We want a tourist tax in Liverpool, Manchester and the North East - it shouldn't be a big step

The group of mayors – representing nearly 21 million people across the Liverpool City Region, Greater Manchester, London, the North East, the West Midlands and West Yorkshire – argues that the move would unlock vital funding for tourism and cultural infrastructure, empower regional growth, and reduce dependence on central government funding.

In a united statement, the Mayors urged the Government to consider including enabling legislation in the forthcoming English Devolution Bill or a specific Finance Bill, which would give local authorities the freedom to design and introduce a locally administered visitor levy.

Currently, English legislation does not allow cities to implement a visitor levy. However, international examples, positive feedback from pilot schemes, and changing public attitudes all point to growing support for such a measure.

Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said “most of us wouldn’t think twice” about paying a “small charge” on overnight stays abroad, adding that a visitor levy would “give us the power to reinvest directly into the things that make our area so special”.

In Liverpool, a Business Improvement District-led visitor levy received strong backing, while in Manchester, a recent survey revealed 70% of tourists are willing to pay a small charge if it is used to visibly enhance tourism services.

The Mayors propose that policy sprints be established in invested regions to co-develop tailored levy models. These would reflect the specific needs of each place, share best practices, and support the broader rollout of the levy across emerging and existing Mayoral Combined Authorities.

The Mayors emphasised the urgency of the request, especially as devolved governments in Scotland and Wales move ahead with their own tourism levies, leaving English regions at risk of falling behind.

The group is now calling for rapid engagement with HM Treasury and DCMS, alongside input from business and tourism stakeholders, to move the proposal forward and shape a more sustainable future for England’s visitor economies.

Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said: “Greater Manchester is proud to attract visitors from across the UK and around the world.

“At a time when national resources are under real pressure, a modest visitor levy – something we all pay in other parts of Europe – offers a fair and sustainable way to support our local services.

“If designed and delivered locally, it would provide a continuous revenue stream to reinvest in the things that matter most to our residents and visitors alike, from world-class cultural venues to a reliable, integrated public transport system.”

North East Mayor Kim McGuinness added: “A local tourism tax is so mainstream across the rest of the world you barely notice it, so it should not be a big step here in the UK.

“This is a good example of how mayors can respond to local need and deliver real change if they are given more financial freedom to do so. We have ambitious plans to double the visitor economy in North East England over a decade.

“A small charge on our many visitors would allow us to invest and grow the sporting events, music festivals and cultural exhibitions that are unique to our region, creating jobs and bringing visitors back time and again.”