Argyll and Bute Visitor Levy consultation survey for Businesses

Consultation Document - Draft Argyll and Bute Visitor Levy Scheme
Foreword by the Council Leader, Jim Lynch

Argyll and Bute welcomes millions of visitors every year. Our visitor economy is vital to the area and we have to be ambitious for its future. We also have to be realistic about funding its future.

Visitors expect and rely on public services that are used also by our communities. Waste, leisure, roads – these are just some of the services our visitors share with our residents.

With council budgets shrinking, funding for many of these shared services is at risk, especially as many are not the duty of a council to deliver.

The national Visitor Levy legislation is about local investment – raising funds to support a sustainable future for our visitor economy, and through that benefits for both visitors and residents locally.

Other areas in Scotland are considering a visitor levy to help them stay competitive as visitor attractions and to benefit their local communities.

We want people in Argyll and Bute to also have the chance to consider a levy for this area.

Could investment from a visitor levy be used to sustain and improve visitors’ experience, and so keep people coming to Argyll and Bute? With less money to spend on public services, if Argyll and Bute doesn’t have a levy, how else could services used by the visitor economy be funded long term?  If the area has a levy, what would local people and businesses want it to be spent on to benefit them, and what support would businesses like as part of making that happen?

The earliest a visitor levy could be introduced in Argyll and Bute is 2027.

We are running a 12 week consultation exercise to give people the chance to consider and give views on a visitor levy. And we would encourage as many people as possible to take part from businesses, communities, tourism organisations and visitors.

You can find more information about a levy on our website, including answers to questions you may have, impact assessments, and links to other sources of information.

Overview
Our visitor economy is a is a key industry for Argyll and Bute. Visitors expect and rely on services that are used also by our communities. The national Visitor Levy (Scotland) Act 2024 gives the opportunity to raise investment to sustain these shared services, support the future of the visitor economy and deliver benefit both visitors and residents.

Argyll and Bute Council has developed a draft Visitor Levy Scheme to support tourism as a sustainable beneficial part of Argyll and Bute community life and economy.

With growing tourism pressures and shrinking public sector budgets we need to investigate options that could help raise income locally, to sustain public services needed and affected by the tourism industry and make improvements to the future delivery of tourism across Argyll and Bute. Many other Scottish councils are also considering implementing a Visitor Levy.

If Argyll and Bute Council introduces such a levy, which at the earliest will be early 2027, the money raised must be used specifically for the benefit of the visitor economy, such as towards making local facilities and services better. Local culture, events and festivals could also benefit. 

What is a Visitor Levy and how much would it cost?

A Visitor Levy is a payment based on the cost of most types of paid, overnight accommodation. Most people paying to stay for an overnight visit to Argyll and Bute would have to pay the levy (exemptions are noted in the Act).

There are questions in this consultation about how much a levy should be, if we had one; and what you would like to see the million pound investment spent on.

There is also the opportunity to tell us if you disagree with a levy, and if so, how would you rather see the future of the visitor economy funded.

For FAQs see: Visitor Levy Guidance,  www.visitscotland.org/supporting-your-business/advice/visitor-levy and Argyll and Bute Visitor Levy,  www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/my-community/recreation-and-leisure/argyll-and-bute-visitor-levy.

What’s next?
Our focus is on developing a scheme that would benefit visitors, residents and the visitor economy. We would therefore welcome your views on key aspects of the scheme, by answering these consultation questions.

The results of this consultation will be drafted into the required consultation report that will be discussed by councillors in the spring of 2025 and will help to decide whether the proposed Argyll and Bute Council Visitor Levy Scheme is changed, accepted or rejected.

In addition, an ongoing programme of communication and engagement with businesses and communities will be arranged over the formal 12- week consultation period, January to March 2025. Further information will be provided in due course on the council’s Visitor Levy web page, see: https://www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/my-community/recreation-and-leisure/argyll-and-bute-visitor-levy

Visitor Levy - why and how to get involved
People in areas across Scotland are considering a visitor levy and we want people in Argyll and Bute to have the same chance to consider one for here.

Investment from a visitor levy, if one was introduced, could benefit local communities as well as visitors - as many services used by visitors are shared with residents.

We are therefore running a 12-week consultation between January and April 2025.

The survey is anonymous but we do ask for your postcode to allow for geographic understanding of responses.

We appreciate you taking time to complete the survey and your responses are gratefully received. A copy of the Privacy Notice can be found at - https://www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/my-community/recreation-and-leisure/visitor-levy-consultation-privacy-notice.

This survey has up to 10 questions for you to complete.