Aviation tax rise will further hit UK tourism
Tourism bodies have reacted angrily to the Government’s Budget plans to raise aviation duty.
Tom Jenkins, executive director of the European Tour Operators Association, warned the increase in the ‘visitor tax’ will hit incoming tourism, particularly for long-haul visitors.
“The amount of tax and fees paid by European visitors to the UK is now 65% higher that the average level of tax and fees they would pay to visit the key competitor destinations of France, Spain, Italy, USA and Australia,” he said.
“For visitors from long-haul destinations the amount of tax and fees imposed on visitors in the UK is now over 90% higher than the average of the other destinations while, for visitors from the 109 countries that require a visa to enter the UK, the total cost of taxes and charges now stands at more than £200 per person.
“In the context of a declining share of world tourism, the last thing the UK needs is any more tax on travel.”
By Bev Fearis
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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