Somerset’s Liberal Democrat administration has refused to rule out the introduction of a “tourist tax”, raising concerns for local businesses and the county’s visitor economy.
At a recent meeting of Somerset Council Councillor Bob Filmer, who represents the Brent division, asked the Executive to provide reassurance that a holiday tax would not be introduced locally. The question comes after the Government signalled it may allow local areas to introduce levies on overnight stays in hotels and holiday accommodation.
In response, the Liberal Democrat Executive confirmed that Somerset Council does not currently have the power to introduce such a tax. However, they declined to rule out the possibility in the future, pointing instead to ongoing Government consultations and potential changes linked to devolution and the creation of new strategic authorities.
This leaves open the prospect that Somerset Council could consider introducing a visitor levy, despite the importance of tourism to the local economy.
Somerset has a significant number of businesses tied to tourism, including hotels, holiday parks, guesthouses, and visitor attractions. Many are small or family-run and are already facing rising costs, including higher taxes, increased wage pressures, and ongoing inflation.
Councillor Bob Filmer said:
“Tourism is one of Somerset’s key industries and supports thousands of local jobs. Businesses are already under pressure and the last thing they need is the threat of new local taxes on visitors.
“When asked directly, the Liberal Democrat administration failed to rule out a tourist tax for Somerset. That will concern many businesses who rely on visitors to keep their doors open.
“If we are serious about supporting our local economy we should be backing our tourism sector, not leaving the door open to additional charges that could make Somerset less competitive.”
