Differing views on value of tourist tax (From York Press)

Differing views on value of tourist tax

10:49am Thursday 9th February 2012 in Letters

I SUPPORT the Fairness Commission’s proposal to levy a tourist tax (The Press, February 7).

Predictably, York hoteliers oppose the idea, but their contention that a £1 a night tax would deter visitors is laughable. A pound is less than half the price of a cup of coffee.

A £1 tax would barely change the cost of a hotel room, but the revenue would keep the city cleaner, greener and more vibrant.

Money could be spent, for example, on extending pedestrianisation and introducing an electric taxi service to replace more polluting forms of transport; or spent to increase the variety of cultural events.

The council is required to deal with all the waste generated by millions of tourists and the wear and tear to the city’s streets from all these visitors. Why should tourists not contribute to maintaining the city they love to visit?

No evidence is ever presented to substantiate the scaremongering about the alleged damage a tourism tax would bring. There is plenty of evidence around Europe that such a tax benefits tourism and the local economy. And yes, I did try to advance this when I was on the Lib Dem executive.

Christian Vassie, Blake Court, Wheldrake.

• THE suggestion that City of York Council might introduce a tourism tax is an extraordinary example of killing the goose that laid the golden egg.

The council states that this will “alleviate the pressures of being a world-class tourist destination”. Perhaps this could be done by the demolition of York Minster and allowing John Lewis to take over Shambles.

Father Stephen, Saint Anne’s, Brownlow Street, York.