Thanet District Council will not introduce a ‘tourist tax’ on overnight stays

Proposals for a “tourist tax” will not be considered further by a municipality – because it does not have the authority to do so.

The idea to impose “a modest tourist tax on overnight stays” was put to the Thanet District Council (TDC) cabinet this evening (Thursday).

It was one of the suggestions made by the authority’s tourism working group, which was set up last summer.

The intention of the policy was to address the impact of visitors on local communities, with the biggest issues being the use of facilities such as public toilets and beaches and the increase in litter and traffic.

The report says: “We want a thriving visitor economy, but we are acutely aware of the additional costs that visitors bring, so we must do everything we can to secure income for the council and offset these costs. ”

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Other ideas included “ensuring that holiday lets contribute to funding the costs they incur and taking a robust approach with Southern Water on beach pollution and exploring options to provide paid facilities such as beach huts with overnight stay facilities “.

The group has also proposed additional council tax on second homes and long-term vacant properties – which the council plans to introduce from April 2025 and is expected to raise £540,800 for the authority.

The proposed levy divided opinion; some called it a “ridiculous idea,” while others praised the chance to “put some money back into the local economy.”

Jane Bishop, owner of the Walpole Bay Hotel, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): “People used to come for long stays, we didn’t have the short breaks we have today, and some people came for six weeks. weeks in the summer, so it has changed.

“We pay business rates, we have to pay for our own waste disposal, our own recycling, as far as Walpole is concerned we have been the public toilet in Walpole Bay since 2007 so we feel we have done our bit.

“We would be the tax collectors for the municipality, while we already contribute enormously to the well-being of the city.”

Ms Bishop admitted that some visitors incur costs. She said: “(It’s) mainly the people who come with Margate on day trips because they come down and they bring their music, their food and their drink, and they spend all day using our beaches and our facilities, getting on their trains and coaches and cars and leaving us with all the rubbish.”

“We want people to come here and we don’t want them to pay through the nose,” she added.

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Visitors were divided on the streets of Margate.

“I think it’s a really good idea,” said Mia Smith, 22, visiting from Bristol.

“I think it’s a good thing to put some money back into the local economy.”

Melinda Richards, 47 and visiting from Australia, added: “I think it’s a ridiculous idea, extra charges on hotel bills are just stupid.

“The area does need more investment, but not in the tourist tax way, absolutely not.”

“I think there are positives and negatives, but overall I think a tourist tax would be good if it helps the local community,” said Navaneethan Natarajan from Birmingham.

“Hopefully nothing too big because that would put people off coming here,” the 23-year-old added.

However, at tonight’s TDC Cabinet meeting, council leader Cllr Rick Everitt (Lab) said: “The council has no powers to introduce a tourist tax and the government said last year that it does not intend to give this council powers to impose a set tourist tax. .”

Some local authorities have found ways to charge visitors extra. In Manchester there is an additional £1 tourist tax on the cost of an overnight stay through the council’s Business Improvement District (BID).

Liverpool also has one, but costs vary depending on the company offering the accommodation.

“If we were ever clearly going down that path we would consult with businesses and get their views,” Cllr Everitt added.

Opposition Conservative Cllr Phil Fellows attended the meeting and insisted: “No one is talking about setting up toll booths on the Thanet Way to charge people.”

The tourism report also suggested other measures such as new signage, CCTV and more rubbish bins on the district’s beaches.