Over-tourism: What do residents and holidaymakers think of a tourist tax?
In part two of our investigation into shaping an inclusive solution to the challenge of over-tourism, we reveal the views of York visitors and residents on the impact of a tourist tax
We established in part one that over-tourism is causing challenges in destinations across the world, not least the friction generated between visitors and residents. We also examined the case for a tourist tax as a possible mechanism to address these issues.
Meanwhile, hospitality leaders in our home city of York, while expressing concerns about the impact of such a tax, told us they were open to the idea – if tourism sector representatives were part of a collective approach to setting and spending the tax.
But what about the other major stakeholders – visitors to York, and those who live in the city? Would they embrace or reject a tourist tax? The support of both would be crucial in its successful implementation. So we took to the city’s streets to get the views of both.
The views of residents and tourists
The concern created by over-tourism was evident in our interviews with York residents. Typical comments included:
- “For me it detracts from the town”
- “The streets are very crowded. That can be annoying at times”
Residents brought up a variety of concerns. These included overcrowding, the strain placed by tourism on local services, issues related to litter, and the prevalence of Airbnb properties making it even more expensive to buy or rent a home in York.
Meanwhile, visitors we spoke to were overwhelmingly positive about the city and their tourism experience. They were also more positive about the cleanliness of York than the residents.
Strikingly, there was unanimous support from those we interviewed across both groups for the principle of a tourist tax. Visitor comments included:
- “It’s OK, because the tax is used to keep the cities clean”
- “Happy to pay it if that means keeping the place beautified and cleaned and welcoming to tourists”
And one resident said a pound a night didn’t go far enough:
- “I think they could up that to £5 a night”
Critically, the implementation of a tourist tax would not deter the people we interviewed from visiting York:
- “It wouldn’t affect my decision [to visit]”
- “It wouldn’t put me off. I’d still come”
While a tourism tax was welcomed in principle by those we researched, residents did raise questions about how and where the money would be spent.
Our research made it clear that transparency would be crucial if a tourist tax was to be successful. Locals said they would wish to be kept informed about the purpose and progress of the tax – and, crucially, be able to observe its tangible impact on York.
A consensus – now what?
Our purpose in embarking on this research was to gain insights that could help policymakers in popular visitor destinations make changes to boost sustainable tourism, which in turn supported residents and tourists to co-exist in greater harmony.
Specifically, would a tourist tax help this to come about?
We’ve now established that residents and tourists we spoke to could be in favour of the tax. And – with the right set up and commitment to where the money is invested – hospitality leaders in York might be ready to support the policy too.
- In our third and final blog we discuss how a tourist tax could be implemented in York in such a way as to achieve these aims
- Read part one here: Over-tourism: Is a tourist tax the answer?
Research methods
- All participants took part in a semi-structured interview, using a discussion guide to prompt conversation
- Interviews lasted up to 10 minutes
- Participants ranged from local residents to visitors staying overnight in the city from the UK and overseas
- For more information about Qa’s work in qualitative research, contact Richard Bryan, Managing Director, at richard.bryan@qaresearch.co.uk and 01904 6320394
