Offsetting tourism costs: Local levy for bed nights

The country’s city and county council leaders should tune in to the debate that’s been opened in Edinburgh, where there’s a proposal on the table for a “transient visitor levy” or tourist tax of either 2% or €2.25 per night at hotels and other accommodation.

What’s commonly known in Ireland as the tourism tax is in fact no such thing, since Vat for the tourism and hospitality sector which was lifted from 9% to 13.5% in Budget 2019 is simply a straightforward sales tax paid by residents and tourists and passed on to the Government to spend as it deems fit.