The Coach Tourism Association (CTA) has welcomed a last-minute delay to the introduction of a “tourist tax” in the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) area.
The board of the BCP Accommodation Business Improvement District (ABID) voted last month to hold off on the £2-per-night visitor charge, which was set to be enforced from 1 July.
That came after a group of 42 hoteliers in the area lodged an appeal with the Secretary of State, claiming that many of the 75 owners of eligible hotels were either unable to vote or unaware of a ballot on the levy. The ABID motion was carried by 16 votes to 15.
CTA Chair Robert Shaw says: “We are pleased that the Bournemouth tourism levy has been suspended and we await the outcome of the appeal process with interest.
“Our coach operator members had been very concerned about the proposed implementation on 1 July after only a few weeks’ notice, and the additional costs that it would impose on our customers.”
Only larger hotels were eligible to instigate the charge. Some of those had vowed not to impose the levy on individuals or tour operators for bookings that had already been taken by those businesses.
“Many operators will have bookings in Bournemouth this year that were contracted long before the levy was even thought of,” says Mr Shaw.
“We note that some hotels have proposed a phased introduction with no additional charges on bookings already in place, and we hope that this sensible approach is adopted by all hotels in the area.
“On a wider front, we remain concerned that the process in Bournemouth means the tourism levy would only be imposed on customers staying at larger hotels. This discriminates against some visitors, including the large number who are brought to the resort by coach tour operators.
“We hope that this pause in the process will allow a reconsideration that results in a much more equitable scheme that means that, if tourists are asked to contribute, it would include all visitors.”
A decision from the incoming Secretary of State is expected around the end of September. Meanwhile, a ballot is set to be completed this month on the introduction of a similar visitor levy in Cambridge.
