Aberdeen approves most expensive tourist tax in UK

Aberdeen has approved the UK’s most expensive tourist tax among the highest rates in Europe.

The city council approved a 7% tax on visits on Wednesday after months of public consultation.

In February 2024, councillors agreed to press ahead with plans to introduce the levy and launch a public consultation on the scheme, giving residents and local businesses the chance to have their say.

Now that the tax has been approved, a report to the committee has said it could be introduced on April 1, 2027.

The Aberdeen Council hopes the visitor levy will generate up to £7.5m per year by adding around £5 on top of the cost of an average hotel room in the city per night.

The rate applies to all overnight accommodation in the city, including hotels, hostels, guest houses, B&Bs, and self-catering lets.

Cruise ships and motor homes are not subject to the levy.

The tax will also not be imposed on visitors or people receiving disability benefits, payments, or allowances.

How does Aberdeen’s tourist tax compare to elsewhere?

Aberdeen City Council says that an average room costs £70 a night, so visitors will pay an extra £4.90.

Edinburgh – Scotland’s most visited city – and Glasgow will both add a 5% charge to overnight accommodation costs.

The capital’s visit levy comes into force on July 24, 2026. Glasgow’s is due to start on January 25, 2027.

Liverpool has a £2 fee per room per night, while Manchester charges £1.

Paris’ tourist tax is charged per person per night and varies depending on the star rating of the hotel – with a rate of 8.45 Euros when staying at a four-star hotel.

In Rome, tourists are charged between three and seven Euros per person, per night.

Amsterdam has the highest tax in Europe, charging 12.5% on overnight stays.

What does Aberdeen City Council say?

The extra cash earned could be spent on improvements across the city, such as upgrades to the Winter Gardens and replacement Christmas lights.

Councillors say that the additional income could help bring events like the World Rally Championship and Tall Ships Races back to Aberdeen.

Convener of finance and resources councillor Alex McLellan said: “The income generated from the visitor levy, paid by those visiting the city, will provide a huge boost to our local economy and allow us to invest in bringing major events and conferences here of a more regular basis.

“Across Europe, we are paying similar amounts to stay per night, subsidising their thriving economies, and we should do the same to ensure we can compete in terms of attracting both business and leisure tourism to Aberdeen.”

Steven Gow, chair of Visit Aberdeenshire, added that the scheme will drive the continued growth of Aberdeen’s visitor economy.

“Aberdeen welcomed 2.2 million overnight visits in 2024, contributing to an economic impact from tourism of over £500m. The headroom for growth in the leisure and conference sectors will be fulfilled through effective investment in promotion, events, and development of the tourism sector.”