The Highlands get more than six million visitors a year – including day trippers, overseas tourists and cruise passengers, according to Highland Council’s figures.
Among its attractions are the North Coast 500 tourist route, which starts and finishes in Inverness, also the landscape of Skye and beaches along its 3,050 miles (4,905 km) of coastline.
Highland, Edinburgh and Aberdeen and other councils supported proposals for the tourist tax six years ago.
Under the proposals passed by MSPs earlier this:
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The levy must be based on a percentage of the cost of an overnight stay in some types of accommodation, with the rate set by the local authority
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Accommodation providers will be responsible for collecting the levy from overnight visitors
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Money raised by the levy must be used to develop, support or sustain facilities and services used predominately by business and leisure visitors
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Exemptions are given for certain groups, including people receiving disability benefits
In August 2019, Highland Council calculated it could generate as much as £10m a year from a levy, and reinvest the money into improving infrastructure such as roads, car parks and public toilets.
In 2019 the Highland tourist numbers reach a peak of seven million visitors.
The Covid pandemic hit tourism, but there have been recent signs of recovery and in 2022 there were more than six million visitors to the area.
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