Dear Editor, I want to start by thanking the tourism and visitor economy sectors – including businesses across the hotel, hospitality, cultural and creative industries – are part of what makes our part of the world so special.
The last few years have not been the easiest, I know, for lots of reasons, but we can look forward with real hope and excitement.
The West remains the place to be, thanks to our culture, our nature, and so much more besides. International visitor numbers are soaring, thanks to what you offer, and the work of the travel trade, and the brilliant Visit West. Tourism was worth a record amount last year, not just making money for our regional economy but creating jobs for local people and making memories for the people visiting.
The visitor economy, hospitality, and the creative industries are key strengths in our new ten-year Growth Strategy. Your sectors support tens of thousands of jobs and life here simply wouldn’t be the same without you. Because, thanks to you, the West isn’t just the best place to spend money, start a business, or invest – it’s the best place to spend time.
The announcement from the Government around a visitor levy has already sparked a wider debate across the region and the country. That is something to welcome. I would encourage everyone in the region who has a view, particularly businesses like yours, to take part in the national consultation. It is running until February 2026, so please do have your say.
Devolving this power to mayors like me, all around the country, is going to take time. You would expect me to cheer on the prospect of decisions like this being moved out of Westminster so that they can be taken here, in the West of England, and I do. It’s another real vote of confidence in our region. But new laws will have to go through Parliament, and nothing is happening overnight.
It is, of course, important that any visitor levy includes all those paying to stay. More widely, there is clearly a need for a short term lets registration scheme to ensure a more level playing field, and I hope to see the legislation take that into account.
Any regional visitor levy here in the West Country would only be introduced after thorough consultation: listening to businesses and learning from the places that already do it well around the world, gathering the necessary evidence and data. We also need to look at places that have struggled to implement a simple system that visitors can understand, and businesses can easily deliver, to avoid their mistakes.
This is a chance for the West of England – to raise investment to make our area better and help support bringing more visitors to our part of the world. There is no reason why, working together with business, Visit West, and local councils, we cannot get this right and find a model that works for our region.
I’m looking forward to working with and meeting with you over the coming months and years.
Yours sincerely, Helen Godwin, Mayor of the West of England
More news: westofengland-ca.gov.uk/news
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