Across the globe, many countries and cities have chosen to implement ‘tourist tax’ levies, charged to visitors in order to fund things like infrastructure and events. Usually, these places are very popular with tourists, such as Barcelona and Venice.
In the UK, the first coastal areas to charge this fee from July 1 were in Dorset, beginning with Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch, after hotels voted in favour in a consultation by the Accommodation Business Improvement District (ABID).
Under the new tax, guests staying in larger hotels within these areas have to pay an extra £2 levy per room, per night, predicted to raise £12m over the next five years, with the funds being used to help sustain and develop events within the region.
