Visitor Levy Feasibility Study Recommended For North Yorkshire Coast

A formal feasibility study into a proposed visitor levy for North Yorkshire has been recommended to assess its potential economic impact and future governance.

A proposed visitor levy could generate fresh investment for the North Yorkshire coast, as officials push for a detailed feasibility study to understand its full economic impact.

Discussions are currently underway regarding the introduction of a tourist charge across the region. A preliminary study into the potential effects of the scheme has already been conducted, prompting regional leaders to evaluate how the funds could be collected and managed effectively.

One of the primary considerations highlighted by the research is the vast difference in the tourism landscape across the area. The coastal towns offer a distinctly different experience compared to the urban environment of the city of York. Consequently, any new charge would need to carefully account for these regional variations to ensure fairness and effectiveness.

To address these complexities, researchers have recommended further detailed economic modelling. This formal feasibility study would test different collection methods and establish clear governance structures. Ensuring that the right people are involved in deciding exactly how the collected money is spent remains a key priority for the project's development.

Outlining the necessary next steps, Professor Brendan Paddison, Dean of York Business School at York St John University and academic lead for the Policy Lab, said:

"Our first recommendation of our report is for there to be a more formal feasibility study that really does some detailed economic modelling of what a levy would mean for the region, looking at the governance structure and that's really important who's involved in the decision making around how the money's spent. And also that an impact of a levy across all of York North Yorkshire because the tourism offer is very different, compared the city of York has a very different offer to the North Yorkshire coast. So, it's what we're suggesting as part of our research is that this be a more formal feasibility study that really just do some detailed testing about the impact of these different models of collecting a visitor levy."

Fears that implementing a visitor charge might deter tourists from visiting the North Yorkshire coast have been largely dismissed by local leadership.

North Yorkshire Mayor David Skaith has reviewed the initial findings and pointed to the success of similar schemes implemented elsewhere. Studies from other parts of the country and across Europe indicate that visitor levies do not typically cause tourists to avoid an area or choose alternative accommodation outside the charging zone.

While acknowledging that any new financial measure carries inherent risks, the Mayor emphasised that the potential benefits far outweigh the challenges. Instead of viewing the levy as a deterrent, regional officials see it as a significant opportunity.

The primary goal of the proposed levy would be to secure vital investment that can be directly used to enhance the region's tourism offering. By improving local facilities and attractions, leaders hope to ultimately draw even more visitors to the North Yorkshire coast in the future.

Addressing the potential impact on visitor numbers, Mayor Skaith said:

"I haven't seen anything from the report that has notified that and obviously, from some of the studies that's been done elsewhere, uh not just in the country but elsewhere in Europe, that hasn't seemed to be the the the thing that has happened whereas people have not come into the region or stayed somewhere else because they haven't or have got the levy. So we are obviously alive to it and there's always risks, but we're not seeing that as a huge challenge. What we're seeing is the investment that can come in to really grow the offering into to actually attract more people into the region."