The Scottish Highlands are on every traveller’s list. The landscape, the beauty and the way to it all, is absolutely breathtaking. If you haven’t been there already, you should plan a trip soon, but be careful of the itinerary you make. If you are planning to camp, then you really need to be aware of the tax that might just be levied.
What Is It?
According to reports, ‘the Scottish Highlands has become the first area in the United Kingdom to introduce ‘tourism tax’ on campers’. The campers will be charged £1 per night for camping the popular region.
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The steps were taken after tourists leaving a ‘negative impression’ was highlighted by the council. Some of the problems raised include littering, garbage clogging drains and cars on the road that end up creating a gridlock in the area.
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In the Scottish Highlands, wild camping is quite popular among tourists. As per reports, it is believed that this will help in collection of a whooping £10 million, that would then be used by the council to maintain the area and ‘make sure that the towns and villages are in good condition’. It is expected that these efforts might encourage people to return to the country as well. Some of the popular places visited include Loch Ness, Ben Nevis, Moray Firth, Inverness and the Isle of Skye.
What’s More?
Reports state that the highlands welcome over six million visitors per year, that includes regular tourists and passengers who opt for cruise as well. Not just that. There are around 25,000 jobs that are linked to tourism in the area. So while the council has been able to justify the reasons behind the tax, a few people from the industry are disappointed by the council’s decision.
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This is because some fear that this might give the tourists potential reasons to opt for different tourist destinations over the Scottish Highlands. It has also been revealed that the council intends to ‘levy tourist tax in far more detail’, which is a cause of concern for some.