Pay Hotel Sleep Taxes in London

The implementation of the new rules of taxation for 2,100 budget hotels

Big Ben, London - Image credit P Djayasupena

Travel to London will be a little different this time when tourists are present there, you will be exposed when sleeping in a hotel tax of five per cent per room per night. They need to anticipate the circumstances vary with the application of new rules on taxation for hotel guests.

For travelers who've been to London before certainly a little surprised, but need to understand why the tax rules are implemented.

Citing the sites Independent, the tax applies to 2,100 budget hotels scattered in London. Something new at the beginning of the year, the Greater London Assembly (GLA) said the city's tourism a new fee charged to improve public services such as public transport networks, general cleanliness, police, and health services.

According to the local government of London, citing the sites CNN Indonesia, February 3, the burden of five percent can contribute up to 240 million pounds per year to the local treasury.

London is aware of need to ask different things of welcoming travelers who visit their city, GLA mention that the tax could be used for cultural and tourism attractions as well as the promotion of London, or training and tourism education.

But they also say the tax may be possible to reduce other taxes that already exist.

You can understand when a decision on such a tax would invite reactions from hotel associations, Ufi Ibrahim, Chairman of the British Hospitality Association (BHA) says, this will only reduce the number of tourists and hotel guests, even considered will have broad impact on the economy of London.

"It's really stupid. Although small, the tax could have a wide impact, the shops, restaurants, hotels and tourist reduce spend their money. It would make more difficult the London business develops."

Of course Ibrahim has its own reasons, because according to him, the cost of holidays in the UK was already two times higher than the European average, regardless of the tourists still give respect to a variety of attractions in this city.

But the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan supported the decision of the tax, he wanted the tourists who come really contribute to the city of London.

"When you look at other cities in the world, big cities also have a tourist tax of one to two percent. This is an attempt to continue to ensure London remains special."

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Source: H Darmayana - CNN Indonesia, Independent
Image: P Djayasupena