A cruise ship levy could help to ensure residents benefit from Edinburgh’s popularity as a cruise ship stop.
In a formal response to be submitted to the Scottish Government’s Cruise Ship Levy consultation, the council has expressed strong support in principle for a levy to help it manage tourism sustainably at Edinburgh’s ports.
The response also calls for any legislation to be based on evidence and involve greater consultation with ports and the cruise ship industry, as well as close working with other local authorities and regional partners.
Close to 217,500 cruise ship passengers visit Edinburgh and the region annually, with a significant number docking in Leith, Newhaven and South Queensferry. Currently, passengers are exempt from paying local visitor levies.
While any legislation to introduce a national Cruise Ship Levy is still to be developed, comparisons to similar sized destinations suggest it could raise over one million pounds for Edinburgh and the region.
Council Leader Jane Meagher said: “Next summer we’ll become the first city in Scotland to launch a visitor levy, but under the Scottish Government’s legislation cruise ship passengers will be exempt.
“We consider it fair to treat all overnight visitors to Edinburgh the same, whether they choose to stay in a hotel, a short-term let, a campsite or a cruise ship.
“With public finances under increasing pressure, we believe this legislation should be used to empower councils to raise more income locally to better manage cruise ship tourism and pollution in our waters. As such, income raised should be ringfenced for the local area.
“In our waters we’re seeing more ships docking year on year, larger ships, and with that comes an environmental impact. Cruise ship tourism affects local communities and services just as other tourism does.”
You can view the City of Edinburgh Council’s draft response to the Scottish Government’s Cruise Ship Levy Consultation.
A final version will be submitted shortly, including amendments agreed at a meeting of the Policy and Sustainability Committee on Tuesday 27 May.
