A consultation has been launched into plans for a tourism tax in Scotland.
The Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill was introduced in the Scottish Parliament in May.
If passed, the legislation would allow councils to add an additional charge to overnight accommodation if they choose to do so.
This would be based on a percentage of the cost, with the rate set by individual councils.
Argyll and Bute Council has previously said such a tax would be hard to implement, pointing out that day trippers would not be affected.
But MSP Ariane Burgess (right), convener of the Scottish Parliament’s local government, housing and planning committee, said it could be applied flexibly.
“We want to hear from as wide a range of communities, businesses, tourism organisations and individuals as possible to inform our scrutiny,” she said.
“Tourism is one of Scotland’s leading growth industries, contributing more than £4bn to our economy each year, so ensuring these proposals work for those connected to the industry is essential.
“The Bill provides a framework for local authorities to decide how money raised should be spent within local communities, how flexible they can be with where and when the levy would apply and whether certain exemptions should apply, all of which we want to gather detailed views on from urban, rural and island communities across Scotland.”
The committee is seeking views from businesses, tourism organisations, community groups, and individuals over the summer ahead of its consideration of the general principles of the Bill.
It will then listen to the views of stakeholders before producing a report setting out its findings.
The call for views will end on Friday, September 1.
Those wishing to respond can choose to provide a detailed response to the committee about the Bill or make brief and general comments, joining the conversation about the Bill on the committee’s engagement website.
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