London Might Be Getting a Tourist Tax

With London as one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, city residents are used to coming up with innovative ways to adapt and cater to visitors—there's now an app to help you scavenger hunt in museums, and a tour bus specially catered for canine travelers. However, the latest proposed addition to the U.K. capital is little less playful and a tad more costly, as the city hopes to turn high visitor numbers into profit by adding a small tax to hotel bills, which could then be used to improve the environment and infrastructure.

While the city has no plan to curb visitor numbers, London mayor Sadiq Khan said in a press conference last week that visitors could eventually see five percent of the total room rate added to their hotel bills. According to a report by the Greater London Assembly (GLA), the tax, which is similar to ones that exist in Berlin and Paris, could generate £240 million (USD $300 million) for the city each year. In turn, that profit could benefit the city in all manner of ways—from making the city cleaner and better maintained to free entry for cultural attractions (notably, the majority of London’s major museums like the Tate, Victoria & Albert Museum, and the Natural History Museum already offer free entry for permanent exhibits). Speaking to the Independent, Khan said that the tax is intended to ensure that “tourists who come to London contribute to our city.” Adding, “If you look around the world, major cities have a levy for tourists of one or two per cent.” The decision comes as part of wider proposals laid out by the the London Finance Commission, which would help give London more control over its economy in the wake of the country’s decision to leave the European Union. The tax would be the first of its kind in London.

 

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