Exhausted residents of the South Coast want to charge tourists to visit their popular beaches.
Residents in Dorset want to implement a “tourist tax” because they are fed up with the fact that reckless tourists have “destroyed” the beaches in the Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole municipal areas this summer.
Maris Lake, a local resident, has started a Change.org petition requesting that the council impose a tax on everyone entering a designated zone within the area.
According to Mr. Lake’s plans, only locals and those with family in the area would be spared from the levy he seeks to implement this summer.
Mr. Lake told the Bournemouth Echo, ‘I believe all locals are aware of how our beaches look after the weekend.
When something is free, individuals will exploit it. If people were required to pay, it could alter their mindset.
Tourism tax is currently employed elsewhere, including in Spain, France, Greece, and Portugal, and it is not the first time that its implementation on the southern coast has been contemplated.
The cities of Bournemouth and Christchurch, Poole councillor Vikki Slade stated, ‘We did consider it a few years ago, and there was fear that it could make the Bournemouth and Poole area less appealing than its competitors.
If it could be administered effectively, I believe it deserves consideration.
It is really unreasonable to expect the local taxpayer to spend a great deal of money on activities whose primary purpose is to address visitor behavior.
However, not all council members agree that taxing tourists is a good idea.
Councilwoman Beverley Dunlop stated, “Maintaining our beaches in pristine condition is an investment that does not cost local taxpayers anything.” All of our leisure, entertainment, events, and festivals are funded by revenue from the beachfront, which also generates millions of pounds to support other services.
‘Taxing’ visitors would be an unprecedented move for a UK destination, since it would be exceedingly impracticable, intrusive, and would actively repel them, jeopardizing the economic benefits they bring to our region.
“Both visitors and locals have a responsibility to respect our beachfront. Everyone who enjoys the beauty and vitality of the BCP region is invited. We urge these guests to stay in our hotels and to visit our seaside and cities at any time.
Mr. Lake, the originator of the petition, stated that there is “no evidence” that a tourism tax would negatively impact the summertime influx of tourists to the Dorset coast.
He stated, “Tourist tax is applied in a number of European nations, and it simply generates more revenue for local governments.
There is no evidence that it harms tourism; if anything, it enhances it since you have more money to do things.
The petition of Mr. Lake currently has 162 signatories.
It stated, “This can be readily accomplished with a license plate recognition system, and permits could be monitored online and issued for family members coming to visit or something similar.”
“Money collected from this tourism tax might be used for much-needed BCP enhancements.
This would lower the amount of money spent cleaning the beaches each weekend during the tourist season and would allow the money collected from tourism tax to be re-invested towards BCP upgrades or at the very least be used to pay for beach cleaning, rather than being taken from locals’ tax dollars.
Locals had previously criticized the municipality after it was found that no fines had been issued to beach litterers in the previous year.
Wales said earlier this year that it was considering a tourism charge on all overnight visitors to assist fund local services such as cleaning beaches, maintaining parks, and constructing new footpaths.
Rebecca Evans, the Minister for Finance and Local Government, stated in February, ‘Visitor charges are widespread in international tourism hotspots. They offer an opportunity for tourists to invest in local infrastructure and services, which contribute to the development of tourism.
Without such a tax, local communities would bear an excessive burden to fund tourist-reliant local services and amenities.
The Welsh tourist tax has not been confirmed, and the proposed implementation date is autumn 2022; the amount of the tax has not been determined.
The Welsh tourism industry, according to hospitality executives, would be “decimated” if this proposal were implemented.
Ashford Price, secretary of the Welsh Association of Visitor Attractions, urged that the plans be canceled due to the Welsh government’s “increasing anti-English and anti-tourist prejudice.”
He said, “How many of our potential customers will just vote with their feet and go to Devon, Ireland, or Scotland rather than pay another additional tax at a time when they are attempting to manage a personal cost of living crisis?”
William Lees-Jones, proprietor of the 194-year-old JW Lees Brewery company, warned that any new levy would result in prospective tourists choosing Spain over Wales.
He stated to MailOnline, “It [the tourist tax] will be a catastrophe.” People will ultimately travel to Spain instead.
Others shared his opinion. One individual told the Daily Post, “A week in Wales is already more expensive than a two-week all-inclusive vacation in Spain.”
The imposition of a tax would drive up the price, so harming the individual or organization.