Purpose

The purpose of this report is to inform the
North Yorkshire Council response to the Government consultation on
National Visitor Levy, which closes on 18 February 2026. The
decision required will be to agree the content of the consultation
response.

Decision

The Executive Member for Open to Business has
approved the response to the National Consultation on Overnight
levy and this will be submitted as the North Yorkshire Council
Response.

Reasons for the decision

The decision to approve and submit the
consultation response to Government was to ensure that North
Yorkshire Council:

• clearly articulated the specific needs and sensitivities of
the county’s diverse visitor economy;
• reflected the views and concerns raised by local
accommodation providers and visitor facing businesses;
• sought to influence the development of national legislation
that may directly impact the area;
• supported appropriate governance arrangements and safeguards
should new Mayoral powers be introduced; and
• ensured that any future implementation of a visitor levy is
aligned with the Council Plan, Destination Management Plan, and
wider strategic objectives.

Alternative options considered

The alternative option was not to submit a
consultation response. This option was discounted as it would have
limited the Council’s ability to influence the development of
a policy that could have significant implications for the local
visitor economy. By gathering business feedback and submitting a
formal response, the Council has ensured that the specific needs
and concerns of North Yorkshire are represented in national
decision-making.