Tourist tax given welcome by leaders across region

Leaders from across the West Country have welcomed plans for a so-called tourist tax on overnight visitors to the region.

- Hannah Baker hannah.baker@reachplccom

The levy would be charged on guests staying in hotels, B&Bs, guest houses and holiday rentals, and would be used for funding local projects.

The tax was included in Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ Budget speech yesterday (Wednesday).

West of England Mayor Helen Godwin said the tax had “the potential” to support and enhance the sector's businesses and workers, including with better transport.

“These new powers are a real vote of confidence in our region taking more control of our future,’ she said.

Council leaders, including Deputy Mayor Kevin Guy (inset) in Bath and North East Somerset and Bristol leaders past and present, have long campaigned for the ability to raise revenue through a small charge on overnight stays.

Bath, a city so historic that Unesco listed it twice, was among the New York Times’ 52 must-visit places in the world this year, while Bristol was named by Lonely Planet as one of the world’s best places to visit in 2026.

Visitors are funnelling billions of pounds into the West Country’s economy, new figures have revealed.

The region's tourism value rose to a record high of £2.7bn last year, new data from tourism body Visit West shows.