{"id":1083290,"date":"2026-07-11T19:55:20","date_gmt":"2026-07-11T19:55:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/1083290\/"},"modified":"2026-07-11T19:55:20","modified_gmt":"2026-07-11T19:55:20","slug":"council-launches-visitor-levy-team-to-support-businesses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/1083290\/","title":{"rendered":"Council launches Visitor Levy team to support businesses"},"content":{"rendered":"

Edinburgh Council\u2019s Visitor Levy team is already in place to support businesses ahead of the tourist tax\u2019s launch in a couple of weeks.<\/p>\n

The levy will come into effect on 24 July, and is a 5% charge<\/a>\u00a0on overnight accommodation for those visiting the capital.<\/p>\n

The council expects to raise up to \u00a350 million in revenue each year \u201cto invest in protecting, supporting and enhancing Edinburgh\u2019s worldwide appeal as a place to visit and live\u201d.<\/p>\n

The new team has been visiting accommodation providers across the city, answering questions and helping to explain what businesses need to do to prepare for the levy. They have also been encouraging sign-ups to the online platform for submitting levy returns and making their payments, the first of which are due in October.<\/p>\n

\"\"Edinburgh City Chambers. \u00a9 2026 Martin McAdam<\/p>\n

A range of display materials, including a Q&A, have been prepared to help businesses to explain the levy to their guests, summarising key information and the benefits the scheme will bring to the city. <\/p>\n

Council Leader Jane Meagher said: \u201cWith two weeks to go until the official introduction of the Edinburgh Visitor Levy, I\u2019m very aware of how our busy the city\u2019s accommodation providers already are and want to make sure we\u2019re doing everything we can to support them.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve been in regular touch with industry representatives throughout the process and I\u2019m extremely grateful to them for their constructive feedback and support. We know their guests will have questions of their own about the levy, how it works and how the funds will be invested \u2013 and we\u2019ve developed a range of materials to share with guests and direct them to the most up-to-date information about the scheme.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re the first city in the UK to introduce a visitor levy of this scale, and we\u2019ve built our approach around engagement and support. This is a big opportunity for us all to work together and enhance Edinburgh\u2019s position as one of the most popular visitor destinations in the world.<\/p>\n

Edinburgh\u2019s Visitor Levy scheme\u00a0was formally agreed in January 2025. The levy applies to paid overnight accommodation booked after 1 October 2025, if the stay takes place from 24 July 2026 onwards. It is a 5% payment on the accommodation-only cost and applies to the first 5 nights\u2019 stay.<\/p>\n

The\u00a0first full set of investment programmes for funding raised by the levy<\/a>\u00a0was agreed earlier this year, and will be directed through\u00a0three well-defined themes: City Operations and Infrastructure; Culture, Heritage and Events; and Destination and Visitor Management.<\/p>\n

A new City Centre Policing Unit was unveiled earlier this month<\/a> and is fully funded by the levy.<\/p>\n

This article is provided by the news agency Deadline News Limited and published here with permission.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"image_pdf\"<\/a>\"image_print\"<\/a><\/p>\n

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