Calls for views on possible Cornwall 'tourism tax'

Business owners in Cornwall have been asked to give their opinions on whether there should be a tax or a levy on tourists.

Tourism body Visit Cornwall has started a survey which will run until the end of the month which it said was about presenting a "unified industry response".

A tourism tax or levy is extra money generated from tourists or the tourism industry, such as added charges on overnight accommodation for visitors.

Jon Hyatt, who chairs Visit Cornwall, said he was "against any charge that might put visitors off".

Although Cornwall Council said in 2024 it would not press the government for devolved powers to introduce such a levy, Visit Cornwall said there were "growing suggestions" again for its introduction.

Mr Hyatt added he did not want tourists to receive "wrong messaging" which might lead people to think they would be "better off going elsewhere".

"Tourism tax and visitor levies do work in other locations, but that is particularly mainland Europe and cities where the visitor demographic and local economy is different," he added.

He said any proposal should meet the "principles of fairness and transparency, industry involvement and reinvestment in Cornish tourism".

Alistair Handyside, from the South West Tourism Alliance, said he did not welcome the idea of a tourism tax.

He said he did not know of "rural and coastal areas" where it had worked.

"You have to be very careful how this would be applied, what the money is used for and how it is determined how it is spent," he added.

The CEO of the Eden Project, Andy Jasper, also had doubts about the idea.

He said Cornwall had seen a "slight decline" in tourism in the last decade.

"We completely understand the rationale behind wanting to bring in more money to support the tourism industry, but why would you put anything in place to create a barrier in this area?" he said.

In St Ives, mayor and town councillor Johnnie Wells said he had called for a voluntary community charge.

The proposal was for a voluntary scheme run through accommodation providers which would not require any legislation.

"Any money collected in St Ives should stay in St Ives," he said.

"We have 11,500 people who live here paying for services that hundreds of thousands of visitors use a year. One pound a night would seem to be a fair price compared to Europe.

"It would need to be affordable, transparent and spent on things that offset the impact of tourism - like recycling or training for local young people."

The Visit Cornwall survey is running until 31 July.

Follow BBC Cornwall on X, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].