Politics
Edinburgh’s tourist tax is launching in 2026. Here’s how much visitors will have to pay
Edinburgh is set to become the first city in Scotland to introduce a tourist tax after the Scottish government granted powers to local authorities to introduce visitor charges.
Edinburgh’s city council has approved a proposal called the ‘Transient Visitor Levy’ to be introduced in 2026.
The fee has been set at five per cent of accommodation costs and is expected to raise up to £50 million (€59 million) a year to be used to make improvements to the city.
However, some tourism operators are concerned it will put travellers off the destination.
Authorities in the Scottish Highlands are also considering introducing a tourist tax.
Edinburgh to become the first city in Scotland to charge a tourist tax
Last September, Edinburgh officials approved a proposal to charge guests at hotels, B&Bs, hostels and holiday rentals including Airbnbs five per cent of the cost per room per night.
The fee will be capped at seven consecutive days and is scheduled to come into force on 24 July 2026.
A new report for the council’s policy and sustainability committee has proposed introducing a transition period to help businesses adjust.
This means tourists will likely only be required to pay the tax on bookings made after 1 May 2025 for stays after 24 July 2026.
The measure comes after the Scottish Parliament passed a bill that allows local authorities to introduce visitor taxes.
The city council says the funds will be invested in infrastructure, affordable housing, destination management and culture, heritage and events.
The tax is expected to raise up to £50 million (€59 million) per year by 2029 for the Scottish capital.
Council leader Cammy Day said 35 per cent of the proceeds will be earmarked for the arts sector.
Tourism operators concerned over introduction of Edinburgh tourist tax
The fee will bring Edinburgh in line with other popular tourist destinations around Europe including Amsterdam, which has a 12.5 per cent tourist tax, and Berlin.
However, some tourism operators worry the levy will make Edinburgh a less competitive holiday destination and deter visitors.
“It remains a very contentious matter,” Marc Crothall, chief executive of the Scottish Tourism Alliance, told travel news site Skift.
“There are concerns around the future total price point to the customer and what impact this might have on future bookings, especially by our domestic visitors when there are already signs of decline in bookings from this market due to the UK cost of living crisis still biting.”
But Day thinks the tax won’t put off visitors. “I can’t see a few pounds putting somebody off visiting the city,” told BBC Radio Scotland. “If you can afford to spend hundreds of pounds on a hotel room, you can afford a few pounds to support the city that you are visiting.”
Scottish Highlands mull tourist tax
The Highland Council is also considering implementing a tourist tax under the new powers introduced by the Scottish Government.
The region of mountains and glens receives over six million tourists a year, including daytrippers and cruise passengers.
As with the Edinburgh tax, it would be a percentage of the accommodation cost per night.
The Highlands region was already considering a visitor charge in 2019 and calculated that it would raise as much as £10 million (€12 million) a year to go towards improving local infrastructure.
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, on Friday declared that he’s still a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Wike’s comment followed his expulsion from the party by the faction led by National Chairman, Kabiru Turaki.
Turaki had formally dispatched expulsion certificates to 11 prominent party chieftains, including Wike, former Ekiti State governor, Ayodele Fayose, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, Umaru Bature, Kamarudeen Ajibade, SAN, Abdurahman Muhammad Senator Mao Ohuabunwa.
He said their expulsion was aimed at sanitising the party ahead of the 2027 elections.
Reacting to the development on Friday, Wike dismissed the claim while assuring that he would continue to work with other party members in making PDP a relevant opposition party.
The minister spoke while addressing journalists after inspecting the Interchange bridge and road linking Gwarinpa with Jahi and direct to Katampe, Gishiri and Maitama.
He said, “Those that are factionalized are bound to leave the party, I’m still in PDP and you can see that not everybody has left.
“We still have good numbers and we will continue to work together and that’s what I have said to the party. Put your house in order because at the end of the day, if you don’t put your house in order, it’s the party that is losing.
“So those who are worried, we can work together to see how the party can remain a relevant opposition.”
The governments of Abia and Imo States have announced the launching of a joint security taskforce and surveillance along the Aba-Owerri expressway, starting from Owerrinta in Abia State all the way to Owerri, Imo State.
The launch followed recent attacks by criminals on the expressway, including kidnapping, armed robbery and other criminal activities.
The formation of the joint security taskforce and surveillance was announced by Ferdinand Ekeoma, the Special Adviser to Governor Alex Otti on Media and Publicity.
His statement read in part: “Arising from a strategic emergency security meeting held today, 4th December, 2025, by the Governors of Abia and Imo Sates at the Imo State Government Owerri House, His Excellency Governor Alex Otti and His Excellency Senator Hope Uzodinma resolved to set up a joint security Taskforce that shall consist of Soldiers, Naval Personnel, Police Officers , DSS Personnel, and other Government Security Agencies.
“The joint security Taskforce shall, starting from tomorrow 5th December 2025, patrol the road 24 hours nonstop, while carrying out massive surveillance in the surrounding bushes using sophisticated drones and other modern security equipment.”
According to the statement, Governor Alex Otti commended the Governor of Imo State for arresting the criminals who carried out an attack on His advanced team and other passengers a few days ago.
“The two Governors, while assuring citizens plying the road on a daily basis and those returning home for Christmas of their safety and security, warn that there would be severe consequences for any criminal caught on the road going forward”, Ekeoma concluded.
President Bola Tinubu has transmitted to the senate two lists of 34 career and 31 non career ambassadors nominees for screening and confirmation.
Prominent names listed as non career ambassadors include Reno Omokri, Femi Fani-Kayode, Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau, Victor Ikpeazu and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.
Also listed as non career ambassadors nominees are Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, Vice Admiral Ete Ibas, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, Senator Nora Daduut, Fatima Ajimobi, and Senator Ita Enang among others.
The two lists brings to 68 number of persons nominated so far as ambassadors awaiting confirmation by the Senate.
PRESIDENT TINUBU’S TRIBUTE TO CENTENARIAN ALHAJI TANKO YAKASAI
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