The MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough has called for stronger local control over how money raised from a proposed tourism levy would be used.
Tom Gordon MP made the comments during a Westminster Hall debate on plans for a visitor levy in England, which would apply to overnight stays.
He said he supported the idea in principle - but raised concerns about how the policy would be implemented.
Speaking in the debate, Mr Gordon said funds raised through the levy should remain in the areas where they are collected and be clearly reinvested in local services and infrastructure.
He also questioned whether councils and communities would have enough influence over how the money is allocated, warning against what he described as a lack of local decision-making.
Knaresborough Town Councillor Andy Bell highlighted the role of local organisations in supporting tourism.
He said:
“We support local events and even run the local tours which bring vital footfall for our local businesses.
"We need to see the money from a visitor levy pumped back into the community - to public transport and cleaning to reduce the environmental impact of tourism will improve the town for locals and visitors alike.”
During the debate, Mr Gordon also raised concerns about how the levy would be applied, noting that current proposals focus on overnight visitors rather than day-trippers.
He suggested this could lead to situations where local residents travelling within their own county would be subject to the charge, while others visiting for the day would not.
Mr Gordon said the proposal had emerged amid wider funding pressures on regional authorities, and questioned whether it formed part of a broader tourism strategy.
He said:
“If money is raised locally, it must be shaped locally, spent locally, and seen locally. If people can’t see where it goes, they won’t believe a word we say about why it’s being raised.
"Speaking to local hoteliers, it’s clear that if the money comes back into the local visitor economy, then they can make it work. But they’ve been promised reinvestment before.
"If we end up with yet another Labour-imposed tax, it needs to fund the tourism drivers like my long-standing campaign to dual the line between Knaresborough and York or the community campaign to get a restoration package for Knaresborough castle.
"Without the proper safeguards, this will simply be another pressure on an already stretched sector.”
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