EMMA RODDICK MSP CALLS FOR VISITOR LEVY TO BE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE MOTORHOMES

SNP MSP for the Highlands & Islands Emma Roddick has called for an expansion to the visitor levy to include motorhomes.

The Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill, that was passed last week [28th of May], will allow local authorities to apply a visitor tax on tourists to generate funds for communities so that facilities and roads can be upkept for the good of everyone who uses them, without the whole cost falling on local residents.

During the debate, Emma called for this to be expanded further, taking into account the amount of people who travel around the region for the North Coast 500 in campervans.

Speaking on expanding the levy, Emma said:

“I am delighted that the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill was passed in Parliament last week, which gives local authorities in the Highlands and Islands powers to raise revenue based on visitor numbers.  While we welcome visitors to the Highlands, there are places I represent where the volume of tourism is unsustainably high, and the local authorities are struggling to cover the costs.  People make use of services, which cost money to run, and there are often cleaning and repair bills, too.

“I believe that this levy could go further to also include motorhomes who use our roads, often to extreme levels such as what we see for much of the year in Skye.  They present a cost to the local authority and residents living there without always giving back to the local economy in the way that people staying in hotels usually do.

“We need to look at expanding the visitor levy to also apply to motorhomes, to ensure it captures all those using our facilities and wearing the roads, making sure the cost does not fall back on those who call the Highlands their home.”