Some facts from the episode!

https://richardsonsrubicon.com/will-a-5-visitor-levy-hurt-scotlands-tourist-economy-an-analysis/

• There's a shift between 2022 and 2023 in the tourist sector, with more people opting for self-catering and non-serviced accommodation instead of hotels or B&Bs.

• The implementation of a visitor levy or tourist tax is being considered, but its impact has not been thoroughly analysed.

• There's a lack of clarity and consistency in tourism data, with differences noted between figures from Global Tourism Solutions and Visit Scotland.

• Visitor days and numbers have increased for non-serviced accommodations, with a 10% rise in visitor days and over 18% increase in visitor numbers.

• Conversely, serviced accommodations saw a drop in economic impact and direct employment by about 6%.

• Price elasticity of demand (PED) suggests that price increases, like those from a visitor levy, generally reduce demand.

• There's potential negative economic impact predicted with a proposed 5% visitor levy, possibly leading to significant job losses and revenue loss.

• A £1 per night flat fee visitor levy has a smaller negative impact compared to a percentage-based approach.

• The council has been unable to provide evidence for their estimated £9,000,000 gain from the visitor levy.

• It's noted that similar figures from past or neighbouring contexts suggest that a percentage-based levy would cause more economic damage than a flat fee.