Tax warning to city chiefs

Published on 22/06/2012 12:00

Tourism Minister Fergus Ewing has told the city council that he will not legislate for any new tourist taxes.

After last month’s council elections, city leaders were urged to abandon plans to revisit the controversial “bed tax” after fresh figures revealed a slump in the hotel trade.

But speaking during a debate on growing Scotland’s visitor economy, Mr Ewing said: “We understand that the council are looking at options to increase revenues from tourism. However, the Scottish Government have been clear that we have no plans to add any new tax burdens to the tourism sector.”