By Colin Marr, Chief Executive, Inverness Chamber of Commerce
Highland Council are currently consulting on an updated visitor levy scheme. The consultation period runs until 30 November and we would advise all businesses with an interest in this subject to respond directly to the consultation. The link to the consultation is here.
In addition to the formal consultation Highland Council are also running a series of online webinars. The next one is on Wednesday 28 October, 6.30pm – 7.30pm and the link to join is here. We understand that there will be further online webinars and we will pass on the dates as soon as we know them – but keep on eye of the Highland Council website.
Inverness Chamber of Commerce is a member of the visitor levy forum and are also on a smaller industry group who are working with the council to make the visitor levy scheme as good as it can be.
Since the previous consultation, which ran in 2025, the scheme has moved from a percentage fee to a fixed fee, the admin fee retained by the accommodation provider has increased, and the levy won’t be charged in low season. These are all amendments that the industry asked for and we are glad to have played our part in them being part of this amended scheme.
In our view, and the view of our members, the plans for what the levy is spent on, and how the spending is governed, are still not robust enough. But we continue to work in a collaborative manner with Highland Council and are hopeful that these will all be in place by the end of the consultation period.
In general, the process has been a good example of how industry and the public sector can work well together, and Highland Council should be commended for their open approach to the work and their willingness to listen to industry.
But the most important thing now is that lots of voices are heard in the consultation. So if the visitor levy matters to you make sure you complete the consultation before 30th November.