London Mayor wannabe calls for tourist tax
A candidate to take over as Mayor of London has called for a tourist tax to raise £400 million a year.
Ivan Massow says tourists should pay £1 per star-rating for every night stayed in a hotel, so for example, four nights in a four-star hotel would cost them £16.
"We’re almost one of the only cities that don’t have it. Berlin, Rome, Paris – they all have it," he told City A.M.
He said his proposed scheme would not affect budget travellers, such as those who stayed in non-star-rated hostels.
Rome has a tourist charge of €3 (£2.20) per night for a five-star hotel, in Paris the highest charge is €1.50 per night and in New York the tourist tax is $2 a night.
If elected Mayor, Massow says the £400 million he would raise from the tourist tax would be used in a variety of areas, including children’s hospices and more air ambulances.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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