Chester’s hotels are voting this summer on whether to introduce a tourist levy.
The proposed scheme would see guests at 27 hotels around the city pay a nightly £2 plus VAT per room. It is anticipated that the tax could generate over £1m a year in extra revenue for the city.
The fund would then be channelled into entertainment opportunities, festivals and other events pitched at tourists and business travellers, as part of a drive to enhance the city’s global brand.
The aim is to support the local economy, increasing footfall and spending in local shops, restaurants and bars, while improving services and boosting jobs in the area.
Travel industry and business chiefs have claimed that the measure is necessary, because visitor numbers to Chester have not yet returned to pre-pandemic levels, while public funding for tourism campaigns has dropped off.
The ‘tourist tax’ scheme, detailed in a five-year business plan, is said to have been inspired by a similar levy rolled out in Manchester, which has claimed great success.
The Cheshire scheme is the creation of Destination Chester – a network of city attractions and businesses – in conjunction with Chester City Centre Business Improvement District and the Chester Hospitality Association.
If the majority of hoteliers endorse the proposal, the levy will start being implemented from January 2025.
Hartey Wealth Management is based in Chester and Oswestry, where it has offered financial advice and investment planning services in Cheshire to businesses and individuals for over 25 years.
