London is set to introduce a new tourist tax targeting overnight travelers in an effort to boost its local economy. The proposed tax aims to discourage short-term lets and encourage longer stays, with the city estimating that it could raise up to £20 million annually. The move follows a similar strategy used by other major cities such as New York and London is under pressure to address issues of overcrowding and gentrification in popular neighborhoods.
London eyes new tourist tax to help boost local economy
- Thread starter Nudist Blim
- Start date
I'm not sure I totally agree with this new tourist tax idea 
. I mean, I get it that the city wants to boost its economy and stuff, but isn't this just gonna put more strain on locals? Like, I know some areas are crowded and all, but what's wrong with a bit of extra foot traffic? It's not like we're hurting anyone by visiting London 
. And another thing, if overnight travelers have to pay this tax, won't it just drive them to look for cheaper options elsewhere? That'd be bad news for the city, right? 
. I mean, I get it that the city wants to boost its economy and stuff, but isn't this just gonna put more strain on locals? Like, I know some areas are crowded and all, but what's wrong with a bit of extra foot traffic? It's not like we're hurting anyone by visiting London . And another thing, if overnight travelers have to pay this tax, won't it just drive them to look for cheaper options elsewhere? That'd be bad news for the city, right? so another new tax, how does this affect regular tourists who just wanna stay for a few days? like, if i'm planning a trip to london, the last thing i wanna hear about is some extra fee on top of my hotel bill . and what's with the 'short-term lets' thing, doesn't that just mean people can rent out their apartments on airbnb? it feels like another way for locals to make money off tourists rather than actually helping the city become more sustainable. and £20 million is a pretty small amount considering how much london gets flooded with visitors every year 
. should be using that kind of cash to improve public transportation or something instead of trying to control who stays where
. and what's with the 'short-term lets' thing, doesn't that just mean people can rent out their apartments on airbnb? it feels like another way for locals to make money off tourists rather than actually helping the city become more sustainable. and £20 million is a pretty small amount considering how much london gets flooded with visitors every year . should be using that kind of cash to improve public transportation or something instead of trying to control who stays where Tourist tax just another way to make the rich richer, if you ask me. I mean, who doesn't love an extra £20 million in their pocket? But seriously, it's about time they did something to address overcrowding and gentrification. Those areas need some TLC and this might be a step in the right direction. Just hope it benefits local businesses and not just line the pockets of investors 
.And let's be real, short-term lets are part of the problem. All these Airbnb apartments turning into hotels and pushing out actual residents? No thanks
. At least this way they're making an effort to regulate it. London needs a little shake-up, but I'm all for keeping the city's soul intact 
.It's not like they're taxing tourists forever or anything
. It's just a one-time fee for those who want to splurge on their vacation. Plus, it'll encourage people to book longer stays, which means less waste and more eco-friendly vibes 
. Now that's what I call progress! 
I think its about time Londons got some control over its tourist numbers, feels like its been getting way too crowded lately 
. I mean, I love visiting the city but sometimes its hard to even find a decent coffee or park bench without a queue of tourists taking up space 
. The tax seems like a reasonable idea to me, especially if it can help prevent overdevelopment and keep the city's unique character intact 
. I just hope they actually use the funds to benefit local residents and small businesses rather than just lining the pockets of some faceless corporation 
.
. I mean, I love visiting the city but sometimes its hard to even find a decent coffee or park bench without a queue of tourists taking up space . The tax seems like a reasonable idea to me, especially if it can help prevent overdevelopment and keep the city's unique character intact . I just hope they actually use the funds to benefit local residents and small businesses rather than just lining the pockets of some faceless corporation . I'm not sure about this tourist tax idea... sounds like just another way for the city to make more cash off tourists, but how does it really help with overcrowding and gentrification? They're basically charging people to stay overnight, which could just push out long-term locals who can't afford it. I'd love to see some data on how this is going to work in practice, and what exactly they plan to do with the £20 million... is it going into local community programs or just more bureaucratic overhead? 
I'm not sure I agree with this new tax idea, you know? It sounds like they're just trying to make more money off tourists instead of finding a real solution to the overcrowding problem. Like, how much is £20 million to these people, right? And what's really going to change? Just because someone's staying for a few extra nights isn't going to solve the issue of people not respecting local communities and stuff. That's some basic common sense, imo. And what about all the Airbnb owners who are already struggling to make ends meet? They're just going to get hit with another tax on top of everything else? Not cool, London! 
And what's really going to change? Just because someone's staying for a few extra nights isn't going to solve the issue of people not respecting local communities and stuff. That's some basic common sense, imo. And what about all the Airbnb owners who are already struggling to make ends meet? They're just going to get hit with another tax on top of everything else? Not cool, London! I'm so done with these tourist taxes, I mean what's next? They're just gonna keep piling more fees on top of already overpriced accommodations . It's like they think people are just gonna magically start booking longer stays without an extra £20 million to spare. Newsflash: we've been over London for years and know exactly how much we can afford.
And what's with the assumption that these tourists are all just short-termers, anyway? There are loads of long-termers in the city, paying full price like everyone else. It's not like they're some special snowflakes who need a tax break because they're staying for months on end
.
I do get why they want to address overcrowding and gentrification, but can't they just find other ways to make the city more affordable for locals? Maybe instead of hitting tourists with yet another fee? It's just not fair.
. It's like they think people are just gonna magically start booking longer stays without an extra £20 million to spare. Newsflash: we've been over London for years and know exactly how much we can afford.And what's with the assumption that these tourists are all just short-termers, anyway? There are loads of long-termers in the city, paying full price like everyone else. It's not like they're some special snowflakes who need a tax break because they're staying for months on end
.I do get why they want to address overcrowding and gentrification, but can't they just find other ways to make the city more affordable for locals? Maybe instead of hitting tourists with yet another fee? It's just not fair.
just thinkin' about this new tourist tax idea for london ... i mean, on one hand, it's cool that they wanna boost the local economy, but on the other hand, it's a bit harsh towards people who just want to spend a night or two in the city. i know londons got some issues with overcrowding and gentrification, but taxing people for stayin' overnight feels like a bit of a slap in the face . plus, what about all the hosts on airbnb who are just tryna make a livin'? it's not all bad news tho, i guess if it means people are stayin' longer and supportin' more local businesses, that's a good thing . but london needs to find a balance between attractin' tourists and takin' care of its own residents, you know?
... i mean, on one hand, it's cool that they wanna boost the local economy, but on the other hand, it's a bit harsh towards people who just want to spend a night or two in the city. i know londons got some issues with overcrowding and gentrification, but taxing people for stayin' overnight feels like a bit of a slap in the face . plus, what about all the hosts on airbnb who are just tryna make a livin'? it's not all bad news tho, i guess if it means people are stayin' longer and supportin' more local businesses, that's a good thing . but london needs to find a balance between attractin' tourists and takin' care of its own residents, you know? man, it's like they're trying to recreate the good old days in london when you could actually afford a decent cuppa 
️ without breaking the bank, but i guess that's progress for you... introducing a tourist tax is like, a desperate attempt to slow down the overcrowding and gentrification, but won't it just push people away? i mean, if they're gonna make me pay more just to stay in london, can i expect a fancy new museum or park to pop up overnight ? all this just reminds me of when london was still relatively affordable back in the 90s... anyway, £20 million is peanuts compared to what the city's really losing out on due to short-term lets...
️ without breaking the bank, but i guess that's progress for you... introducing a tourist tax is like, a desperate attempt to slow down the overcrowding and gentrification, but won't it just push people away? i mean, if they're gonna make me pay more just to stay in london, can i expect a fancy new museum or park to pop up overnight ? all this just reminds me of when london was still relatively affordable back in the 90s... anyway, £20 million is peanuts compared to what the city's really losing out on due to short-term lets...Just heard about this new tourist tax in London and I gotta say, I'm not sure if it's a good idea . I mean, I get why they wanna boost the local economy and all that, but £20 million is a pretty steep price to pay for a bit of extra cash . And what's gonna happen to all the people who rely on tourism as their livelihood? It's not like they're gonna be able to afford it just 'cause some rich tourists are paying a bit more 
. Plus, I think this tax is just another way for London to push out the locals and make way for even more Airbnb rentals 
. I'm all for supporting local businesses, but this just seems like another way for the city to get richer while the rest of us suffer . Anyone else got thoughts on this? 
. I mean, I get why they wanna boost the local economy and all that, but £20 million is a pretty steep price to pay for a bit of extra cash . And what's gonna happen to all the people who rely on tourism as their livelihood? It's not like they're gonna be able to afford it just 'cause some rich tourists are paying a bit more . Plus, I think this tax is just another way for London to push out the locals and make way for even more Airbnb rentals . I'm all for supporting local businesses, but this just seems like another way for the city to get richer while the rest of us suffer . Anyone else got thoughts on this? Man I'm thinking about this tourist tax thing... it's like, what does it say about our society when we need to charge people just to come visit a city? It feels like they're trying to control the flow of people, you know? Like, are they trying to preserve some sort of authenticity or something?
But at the same time, I get it. London is struggling with overcrowding and gentrification, so maybe this is a necessary evil. The thing is, what does that say about our economy when we're just charging tourists to exist in a city? Is it really about preserving the community or just about generating revenue?
And then there's the whole short-term lets thing... it's like, people are just passing through, leaving no real mark on the city. But maybe that's not all bad? Maybe that's what we need more of – a sense of impermanence? A reminder that nothing stays the same forever?
But at the same time, I get it. London is struggling with overcrowding and gentrification, so maybe this is a necessary evil. The thing is, what does that say about our economy when we're just charging tourists to exist in a city? Is it really about preserving the community or just about generating revenue?
And then there's the whole short-term lets thing... it's like, people are just passing through, leaving no real mark on the city. But maybe that's not all bad? Maybe that's what we need more of – a sense of impermanence? A reminder that nothing stays the same forever?
I'm not sure about this tourist tax thing, it's like they're trying to nickel & dime tourists instead of fixing the real problems. Like, what's with all these short-term lets? They're not the ones causing the overcrowding, are they? 
It's just an excuse for property owners to raise prices and push out locals. And £20 million a year is just peanuts compared to what they'd make from all the Airbnb bookings... 
omg u guys, london just went full circle, i swear! they're introducing a tourist tax lol like they're trying to get us to stay longer, right? £20 million is insane tho, that's some serious cash for a little hotel tax . but for real, it's about time they did something to tackle overcrowding and gentrification in neighborhoods like shoreditch and Camden... i mean those places are getting hella crowded and expensive, it's not sustainable for locals anymore .
i love how new york started doing this too, now london is following suit, it's like the whole world is trying to figure out how to balance tourism with affordability. but at the end of the day, if they can make that money work, maybe it'll encourage longer stays and not just a bunch of short-termers flooding in... fingers crossed for all our london lovers .
. but for real, it's about time they did something to tackle overcrowding and gentrification in neighborhoods like shoreditch and Camden... i mean those places are getting hella crowded and expensive, it's not sustainable for locals anymore .i love how new york started doing this too, now london is following suit, it's like the whole world is trying to figure out how to balance tourism with affordability
. but at the end of the day, if they can make that money work, maybe it'll encourage longer stays and not just a bunch of short-termers flooding in... fingers crossed for all our london lovers .idk why they gotta tax tourists lol its like they're tryin to make london even pricier than paris or somethin 
️ i get that they wanna boost the economy, but what about all the people who actually live there? arent they worried about gentrification too?! it seems like every city is just trying to make a buck off their tourists these days...like new york's "tourist tax" and now london's 
its not like i'm against longer stays or anything, but come on, cant we find ways to encourage that without making it even harder for people to afford?!
its like they're tryin to make london even pricier than paris or somethin ️ i get that they wanna boost the economy, but what about all the people who actually live there? arent they worried about gentrification too?! it seems like every city is just trying to make a buck off their tourists these days...like new york's "tourist tax" and now london's its not like i'm against longer stays or anything, but come on, cant we find ways to encourage that without making it even harder for people to afford?! I'm not sure if I'm all for this new tourist tax in London ... but at the same time, I kinda think it's a great idea! I mean, think about it, £20 million is a decent chunk of change and it could definitely help with overcrowding issues. But on the other hand, it's not like they're going to raise the tax enough to make a huge difference... or are they? And what about all the short-term lets that are just going to get really expensive for people who need them? Like, I know some tourists might be willing to shell out more cash to stay in a longer-term accommodation... but others won't, you feel?
I guess what I'm saying is, it's not as simple as just introducing a new tax and expecting everything to work out
. There are going to be all sorts of complexities and trade-offs involved here. But at the same time, it's definitely worth trying something new... even if it doesn't totally work out . Maybe they'll get some feedback from the locals that will help them figure things out? Fingers crossed!
... but at the same time, I kinda think it's a great idea! I mean, think about it, £20 million is a decent chunk of change and it could definitely help with overcrowding issues. But on the other hand, it's not like they're going to raise the tax enough to make a huge difference... or are they? And what about all the short-term lets that are just going to get really expensive for people who need them? Like, I know some tourists might be willing to shell out more cash to stay in a longer-term accommodation... but others won't, you feel? I guess what I'm saying is, it's not as simple as just introducing a new tax and expecting everything to work out
. There are going to be all sorts of complexities and trade-offs involved here. But at the same time, it's definitely worth trying something new... even if it doesn't totally work out . Maybe they'll get some feedback from the locals that will help them figure things out? Fingers crossed! im not sure about this new tax idea... its just gonna push more tourists to cheaper destinations nearby, you know? like paris or berlin. theyll just wanna stay in a hostel or Airbnb for 2 bucks a night instead of paying extra in london. also, isnt the point of tourism to have a break and be cheap for once lol? plus, theres gotta be other ways to boost the economy than screwing over innocent tourists who just wanna visit london. im all for making some cash, but come on
i think this new tourist tax idea is kinda lame i mean dont get me wrong london is an amazing city but introducing another fee just to try and control the number of visitors sounds like a bit of a cop out to me its like theyre trying to make up for all the gentrification issues or something, which im totally against btw i think if people want to visit london they should be able to do so without breaking the bank, plus its not like they cant just stay in one place for longer if thats what they really wanna do 
the thing is too many people are already overpaying for accommodation and food in london as it is, we dont need more prices going up!
i mean dont get me wrong london is an amazing city but introducing another fee just to try and control the number of visitors sounds like a bit of a cop out to me its like theyre trying to make up for all the gentrification issues or something, which im totally against btw i think if people want to visit london they should be able to do so without breaking the bank, plus its not like they cant just stay in one place for longer if thats what they really wanna do the thing is too many people are already overpaying for accommodation and food in london as it is, we dont need more prices going up!