Ministers face backlash from hospitality industry over ‘tourist tax’ plans

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Who published it, and when

How it spread - 22 original reports

1. Thu, 10 September 2026

   8 reports
   • The Guardian World09:00first to reportedited after publishing ×3
     Ministers face backlash from hospitality industry over ‘tourist tax’ plans

     previouslyTourists in England face nightly levy on hotel and Airbnb-style stays under new plans

     Many mayors welcome power to impose tourist tax but industry warns of ‘irreparable harm’ and job losses Ministers are facing a backlash from the hospitality industry after they announced mayors in England would be given sweeping powers to levy taxes on holiday accommodation such as hotels and Airbnbs. The plan, presented on Thursday by Angela Rayner, the local government secretary, will allow mayors to impose a “tourist tax” without a cap on how much they can charge and with few controls on how...

   • The Guardian World10:23edited after publishing ×2
     UK politics: Visitor levy powers should be in place by March 2028 in England, ministers say – as it happened

     previouslyNo 10 defends plan for visitor tax, saying communities will keep ‘more of the benefits of tourism’ – UK politics live

     Downing Street gives more details of plan, saying it would be charged as a percentage of accommodation costs, not a flat fee Tourists in England face nightly levy on hotel and Airbnb stays under new plans The Centre for Cities , a thinktank that focuses on promoting growth in cities, has welcomed the government’s plans to let mayors in England impose a tourism tax. This is from its chief executive, Andrew Carter. The overnight visitor levy is a great step forward for fiscal devolution. This...

   • Bloomberg Politics11:12
     UK Confirms New Powers for Mayors to Levy Tax on Tourists

     The UK government confirmed plans to allow local leaders in England to levy an overnight visitors tax on tourists, as Andy Burnham’s new administration seeks to devolve further powers to mayors.

   • The Guardian World13:57
     Much of Europe already levies a tourist tax – a nice little earner for Italian hotspots

     While England makes its first foray into unfamiliar territory, it’s proved a boon for Italy’s cash-strapped municipalities A nightly tourist tax may be unfamiliar territory in the UK , but countries in continental Europe have been cashing in on these kinds of levies for decades. Tourists usually need to pay the tax on the day they check out of a hotel or holiday let, and are often surprised by an extra fee on top of their accommodation costs. Continue reading...

   • localgov.co.uk14:15
     Mayors handed power to introduce overnight visitor levy

     Mayors and local leaders across England will be given the power to introduce an overnight visitor levy as part of the Government's fiscal devolution drive.

   • Anadolu Agency (AA)16:01
     UK government to give more powers to mayors to introduce tourist tax: Report

     'Tourist tax' to allow mayors in England to impose uncapped levy based on cost of hotels, bed, breakfasts and other types of accommodation rather than flat fee

   • The Guardian World16:37
     The hospitality industry fears a tourist tax will deter visitors – the evidence says otherwise

     Studies from hotspots across Europe that have introduced levies suggest they have no impact on visitor numbers If you wandered down Las Ramblas or lazed on a beach in the Balearics this summer, you probably paid a tourist tax for the privilege. In fact, if you enjoyed any of Europe’s beauty spots in recent years, it is likely that an overnight levy was added to your bill. Britons have become used to paying these fees abroad but ministers have shied away from introducing them in the UK. The...

   • Die Zeit (Germany)17:16
     Steuer geplant: Übernachtungssteuer für Touristen in England soll kommen
2. Fri, 11 September 2026

   5 reports
   • nottinghampost.com05:00
     Tourist tax closer than ever for East Midlands as mayor given new powers

     Visitors staying overnight at hotels, B&Bs, holiday lets and campsites could soon be charged a levy

   • grimsbytelegraph.co.uk07:02
     Greater Lincolnshire Mayor rules out tourism tax in the region

     The Government has announced plans to give regional mayors more powers to introduce a visitor levy, but Dame Andrea Jenkyns 'will not be implementing it'

   • newstatesman.com12:31
     The real reason Andy Burnham wants a “tourist tax”

     URL changednow www.newstatesman.com/politics/2026/09/the-real-reason-andy-burnham-wants-a-tourist-tax

     This is the Prime Minister's first real attempt to redistribute power from Whitehall

   • dailymail.com13:36
     A tourist tax is the last thing we need - it hasn't helped in Europe!

     A tourism tax is set to roll across the UK by 2028, with England following Scotland and Wales - but critics have been vocal about their feelings on the matter.

   • tportal (Croatia)16:26
     Putujete u Englesku? Uvodi se turistička pristojba, evo koliko bi to moglo koštati

     Putnici koji posjećuju engleske gradove i regije uskoro bi mogli plaćati turističku pristojbu nakon što je britanska vlada najavila da će gradonačelnicima omogućiti uvođenje naknade za turistička noćenja

3. Sat, 12 September 2026

   1 report
   • ABC News (Australia)04:12
     London tourist tax on accommodation will be capped at 5pc, mayor says

     Legislation unveiled by the government this week will allow local authorities to charge a flat fee or percentage of an overnight stay for domestic and international guests in London accommodations.

4. Fri, 18 September 2026

   1 report
   • dailymail.com09:08
     Chancellor mulls raid on holidays with crackdown on short-term lets

     Properties routinely rented out on platforms such as Airbnb can currently pay business rates instead of council tax in England.

5. Fri, 2 October 2026

   1 report
   • Bloomberg Politics04:30
     Bonds of Bond Street: UK’s Tourism Tax Could Be Used to Borrow Against

     Tourists to London’s Oxford and Bond Streets are used to parting with their cash, but they could soon find themselves embroiled in a more complex financial transaction.

6. Sat, 3 October 2026

   1 report
   • clareherald.com03:27
     Visitor levy could raise more than €200m in Ireland

     URL changednow clareherald.com/news/tourism/visitor-levy-could-raise-more-than-e200m-in-ireland/

     Researchers from University of Galway have designed a visitor levy scheme for Ireland that could generate millions of euro in tax revenue for central government and local authorities. The policy brief ‘Designing a Visitor Accommodation Levy (VAL) for Ireland’ shows that with a well-designed scheme, revenues in excess of €200 million a year could accrue to the […]

7. Thu, 8 October 2026

   1 report
   • ross-shirejournal.co.uk15:37
     Highland Council to run webinars on proposed tourist tax

     The Highland Council is inviting residents and visitors to a series of webinars about the region’s proposed tourist tax.

8. Tue, 13 October 2026

   1 report
   • liverpoolecho.co.uk04:30
     City hotel bosses want answers before backing new 'tourist tax'

     Metro Mayors like Steve Rotheram could be given new powers to charge a levy on hotel stays in Liverpool

9. Sat, 17 October 2026

   1 report
   • Notes from Poland10:37
     Poland moves to allow more municipalities to charge tourist fee

     Kraków, which received 8.7 million overnight tourists last year, had appealed for a change to the law.

10. Mon, 19 October 2026

    1 report
    • gazettelive.co.uk11:50
      New £120 holiday tax coming into force in Spain from December 2026

      A travel expert has explained who will pay, how much - and how to cut the costs

11. Fri, 30 October 2026

    1 report
    • El País (Spain)16:33
      Andalucía rechaza crear la tasa turística pese a la insistencia de sus capitales

      La Consejería de Turismo, en manos de Vox, traslada al Gobierno central la posibilidad de gravar a los visitantes, como sí hacen Cataluña, Baleares y Galicia