As part of a new "visitor charge," visitors to Manchester, England, will now be required to pay a daily fee.
The third-largest city in Britain will enact the tax on April 1 and charge guests staying in hotels or rental apartments in the city center per room for each night of their stay.
It is hoped that the daily fee of 1 pound ($1.23) won't dissuade tourists from visiting the city and will instead raise roughly 3 million pounds ($3.6 million) annually to support the development of the community's infrastructure.
It occurs at a time when Manchester's hospitality industry is undergoing significant development, adding roughly 6,000 new hotel rooms over the next few years. Hoteliers anticipate that it will result in an additional 1 million overnight stays.
After the success of initiatives of a similar nature in popular tourist locations like Venice, Italy; Barcelona; and Rome, it is the first of its sort to be unveiled in the United Kingdom.
Edinburgh, Scotland, revealed plans to start charging visitors $2.46 (two pounds) each night to stay in the famed city in November.
In 2019, we discussed the initial concept prior to the pandemic.
In order to "enhance the guest experience" and "promote future expansion of the visitor economy," during the course of the following five years, the project will assist in funding the creation of the Manchester Accommodation Business Improvement District, or ABID.
ABID chair Annie Brown downplayed any effects the cost-of-living crisis might have, saying, "I think [the message it sends] has been a consideration, but when you compare it to European cities that have had taxes and visitor levies in place for a number of years, we feel it's a small amount comparatively."
However, Brown says that other British cities intend to introduce a program similar to this one and doesn't find the fee to be off-putting.
"We'll get the entertainment and cleaning, and we'll follow through on our business plan. In terms of revenue, it will be the largest lodging BID outside of central London, according to Brown.
Where will I pay the tax and what is the amount?
Every night you stay, there is a charge of one British pound per room.
74 hotels in the inner ring road of the city, according to Visit Manchester, will impose the tax.
How will I pay the charge?
Visit Manchester hasn't specified the details of how the fee will be applied.
That will be added to your bill, payable at the conclusion of your stay, if it's anything like comparable programs in mainland Europe.
How does the visitor tax compare with other places?
Manchester's tax is still reasonably low when compared to other popular holiday places in Europe. Others impose "visitor fees" on travelers in their towns and areas.
Rome
The "tassa di soggiorno" (holiday tax) in Rome, for instance, ranges from 3 euros ($3.24) to 7 euros ($7.56) a night, depending on the hotel's star level.
The first 10 nights of a stay need payment for that.
Venice
In contrast, only the first five nights of a visit in Venice are subject to a fee, which varies depending on the hotel's star level and ranges from 1 euro ($1.08) to 5 euro ($5.40) each night.
But, living outside the floating city will not allow you to avoid the fee.
Instead, a fee ranging from 3 euros ($3.24) to 10 euros ($10.80) per day is required of those who only intend to stay for the day.
Barcelona
Barcelona, the city with the highest number of visitors in Spain, charges visitors at various rates based on the kind of lodging they choose.
Only regulated, authorized tourist accommodations are subject to the tax.
Now, a renter in a regulated tourist flat pays the area 2.25 euros ($2.43) per night and the city 1.75 euros ($1.89) per night, for a total of 4 euros ($4.32).
Nonetheless, a guest at a five-star hotel pays the same 1.75 euros to the city and 3.50 euros to the area per night.
But, on April 1, 2023, and again in April 2024, the 1.75 euro charge paid to the city will double to 2.75 euros ($2.97) and then to 3.25 euros ($3.51), respectively.
That means that in addition to the room fee, a five-night stay in a five-star hotel in Barcelona will cost an additional 33.75 euros ($36.45) by April 2024.
Hawaii
Hawaii has initiated new legislation that will charge visitors a $50 annual fee in order to access any of the state-owned parks, beaches, woods, or hiking trails, even if it is not yet in effect.
It would be marketed as a "green tax" and go towards supporting environmental awareness campaigns and reducing the negative effects of crowding on the island's most well-liked outdoor attractions.
In order to implement and scale up conservation activities across Hawaii, community organizations, state agencies, and local governments would get a steady stream of revenue from the green charge, according to proponents.
Hawaii Governor Josh Green stated, "If we don't take significant action, not only will the visitor experience suffer, but more significantly, we will have failed to be decent stewards of the Hawai'i we call home."
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