Tourist tax could revive London's arts and culture

Tourists visiting some European hotspots pay a levy on hotel stays

Pressure is growing on the government to allow London to impose a tourist tax on overnight visitors.

Think tank the Centre for London said the tax could help "revitalise" arts and culture in the capital, as its new report warned the city's creative industries were in "peril".

Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan previously voiced support for such a charge, saying most tourists in Europe "don't really mind paying an extra few euros".

The government has reiterated there were "currently no plans to introduce a tourism tax in England".

The report, Arts for All, urged ministers to restore arts funding for local government to 2010 levels, as well as a number of other measures.

They include a national Arts Pass for under-25s, and to allow the Greater London Authority (GLA) to "explore the implementation of a tourist tax".

The government said that places can already choose to introduce a levy on overnight stays through the Accommodation Business Improvement District model.

The Arts for All report was launched at the Barbican arts centre

The Arts for All report was unveiled on Thursday at the Barbican arts centre, where according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), the GLA said national legislation would be needed.

The idea, that visitors pay a small percentage or set amount extra on their hotel bill, is already in place in cities including Barcelona and Paris.

Venice has gone further, by introducing a €5 charge for day-trippers to the city – part of their effort to combat cruise tourism.

Rob Anderson, from the Centre for London, said art and culture was "at the heart of what it means" to be a Londoner.

He said reductions in funding had made it harder for the capital's arts sector to provide "affordable, local and convenient offerings" and widen participation.

He added: "We need to re-invest in our arts, to safeguard London's continued cultural success and ensure that more Londoners can benefit from the city's world-class offerings."

A government spokesperson said: "We're under no illusions about the financial issues facing councils and we're working with local authorities to fix the foundations to deliver improved public services across the country.

"At the same time, we are ensuring arts and culture are able to thrive across the country, through our recently announced £270m Arts Everywhere Fund, and through Arts Council England, which provides almost £150m to the London arts scene every year."