THE board behind the proposed tourist tax will help deliver a “smooth transition” as BCP Council steps away from funding what it calls destination activities. 

A report by Andrew Emery, BCP Council’s strategic development manager for planning and destination, said that the accommodation BID (ABID) should start with a five-year term. 

As reported, a visitor levy of £2 per night would raise around £2m per year if approved. 

This money would then be used for marketing, events, placemaking and partnership activities. 

Mr Emery said the purpose of the charge is to “support growth” in the visitor economy, which the conurbation benefits from particularly during the summer. 

Around 10,000 jobs in the three towns are in the tourism sector, around seven per cent of the workforce. 

The highest spending group are people staying overnight in hotels, guesthouses and Airbnbs which attracts around 651,000 visitors over 1,887,000 nights, according to Mr Emery. 

The council says this contributes an estimated £204.3m to Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole’s economies. 

Mr Emery said: “[The tourist tax] would be applied across all visitor accommodation within the conurbation with a rateable value over £40,000, subject to consultation with the businesses who would be balloted to establish the ABID. This is estimated to include around 73 businesses. 

“Should the ABID be voted in, the council will be responsible for the quarterly collection of the visitor charge from hotels, passing on the collected funds to the ABID minus the costs for collection.” 

BCP Council would also be able to apply the visitor charge to its guests at Bournemouth Beach Lodges. 

Representatives from the hotel sector, the BH Area Hospitality Association (BAHA), the Destination Management Board (DMB), the four existing BIDs and BCP Council are all part of the board. 

David Bailey, president of BAHA and vice chair of the shadow board, said the charge will mean the management and development of BCP’s visitor offering will be in the industry’s hands. 

Chair Rosie Radwell explained Manchester and Liverpool already have the charge and that the ABID “want to be a step ahead” and become to first coastal town to have it.