Visitor Levy Consultation with Industry Series: Hotels and Serviced Accommodation

As Highland Council begins its 12-week statutory consultation on the proposed Visitor Levy, Visit Inverness Loch Ness is bringing the Highland tourism industry together to make sure businesses have an opportunity to share their experience, concerns and ideas.

This first industry session will focus specifically on hotels and serviced accommodation, providing an opportunity for businesses to discuss the proposed levy directly with industry representatives and colleagues from across Highland.

The session forms part of a wider 12-week Highland Industry Evidence and Engagement Programme, being coordinated by Visit Inverness Loch Ness in partnership with the Scottish Tourism Alliance, Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers, Highland Hotels Association, Highland Caravan & Camping Parks Association, Inverness City Centre BID, Nairn BID, Dornoch BID and other tourism and business organisations.

What will we discuss?

The proposed fixed-rate levy includes a £5 charge per room or area per night for hotels, guest houses, B&Bs, short-term lets and similar accommodation, applying for nine months of the year.

We want to hear directly from businesses about what this could mean in practice, including:

• The potential impact of the proposed £5 rate on pricing, margins and occupancy
• How visitors may respond to an additional charge
• Potential impacts on length of stay and destination choice
• The practical costs and challenges of collecting and administering the levy
• Seasonality and the impact of excluding December, January and February
• How levy income should be invested to deliver genuine additional benefit for Highland
• Governance, accountability and how businesses can have a meaningful voice in future decisions

This is not simply a yes-or-no discussion about the levy. We want to gather evidence, understand the realities facing businesses and identify what a fair, proportionate and workable approach could look like for Highland.

An opportunity to shape the industry response

The evidence gathered through this session will contribute to our wider programme of sector and geographic engagement and help inform the joint Highland industry evidence report being developed ahead of Highland Council's December decision.

The session will be independently facilitated to ensure that businesses have a constructive and open environment in which to contribute.

Councillors will also be invited to attend, providing an opportunity for them to hear directly from businesses and understand the practical implications of the proposal.

This is an important opportunity for Highland's hotel and serviced accommodation sector to have its voice heard and to help shape the evidence that will inform the next stage of the Visitor Levy process.

Places are limited, so businesses are encouraged to register their interest as soon as possible