The first city in the UK to start charging visitors is Manchester.
Enhancing Visitor Experience
The municipal visitor charge, sometimes known as the tourist tax, intends to earn millions of pounds to be used for “enhancing the visitor experience.”
The decision is in line with those made by European towns like Barcelona and Venice.
Visitors staying at hotels in the city center will be charged £1 per night, per room, starting on April 1.
The new Manchester Accommodation Business Improvement District (ABID), which intends to “promote future growth of the visitor economy” over the next five years, will benefit from the scheme’s anticipated £3 million in annual revenue.
Everything has taxes now
The Manchester Accommodation BID is a groundbreaking new effort led by the city’s hotel and serviced apartment providers to help generate new events and extracurricular activities that will draw more tourists to visit and stay in Manchester and Salford, according to the Manchester ABID website.
Additionally, it will serve to improve the entire guest experience and develop the city’s tourism industry by:
-boosting advertising initiatives that encourage overnight stays;
-arranging large-scale occasions, conferences, and festivals during off-peak times;
-increasing street cleanliness and welcoming guests.
The City Visitor Charge, a supplemental £1 Fee per room/unit per night* for visitors, will be used to pay for the aforementioned events.
On 1 April 2023, all reservations made at establishments that charge for lodging and are located in the Manchester Accommodation BID zone will be subject to the mandatory charge.
The tax, according to ABID head Annie Brown, will help the city and tourists.
She told the Manchester Evening News: “We feel it’s a minor sum relative to other European cities that have taxes and visitor charges in place for a period of years, although [the message it sends] has been considered.
“Manchester has done something that other cities in the UK are looking to implement; I don’t think it’s a fee that’s off-putting.”
She went on: “It’s well known that we have a rising number of hotels opening, so it’s critical that we maintain our growth and position ourselves as a destination.
“There are several strategies to accomplish this, but the two most effective ones revolve around holding city events during “shoulder periods,” or slower times of the year, and luring major events to the area.
We are aware that we are competing against other major cities not just in the UK but all around the world, whether it be for major athletic, musical, or conference events.
Even though Annie is originally from Australia, it is evident that Manchester has captured her heart, and she welcomes tourists to come and experience for themselves.
In the end, she remarked, “I feel so passionately about Manchester, even though I’m not from Manchester, what greater thing is there to be involved in – presenting Manchester to the world.
Because it’s such an exciting, dynamic, and active city that’s wonderful from a professional and leisure viewpoint, it’s my favorite place I’ve worked in in the UK.
There has never been a better moment to visit Manchester because there are so many options available on every level.