From Cllr Kevin Guy, Leader of Bath & North East Somerset Council: I am proud of the huge role Bath plays in supporting the national visitor economy and yesterday’s budget announcement giving regional Mayors the power to introduce a tourism levy is good news and something we have long been calling for.
We are welcoming tens of thousands of visitors over the next three weeks to our world-famous Christmas Market which contributes millions to our regional economy but also comes at a cost on our resources.
A levy will enable us to sustain and improve the quality of the visitor experience while protecting the wellbeing of our communities because we will be able to reinvest directly into the services and infrastructure that make great visits possible.
We will work closely with the West of England Combined Authority (WECA), Visit West and the local visitor economy to explore how the levy could be introduced. Any scheme would be developed in consultation with the hospitality sector, which has faced significant financial pressures since COVID.
This is a positive step for the future, the financial reality for all councils remains challenging and we are not immune from that. Rising demand for services, particularly in social care means we face tough decisions. The uncertainty around the long-delayed Fair Funding Review adds to this difficulty, making long-term planning harder.
While filming yesterday in Bath Christmas Market with C4 News and the BBC for budget reaction, it was great to see so many local and regional businesses setting up their Christmas chalets. I hope each and every business, along with our shops and hospitality sector have a very successful Christmas Market. We know events of this scale can cause disruption for residents, so I want to thank you for your patience and cooperation during the build and event period.
Finally, I’m delighted that Our World Heritage Centre won Gold for Visitor Information Service of the Year at the regional tourism awards, while The Roman Baths & Pump Rooms and Victoria Art Gallery picked up Gold, Silver and Bronze awards. These achievements reflect the council’s hard work – well done to all involved.
Have a great weekend.
Bath Voice and Local Democracy Reporters
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