PUB landlords have condemned plans to introduce a tourist tax in Edinburgh.
Council bosses want to charge visitors £2 a night – or two per cent of the cost of their overnight stay – in a bid to raise an extra £13 million annually.
But Brigid Simmonds, chief executive of the Scottish Beer & Pub Association, said this would only add to the sector’s challenges.
She said an ongoing consultation over the proposals was of “real concern”, adding: “In Scotland, our industry supports nearly 60,000 jobs and contributes £1.73bn to the economy – it is also a crucial part of the nation’s tourism offer, with a visit to a traditional pub ranking third on the list of things tourists do when they visit.
“Pubs have faced a number of challenges over the last decade and still face increasing and considerable tax pressures from a range of sources; particularly high beer duty, unfair business rates and VAT.
“Any introduction of a ‘tourism tax’ in Edinburgh will see tourists having less money to spend in the city and only add to the challenges.”
Ms Simmonds insisted any decision to press ahead must be accompanied by a reduction in tax elsewhere.
She said: “It is vital that any levy is hypothecated back into the sector to attract more visitors to the city and help those businesses which will be impacted by this tax.
“Scotland’s fantastic brewing industry has huge potential with some of the world’s great beers being produced right here.
“When tourists come to our pubs and sample our beer, they also go back home wanting to drink our beers which has helped grow our exports.
“Surely then we should be encouraging, rather than discouraging, tourists who visit and sometimes stay in one of Edinburgh’s many great pubs?
“On average, every pub contributes £100,000 to their local economy each year, and with tourism being such an important backbone to Edinburgh’s economy, a ‘tourism tax’ on one of Edinburgh’s most successful businesses could be bad news for the city.”
Edinburgh Council, which is run by a SNP-Labour coalition, launched a public consultation on its plans earlier this week.
It came after Nicola Sturgeon announced the Scottish Government would also examine the proposals, with Glasgow and Highland councils backing their own local versions of a tourist tax.
Similar schemes are common throughout Europe, but have yet to be introduced in the UK.
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