+ Manchester accommodation tax

Accommodation establishments across Manchester city centre and part of Salford have given resounding support for the creation of a new Manchester Accommodation Business Improvement District (ABID), following a vote of the members held last month.

With an initial membership of some 74 hotels and guesthouses it has introduced a £1 per night per room charge on all accommodation bookings as part of an initiative to “deliver better visitor experiences and drive more staying visitors to the city.”

Joanne Roney, Chief Executive, Manchester City Council, said the "innovative initiative" would raise £3m a year to "enhance" visitors' experience.

In a note of caution Kate Nicholls, Chief Executive, UK Hospitality, warned that it was "essential funds are ringfenced for spend within the sector and not funding matters covered by general taxation."  

The initiative is expected to raise £3m per year which will be used for marketing campaigns designed to increase overnight stays, as well as helping to secure more large-scale events and conferences. It also aims to “improve guest welcome and street cleanliness.”

Annie Brown, Board Chair, Manchester ABID, who is also General Manager for Hampton by Hilton Manchester Northern Quarter, said: “This is a historic moment – the accommodation sector in and around Manchester is growing rapidly, with almost 6,000 new bedrooms incoming over the next few years.

“The goal of the Manchester Accommodation BID is simple – we need to increase overnight stays in line with that growth so that hotels and serviced apartments in the city can continue to thrive.”

Edinburgh is planning to introduce a £2-a-night tourist tax, subject to legislative approval from the Scottish parliament. The Welsh government is also considering introducing a visitor levy, although an exact fee has not yet been set. Bath, Hull and Oxford have considered a similar move in recent years, but opted against it. A similar tax is already in place for Barcelona, Rome and Venice.

https://manchesterabid.com

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Jack Jones, Cardiff

Everyone will soon jump on this bandwagon. Wrexham next!