Glasgow City Council is considering the introduction of a tourist tax to open an additional source of income for services.<br /><br />This comes after the visitor levy was brought in by Edinburgh politicians last month and is expected to raise £50 million for services. <br /><br />A council spokesperson said they were looking at a number of service reform projects which includes establishing a project team that will be expected to examine the business case for new and emerging income-generation powers, including a transient visitor levy. <br /><br />From 2026 a five percent tourist fee will be added to the cost of overnight accommodation in the capital such as hotels, B&Bs and holiday lets.<br /><br />A number of European cities already have them in place including parts of Spain, Germany and Italy and they are considered successful. <br /><br />Manchester introduced a City Visitor Charge in 2023, implementing a £1 per room per night fee, and it is estimated to have generated £2.8 million in its first year.<br /><br />There are arguments against the move that Scotland is already an uncooperative destination, fearing this will further drive down visitor numbers which businesses are reliant on. <br />
