As the holiday season reaches its height, the Isle of Skye is being urged to consider introducing a tourist tax to fund additional facilities, with calls from a local businessman to institute a small fee charged at the Skye Bridge on visitors
Roger Booth, who owns a food van at the popular beauty spot the Quiraing, said a local tax could pay for help with tidying up litter and other waste, which has proliferated as the number of visitors to Skye has increased.
Booth said: ‘Even £1 a person, I am sure people wouldn’t complain.
‘It would be put into the island economy for better toilets, better waste facilities, better parking facilities and better roads.’
However, Highland Council has said a change in laws would be needed for a new tax. A spokeswoman said: ‘We would need legislative change to be able to levy any tourist tax so this is not an option currently available.’
Last year Maxine Smith, leader of the SNP group at Highland Council suggested a tourist tax on hotel rooms would raise millions of pounds to improve facilities and attractions.
Smith said at the time: ‘If you look at what has happened in Europe and the States it doesn't put people off at all.
‘In fact, when they know they are going to get better facilities and better attractions they are all for it.’
In March this year the launch of a newly re-organised local tourism support service, SkyeConnect, saw calls for the introduction of a bed tax for visitors.
