YOUR VIEWS: Highland tourist tax and housing shortages
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Give our visitors something in return for tourist tax
I’ve read a number of viewpoints on “Tourist Tax” and find myself in favour, as someone who used to have to collect “Kur Tax” from guests staying at the hotel I managed for a year in Germany.
In the mid 1980s, while serving in REME (British Army) I volunteered to run a hotel, purchased by REME. This was located in Wertach, a village in the Allgau region.
Part of my responsibilities was to collect one Deutsche Mark (pre-Euro) per guest, per day. This was paid to the local council. Actually, this particular tax was payment for “the joys of staying in a health/spa area in the mountains” (remind you of Inverness?).
The point I wish to make is that it was not just a case of taking money off the guests, as they actually got something in return.
The council, working with local service providers/retailers, provided me with passes, valid for the length of their stay, that gave discounts on such attractions as swimming pool/skiing/cafés etc.
The very fact that the guests got something in return for paying the tax made all the difference.
Should this angle not be considered by the Highland Council?
Duncan Mason
Nairn
Huge increase in empty properties
There has been an almost 670 per cent increase in the number of long-term empty properties in the Highlands over the last 10 years. Properties that have been empty for 12 months or more within the region increased from 434 in 2013 to 3334 in 2023.
“The council should place an overall ban on STL (short term let) properties within any housing schemes – these are NOT holiday parks, this is only taking affordable homes away from local citizens and from experience, having a STL as a neighbouring property is making my life a misery, and has done so for years now!
“They should be giving more support for landlords to let out long term and make it more unappealing for STL in these areas.
“It’s time that Highland started supporting the actual designated businesses designated for tourists such as hotels or chalet parks etc instead of STL in housing schemes. This means that tourists are then more likely to eat out etc and bring money back into our community. In addition to increasing the amount of homes available to those from, or working in the area.” – Mark, Inverness
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