Should we tax our tourists?

Following a backlash over plans to introduce a ‘tourist tax’ in Orkney, those behind the proposals have moved to allay the fears of island residents and Orcadians living away from home.

Last week, it was reported that all non-residents visiting the islands could face a daily charge of £3 per person, prompting an outcry on the negative effect this would have on the tourism industry and wider local economy.

Orcadians living away from home were also concerned that they would be hit with huge additional costs when returning to see family and friends.

The idea was branded “crazy”, “utterly mad” and “just plain daft” by social media users in what was overwhelmingly negative feedback.

It also received a lukewarm response from Orkney Islands Council and the Orkney Tourism Group (OTG), who said such a move would need to be “approached with caution”, and that neither organisation supported the initiative at this time.

However, Evie resident David Bilcliffe and Karen Scholes, of Scholes Chartered Accountants in Kirkwall, said the concept behind the newly established Orkney Conservation Trust had been misrepresented.

Ms Scholes said: “This is something that will not penalise tourists coming for extended stays, and it will not penalise friends and family coming home, but it will hit the volume tourists, but only to the extent of a few pounds.

“I think if people understood that, it would have had a more positive response.”

For example, a £3 charge for all cruise liner passengers would raise around half-a-million-pounds a year which the trust could use for a variety of projects, such as improving the car park at the Ring of Brodgar, or providing toilet facilities at Yesnaby, Ms Scholes said.

“If people were staying longer they would maybe just pay the one-day charge regardless of how long they are here,” she added.

“That’s something we spoke about and that’s not what has come across — there will be exemptions.

“It is certainly not meant to hinder friends, family, students, regular visitors and people who are up here for longer than a day. It is aimed at turning the negatives from volume tourism, off the liners, into a positive.”

We’d like to hear your views. Should visitors to the county be expected to pay an additional fee for projects and improvements in Orkney?

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