Scottish Borders Council has set up an officer working group to look at a visitor levy: a small charge on overnight stays in hotels, B&Bs and holiday lets. No decision will be made until next year.
Visitor levies are normal across most of Europe. The power to introduce one in Scotland was won by Green MSPs, and Edinburgh’s 5% levy starts in July 2026.
The Borders welcomes a great many visitors every year, and we want them to keep coming. But they use our roads, paths, car parks and toilets, and those are paid for by local Council Tax payers.
Our position is that the council should consult properly on a modest Borders visitor levy, ring-fenced for the things visitors use: public toilets, paths, car parks, bins and rural roads.
