to mayors like me, all around the country, is going to take time,” she writes.

“You would expect me to cheer on the prospect of decisions like this being moved out of Westminster so that they can be taken here, in the West of England, and I do.

“It’s another real vote of confidence in our region. But new laws will have to go through Parliament, and nothing is happening overnight.

“It is, of course, important that any visitor levy includes all those paying to stay. More widely, there is clearly a need for a short term lets registration scheme to ensure a more level playing field, and I hope to see the legislation take that into account.

“Any regional visitor levy here in the West Country would only be introduced after thorough consultation: listening to businesses and learning from the places that already do it well around the world, gathering the necessary evidence and data.

“We also need to look at places that have struggled to implement a simple system that visitors can understand, and businesses can easily deliver, to avoid their mistakes.

“This is a chance for the West of England – to raise investment to make our area better and help support bringing more visitors to our part of the world.

“There is no reason why, working together with business, Visit West, and local councils, we cannot get this right and find a model that works for our region.”