KEY POINTS
- World Travel & Tourism Council cautions new local tourism levies in England may hurt sector growth.
- Additional visitor costs risk reducing international visits and undermining small businesses.
- UK’s Travel & Tourism growth trails global expansion and supports about 4.5 million jobs.
The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has urged U.K. policymakers to rethink proposed tourism levies in England.
The warning concerns plans to allow local authorities to introduce overnight visitor taxes.
WTTC analysis shows the U.K. travel sector is growing more slowly than global peers.
Data indicate the U.K. is projected to grow at 4.3% in 2025 versus 6.7% for global Travel & Tourism.
Additional levies could add costs for travellers, the industry group said.
WTTC cautioned this may discourage visitors from choosing the U.K. over alternative destinations.
Sector growth matters because Travel & Tourism supports around 4.5 million jobs in the U.K.
That figure equals about one in every eight jobs nationwide.
WTTC said higher visitor costs risk slowing employment creation.
The organisation represents major travel and tourism companies worldwide.
It regularly analyses economic impact and policy effects on the industry.
WTTC’s President and CEO argued levies could weaken the U.K.’s competitiveness.
The group highlighted that price competitiveness influences travellers’ destination choices.
According to the World Economic Forum’s index, the U.K. ranks low for tourism price competitiveness.
Higher costs can especially affect small hotels, restaurants and local shops.
WTTC noted that fragmented local levy policies could create uncertainty for visitors.
Complex tax rules might discourage investment in the sector, it said.
Local charges often fail to address core infrastructure or capacity issues.
Without a clear national strategy, levies can increase business complexity.
WTTC urged policymakers to focus on making the U.K. more competitive.
That includes lowering cost burdens for visitors.
The council also recommended reinvesting tourism revenues in infrastructure.
Improving consistency in national policy could support long-term sector growth.
WTTC’s warnings come as governments globally consider fiscal policies for tourism recovery.
The UK industry’s performance has lagged relative to other major destinations.
Ensuring affordability and predictability for visitors remains central to competitiveness.
