York Residents Know and Good Organisation have spent several years preparing for this policy shift. Through sustained grassroots conversations with residents, community groups and the hospitality sector, we have been building the evidence, listening to lived experience, and mapping the pressures and opportunities within York’s visitor economy.
YRK – York’s Resident Led Tourism Assembly cautiously welcomes today’s budget announcement of a tourism tax and maintains that a well-designed, hypothecated levy can play a constructive role in supporting destinations experiencing pressure from high visitor numbers.
However, for such a measure to be effective, it must be grounded in evidence, shaped through meaningful engagement, and integrated into a wider strategy for managing North Yorkshire’s visitor economy.
At present, there is a fundamental gap in transparent, comprehensive analysis of the social, economic and environmental impacts of tourism across the region. Without this, it is not possible to design a levy that accurately reflects local pressures, and the proposed £1 – £2 per-night charge risks appearing arbitrary and vulnerable to criticism even before implementation has begun.
Experience from other destinations, including Edinburgh, demonstrates that poorly designed or inadequately consulted schemes can create administrative complexity, uneven enforcement, and inconsistent treatment across accommodation types. North Yorkshire must avoid these pitfalls by ensuring that the scope, operation and enforcement of any levy is clearly defined, practical and subject to full local consultation.
The diversity of the region further necessitates a differentiated approach. North Yorkshire encompasses destinations with significantly varying seasonal demand, infrastructure capacity and economic reliance on tourism. A single flat rate would not reflect these realities nor enable strategic management of visitor pressure nor align with local community concerns or priorities.
Finally, it is also essential to recognise that a tourism tax alone cannot resolve the broader pressures associated with high visitor numbers. Persistent issues relating to holiday homes, short-term lets and housing affordability, all contribute to community displacement and inconsistent standards across the accommodation sector. Any levy must therefore operate within a broader strategic framework that includes appropriate regulation, robust data collection and coordinated management of the visitor economy, with residents’ perspectives central to decision making.
YRK remains prepared to work collaboratively with other stakeholders to ensure that any tourism tax is fair, evidence-led and capable of delivering measurable benefits for North Yorkshire’s communities, businesses and visitors alike.
Kenny Lieske
Director
Good Organisation (Social Ventures) CIC
Priory Street Centre, 15 Priory Street
York YO1 6ET
26th November 2025
