Skye wants visitor tax for motorhomers (1 Viewer)

[Otter Spotter]

I wonder if the Skye residents who own Motorhomes will be charged as well ? That would be unfair !

 

[Gellyneck]

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

You could have saved a lot of ink by using Whinglish!

But when you do find it you will realise, despite Lenny HB claim you are indeed more than welcome...

Steady on lass!
We do still have some principles we abide by!

 

[busby]

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.

Just like the tax on beer doesn't maintain pubs road tax and fuel tax doesn't maintain roads..Unfortunately.
BUSBY.

 

[royandsharont]

We toured the whole of Skye over 6 full days at the end of August 2022, staying at a campsite at Portree, and driving out each day. The site was full every night but we had no problems of traffic congestion, busy roads, parking at any place we visited, or shopping for groceries or fuel. We had a bit of a wait to dine at a fish & chip shop in centre of Portree, but it was worth the wait

The roads were in poor condition I must agree, with me dropping into a huge pothole that was hidden by water during a spell of heavy rain shower, thought I’d broken the suspension but all was ok thankfully, and in a brand new van too

 

[dunnah01]

Fiat Ducato kerb weight 1900kg - average EV kerb weight 1940kg so it must be personal to moho's and not a weight thing

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[KNWH]

As someone who has a Motorhome and has also got a house on Skye I’d like to think I can see both sides of the argument.
Tourism has increased so much in recent years that all the popular attractions just get overwhelmed. All the lay-bys are full of Motorhomes and camper vans and the roads are a nightmare. This used to be just a problem peak season, but is now almost year round.
Just to take one example: The Old Man of Storr - 20 years ago there was a carpark that held a dozen cars and it was perfectly adequate. Now there is a large carpark and designated roadside parking but it is still totally inadequate. Past the proper bays, cars park either side of the road half on the grass and whilst two cars can just about get past, if two motorhomes meet then it is a problem - see photo. This year the double yellow lines were extended another half mile to try and improve things.
Tourism is of course vital to the economy of Skye but at the moment the infrastructure is unfortunately not able to cope with the number of visitors Skye is getting.
I just thought it worth pointing out the current situation if you are considering coming.

 

[enark]

I think this is a good problem for the IoS, the alternative of no tourism trade would be far worse….

 

[Gaston aires]

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

Midges keep tourists away. So if it wasn’t for Midges Scotland would be overwhelmed with tourists.
Instead of charging tax, they could have large road signs with fearsome Midge pictures. It would scare me off.

 

[dash300]

Skye is one of those places I would visit only once highly over rated! If the residents don't want tourists why don't they
get some water pistols!

 

[jerryz]

Midges keep tourists away. So if it wasn’t for Midges Scotland would be overwhelmed with tourists.
Instead of charging tax, they could have large road signs with fearsome Midge pictures. It would scare me off.

I would rather have Mosquitos than Midges , Mossies can be dealt with wheras midges come in Billions

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[Soycd]

It's a simple choice to me. If they want to have a tourist tax then thats fine. It's up to visitors to decide if they want to go and pay or not go and don't pay. It's like any other country that has a tourist tax, either go, and pay and if you object to paying don't go. There are no wrongs or rights, it's about choice.

 

[Soycd]

As someone who has a Motorhome and has also got a house on Skye I’d like to think I can see both sides of the argument.
Tourism has increased so much in recent years that all the popular attractions just get overwhelmed. All the lay-bys are full of Motorhomes and camper vans and the roads are a nightmare. This used to be just a problem peak season, but is now almost year round.
Just to take one example: The Old Man of Storr - 20 years ago there was a carpark that held a dozen cars and it was perfectly adequate. Now there is a large carpark and designated roadside parking but it is still totally inadequate. Past the proper bays, cars park either side of the road half on the grass and whilst two cars can just about get past, if two motorhomes meet then it is a problem - see photo. This year the double yellow lines were extended another half mile to try and improve things.
Tourism is of course vital to the economy of Skye but at the moment the infrastructure is unfortunately not able to cope with the number of visitors Skye is getting.
I just thought it worth pointing out the current situation if you are considering coming.



View attachment 926907

Good points, from somebody who knows the place. Not us grockles, who can only guess!

 

[nicholsong]

It's a simple choice to me. If they want to have a tourist tax then thats fine. It's up to visitors to decide if they want to go and pay or not go and don't pay. It's like any other country that has a tourist tax, either go, and pay and if you object to paying don't go. There are no wrongs or rights, it's about choice.

" I am not a tourist. I am visiting my Great Aunt, so I am a visitor"

Surely one cannot be charged for just driving to and from one house, just because one does not live on the island. If so, charges could be set up on any City or County boundary.

 

[Soycd]

" I am not a tourist. I am visiting my Great Aunt, so I am a visitor"

Surely one cannot be charged for just driving to and from one house, just because one does not live on the island. If so, charges could be set up on any City or County boundary.

If you are not a 'tourist' then surely the term 'tourist tax' does not apply?

 

[nicholsong]

If you are not a 'tourist' then surely the term 'tourist tax' does not apply?

So how will authorities differentiate between genuine visitors and those just claiming to be so?

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[enark]

Wish Coventry would do the same - place is over run with day trippers….

 

[Soycd]

So how will authorities differentiate between genuine visitors and those just claiming to be so?

I have no idea..... but I'd assume some common sense might be involved. No, wait a minute that won't happen.