Plans to introduce a tourism levy in England would amount to a holiday tax on British families, adding extra financial strain when many are already struggling with the cost of living, say holiday parks.
The statement has come from the Holiday and Residential Parks Association (HARPA) which has repeated its warning that the government’s proposed tourism levy would disproportionately affect people who are already carefully budgeting.
It comes in the last few days of the government’s consultation on the plan. If approved, regional mayors would have the power to impose tourism levies.
With tourism taxes common in Europe, many believe the idea could boost resources for local infrastructure in areas with high tourism and mitigate the extra costs of hosting large volumes of people from outside of the local area. A £1 a night room tax in Manchester raised £2.8m in its first year.
But Debbie Walker, director-general of HARPA, said: “This so-called tourism levy is, in reality, a holiday tax on British families, hitting both adults and children.
“For many families trying to cope with the cost of living crisis, a UK holiday is one of the few chances they have all year to switch off and spend time together.
“Holiday parks and campsites offer some of the most affordable holidays in the UK – and this tax risks pricing people out of breaks at a time when money is tight.”
Holiday parks play a vital role in rural and coastal communities, she said, and are economic anchors which support local jobs and sustain nearby shops, pubs and visitor attractions.
“A holiday tax would deter holidaymakers, meaning fewer visitors spending less,” she claimed.
“While we fully recognise the financial pressures facing local authorities, a holiday tax adding around £100 to a typical family two-week break is not the right solution.
“This is especially true when you take in to account that VAT on tourism accommodation in the UK is already double that of France, Spain and Italy.”
The sector has warned that if the Government’s aim is to support sustainable tourism and encourage people to holiday in the UK, introducing new charges would undermine that ambition.
“If we want people to choose UK holidays, taxing them for doing so sends exactly the wrong message,” Debbie Walker added.
She points out that if a tourism levy of £2 per person per night was introduced, a family of five staying for two weeks on a holiday park or campsite during the Easter holidays would face an additional £140 in charges
