Destination England could become less attractive as a result of planned tourist taxes, the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has warned. The international industry organisation said the fees could make the UK “a more expensive and fragmented destination” and is citing research that shows a significant proportion of travellers from the UK’s important markets would consider going elsewhere if such levies were introduced.
The WTTC comments come as England is set to hand mayors across the country the power to charge overnight visitors an uncapped tax on their stay. The levies would apply to nearly all accommodation types, including bed and breakfasts, guest houses, hotels, and short-term lets. Proceeds are supposed to be retained for reinvestment in local priorities, such as connectivity, services, infrastructure, and events.
82 million more international travellers crossed a border in 2025 than the year before 🌍
— WTTC (@WTTC) September 2, 2026
International overnight arrivals reached 1.5 billion, up 5.6% on 2024.
China gained 9 million international visitors, France 8 million and Japan 6 million.
Vietnam and Italy each… pic.twitter.com/NCgs95KbgA
But the net effect could be negative, the WTTC said in a statement, flagging a possible decline in visitors from some of England’s biggest source markets. In the US, France, and Germany, an average of 29% of consumers told a WTTC survey they would consider an alternative destination or decide not to visit if asked to pay a €10 visitor tax. Domestic tourists from the UK were even more repulsed by the idea, with 39% of residents saying they would look at an alternative destination rather than pay £10.
The impact of a £10 scenario, the WTTC estimates, could be a loss of £14.4 billion (around €16.8 billion) in visitor spending in 2027, a decline that “demonstrates the potential scale of the economic impact when relatively modest additional costs influence travel decisions,” the WTTC said.
Commenting on the spectre of the UK becoming “a more expensive and fragmented destination at a time when competing countries and cities are fighting hard to attract international visitors,” Gloria Guevara, President and CEO, WTTC, said: “The UK should be making it easier to visit, not more expensive. Travellers have choices, and if the UK becomes less competitive, they will take their spending elsewhere.”
Guevara also highlighted the knock-on effects of less visitor spending, such as “weaker growth and fewer opportunities for the people and businesses that depend on Travel & Tourism.” She went on to urge the UK government to focus on “keeping the UK attractive and competitive as a destination. If we make it more expensive to visit, we risk losing the very visitors whose spending supports local economies across the country.”
The WTTC pointed out that previous government consultations have recognised the importance of ensuring any tourist levies are affordable and stable, and provide certainty for accommodation providers. It called for a policy oversight mechanism in case of excessive rates, and for assurances that any fees would “remain proportionate, predictable, and designed with the UK’s international competitiveness firmly in mind.”
