Tourist levy U-turn ‘a shambles’

THE SNP Government have been accused of being a “complete and utter shambles” after performing a U-turn after just three days — devastating the tourism industry.

- By David Walker Scottish Politics Reporter

Edinburgh will be first to implement the charges

Public Finance Minister Ivan McKee was lauded on Friday after seemingly committing to giving councils the powers to bring in a flat-fee visitor levy, instead of a percentage of hotel bills.

The law passed by Holyrood last year only allows for the percentage model to be implemented by local authorities. But concerns have been raised that this would be a complicated system for accommodation providers to bring in as the total will need to be calculated on every stay.

Mr McKee wrote to Holyrood’s economy and fair work committee stating that the government is aware that “some areas of Scotland are seeking greater flexibility in how the levy is applied and administered”.