The Government has now agreed to a Stage 2 report which will see the exemption of boat moorings and berthings from this plan, unless they are permanently moored and used for accommodation.
The fear was that the proposals for a discretionary local council tax, which would be the responsibility of certain types of accommodation providers to calculate as an overnight levy charge would be passed on to tourists – in our case, visiting yachts. This levy would then be paid to their local authority.
Following concern around the impact this may have on visiting yachts (marine tourism), the Government has now agreed to see the exemption of boat moorings and berthings from this plan, unless they are permanently moored and used for accommodation.
RYA Scotland CEO Finlo Cottier said:
“The removal of berthings and moorings from the Visitor Levy Bill has come about after considerable work with partners, not least British Marine Scotland, in putting together a case for this removal, facilitated by the Holyrood Cross Party Group for Leisure Boating and Marine Tourism, of which we are a member.
The result will be a relief not only for commercial marina operators but also for smaller, voluntary groups which provide safe havens around the coast of Scotland for local and visiting boaters alike.
Both the charge and administrative costs would otherwise have to be passed on to boaters irrespective of whether onboard accommodation is ever utilised or is even possible.“
More on this here:
https://www.rya.org.uk/news/scotland_visitor_levy_amendment_jan24
