This month's Politically Speaking column with Alison Hume, MP for Scarborough and Whitby
The debate about tourist levies is gathering pace. The more I’ve listened to people across Scarborough and Whitby, the more convinced I've become of one thing – before anyone asks our visitors to pay more, we need clear answers about what it means for the coast.
I'm not opposed to the levy in principle. I can see a strong case for it in York, which attracts huge numbers of international visitors. Many of them are already used to paying these levies in cities across Europe and beyond. A modest charge on overnight stays is unlikely to come as a surprise and, if spent wisely, could help fund improvements that benefit residents and visitors alike.
Scarborough and Whitby are very different propositions.
Our tourism industry is not driven by tourists from overseas. It's powered by hard-working British families who save up for a break by the sea. Grandparents treating their grandchildren to fish and chips on the harbour, couples escaping for a weekend away – these are the people who keep our guest houses, hotels, cafés and attractions going. They are the backbone of our visitor economy.
That matters, because a policy designed around York's tourism market cannot simply be copied and pasted onto the coast. Our holiday parks are much more price sensitive than a five star hotel in a city centre.
The Mayor of York and North Yorkshire David Skaith, together with his Labour counterparts from other regions, has pledged to cap the levy at five percent. The Government has moved to protect budget holidays by making sure low-cost accommodation always pays lowest levels, with things like campsites given possible exemptions.
After meeting with several key stakeholders, I’ll shortly be hosting a roundtable on tourism across our area. It’s important, before concrete decisions are taken, that Mayor Skaith hears directly from those on the frontline of our visitor economy.
There is one principle I’ll personally be pressing for. Money raised in Scarborough and Whitby should stay in Scarborough and Whitby.
For years, people on the coast have felt that Scarborough and Whitby don't always get their fair share. That’s beginning to change, with Labour backing our towns through initiatives such as Pride in Place and Mission Coastal. However, my view remains simple – if a tourism levy is introduced, money raised on the coast should be reinvested on the coast, benefiting the communities that generate it.
I’d also like to see faster action on licensing Airbnb and short-term holiday lets, helping protect local housing while supporting sustainable tourism.
I’ll make sure the coast’s voice is heard in the levy debate.