Skye wants visitor tax for motorhomers (1 Viewer)

[mikebeaches]

Business leaders on Skye fear unless the island generates enough money to improve its roads network and restore the environment to cope with the growing influx of campervans it will be unsustainable as a long-term tourism destination.

They are now calling for a visitor tax to be introduced on motorhomes which travel to the island to counteract the impact the large number of vehicles are having there.

Fed up islanders to push for tax on motorhomes

It is famous for its rugged landscape and scenic coastline which attract up to one million visitors each year.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[DT]

Seems fair but why not all tourists.

 

[CazPaul]

Everything is constantly blamed on motorhomes, Will the proposed tax also include cars, trucks?

 

[haganap]

silly me, there was I thinking that my road tax, my petrol duty and my income tax paid for the upkeep of the roads....

and if they think theirs are bad, they should see Cheshires pot holled roads...

why dont they try and embrace it and the revenue it could bring? seems everywhere seems to be coming anti tourist these days.

 

[EuroTrotters]

Everything is constantly blamed on motorhomes, Will the proposed tax also include cars, trucks?

Noisy motorbikes ?

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[bigtree]

Noisy motorbikes ?

Oi you, Shut it.

 

[mikebeaches]

Seems fair but why not all tourists.

I think it is intended for all other tourists, but perhaps there is concern that motorhomers (wilding) would escape it?

Article about the 'The Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill' on the BBC:

What is Scotland's planned tourist tax and how much will it cost?

MSPs are due to vote on giving councils powers to add an additional charge to accommodation bookings.

www.bbc.co.uk

And more about Skye & motorhomes in The Scotsman:

https://www.scotsman.com/regions/inverness-highlands-and-islands/the-scottish-island-driving-a-plan-to-charge-motorhomes-millions-as-tourist-tax-looms-4710036

 

[Grianan]

In answer to some of the above … Highlands and Islands Council have a huge area of roads to cover and a low number of inhabitants to pay council tax. Several road improvement projects were previously partly financed by the EU. A lot of the road wear and tear is caused by tourist vehicles. I’m not sure what the solution is but I hope this explains some of the problems.

 

[David and Sally]

In answer to some of the above … Highlands and Islands Council have a huge area of roads to cover and a low number of inhabitants to pay council tax. Several road improvement projects were previously partly financed by the EU. A lot of the road wear and tear is caused by tourist vehicles. I’m not sure what the solution is but I hope this explains some of the problems.

Fron Hansard.
Contrary to what we hear from the Scottish National party, the Scottish Government are well-funded. This UK Government have provided a record block grant, averaging £41 billion a year, with an additional £2.4 billion across the last three fiscal events. Scotland also continues to benefit from the Barnett formula, under which the Scottish Government receive around 25% more funding per person than equivalent spending across the United Kingdom.

Seems they don’t spend it on roads. Just like England

 

[Coolcats]

Noisy motorbikes ?

Loud exhausts save lives

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[Lenny HB]

The island population is about 12,000 but we get some 800,000 to one million people visiting each year.

So how many of those 800,000 to 1,000,000 are Motorhomes? Very few.

I'm fed up with hearing about the whinging Scots, they advertised for tourists now they have got them they complain about them.

We have not been to Scotland for a holiday for about 13 years and with all the current negative publicity unlikely ever to go again we would rather go somewhere we are welcome.

 

[Hawkstone]

Loud exhausts save lives

Especially a Termi

 

[Dolmen]

Tourist Skye is over run in the holiday periods, no fun for locals and not that much fun for visitors, everyone seems to want to be in the same place. Even a tourist tax will not stop too many people going, I think they should introduce a quota system during holiday periods, so many cars, motorhomes per day, you apply for a pass in advance for a small fee, first come first served. Checkpoint at the bridge and no pass no enter (unless a local of course).

 

[dazandandrea]

Noisy motorbikes ?

Campervans and motorhomes with noisy motorbikes

 

[poppycamper]

I'm fed up with hearing about the whinging Scots, they advertised for tourists now they have got them they complain about them.

And the whinging Scots are fed up with the whinging English whinging about the whinging Scots..

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[dna]

If is similar to the proposals for a tourist tax in Wales then anyone who wild camps would not pay it. Anyone who stays on a camp site would be paying as it's the campsite owner who collects it.

Maybe an fairer way would be some sort of vignette so that everyone is covered regardless of where they stay.

 

[dazandandrea]

So how will the islands cope when visitors stop going?

 

[Lenny HB]

So how will the islands cope when visitors stop going?

Their problem, if they want to drive visitors away so be it.

 

[Jim]

To be fair to the Scots, they are just one of at least 100 popular destinations across Europe who are complaining about the negative effects of being popular.

I actually saw another person on our beach early this morning, typical tourist attitude. Everyone knows that beach is mine between 5:30 and 6:30am, yet they were strolling along it like they didn't have a care in the world and owned the place. As we passed with about 400m between us, he even had the nerve to lift an arm and wave. Rude, selfish tourist bastard.

 

[Sandancers]

Ha, if only the people of Skye had been as clever as us North Eastern England folk they would have known that the best slogan to have as far as tourists are concerned is "It's Grim Up North".

Works for us.

However, I believe that Scotland, and especially Skye, are glorious year round. The M6 and M1 are the roads of choice folks. Best not to stop anywhere north of Leeds on your way until you reach Scotland.

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[nicholsong]

To be fair to the Scots, they are just one of at least 100 popular destinations across Europe who are complaining about the negative effects of being popular.

I actually saw another person on our beach early this morning, typical tourist attitude. Everyone knows that beach is mine between 5:30 and 6:30am, yet they were strolling along it like they didn't have a care in the world and owned the place. As we passed with about 400m between us, he even had the nerve to lift an arm and wave. Rude, selfish tourist bastard.

Not staying at Jasmin presumably?

 

[hja]

I have some sympathy for the people who live on Skye. Small population and from any info on Skye from wherever the roads are in a terrible state and they get overwhelmed with tourists. Of course they want tourists but there can be too many for the infrastructure. Parking at the known tourist attractions can be really difficult, and we all know what happens then - people park in stupid places and in stupid ways. Pathways and car parks need a lot of money to maintain them, it has to come from somewhere. I bet a few are cursing the bridge! I do think any tourist tax, or what ever you want to call it, should apply to all but it seems fair enough to me. And a word about spending on Skye. There are often comments on here and other forums about not needing to fill your fridge before going “over there” because after all other countries have supermarkets. Well we all ought to be acting responsibly and buying food, fuel etc from wherever we visit. I seem to remember seeing a video a while back from maybe the Rolling Rucks who were going to Skye. She was panicking about being able to buy food on the Island, and was surprised how many shops there were!!! Now some people just leave me speechless but it makes the point that some people seem to think that if they venture away from towns there is no where to buy anything. Where to they think the locals buy food?

 

[enark]

They wanted a bridge……

Surely they, (and the Spanish) should not be biting the hand that feeds. Tourists spend money in local businesses. Taxing tourism = reduced tourism = less spent locally. Their choice.

 

[The Coops]

I can see them recruiting hoards of midges to bite non locals.......................oh they do already!

 

[enark]

I can see them recruiting hoards of midges to bite non locals.......................oh they do already!

Specialist fighting midges from Gairlochead?

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[poppycamper]

As a Scot.. Skye and the NC500 I avoid like the plaque...
Plenty other, nicer, quieter places to go in Scotland.. I would say where but it's a secret.
But when you do find it you will realise, despite Lenny HB claim you are indeed more than welcome...

 

[MisterB]

i think the argument that motorhomes refuel before visiting the island is a strange argument. if everyone refuelled there, then the locals may struggle to obtain fuel ....? How much profit is there on a litre of fuel? the govt get their tax out of it wherever its purchased, so its only the profit element ..... also how many cars dont fill up with fuel on the island?

and i wonder where the money would actually go to ....... building infrastructure to encourage even more visitors that they apparently cant handle .... Didnt the people of Skye oppose tolls on the bridge, so it was bought by labour/lib dem coalition ...... whose money was used to buy it?

 

[Otter Spotter]

If they do use APNR cameras to identify use of vehicle as Motorhome, I think I will ge happy being called a ‘Van with Windows’

 

[Dolmen]

Regardless of the locals point of view, what earthly pleasure does any motorhomer (or indeed car or motorbike) get from turning up in Skye during the busiest parts of the year, even if it is the only time they can get off school or work. Endless traffic, difficult to park, crowds at the popular tourist spots, buses hogging the narrow lanes, which part of the dream of setting up overlooking a deserted beach with glorious sunsets, does that fulfil? Anyone going at those times of years deserve to be moaned at, not for making the place busy but for being mad. Love Scotland, and have never met an unfriendly local, however, busy times of the year is for Aberdeenshire or Dumfries and Galloway, Oct, Nov, Jan through Easter for the Western Isles. You get what you deserve in the end

 

[jerryz]

So how many of those 800,000 to 1,000,000 are Motorhomes? Very few.

I'm fed up with hearing about the whinging Scots, they advertised for tourists now they have got them they complain about them.

We have not been to Scotland for a holiday for about 13 years and with all the current negative publicity unlikely ever to go again we would rather go somewhere we are welcome.

Add in the huge plagues of midges this year that they are warning people about apparently a record year for the blood sucking pests ...

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