A councillor has outlined the boost which Glasgow could receive with a tourist tax

A Glasgow Greens councillor has discussed the benefits of the city having a tourist tax after reports that Glasgow was set to be announced as the host city for the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

The plan for the international event includes a two-year turnaround with a budget of £130-150million. The Commonwealth Games Federation would provide £100million, while the remaining funds would come from tickets, sponsors, and broadcasting. Around 10 sports would be offered during an 11 day competition in July or August 2026. Athletics and swimming are the two mandated sports with the other eight to be determined after consultation with the CGF.

“If the Commonwealth Games come back to Glasgow, it’ll put a lot of pressure on the city’s services. Even if we reuse the venues we built for the 2014 Games, there will be thousands more people using our services, bins and transport network, with increased costs for the city council.

“Thanks to the Scottish Greens, new legislation is now in place allowing councils to introduce a tourist tax in their area. If we get a Glasgow tourist tax up and running in time for the Commonwealth Games, it could bring in millions for the city – that’s money we can invest back into our public services, benefitting residents and visitors alike. The tourist tax and income from it could be a real positive legacy from the Games, with more money to invest in our parks, our cleansing and our culture sector.

“Everyone in Glasgow can see the impact of inflation and austerity. We need every penny we can get to provide quality services that Glaswegians expect, and the tourist tax is a great way to do that. All parties in the Council now need to work together to make sure that we get our tourist tax up and running in time.”

The scheme would see visitors pay an extra charge on top of overnight accommodation costs. The tax could only be two years away – 2026 to 2027 – depending on how quickly it can be brought in. The Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill was passed in the Scottish Parliament on May 28 granting councils the the power to impose the visitor charge.