FIFE Council has confirmed it will investigate introducing a visitor levy, with plans to consult with communities and local businesses.
This follows several other councils that have begun pursuing the idea after City of Edinburgh Council confirmed they will implement their own levy on 24 July 2026.
The Visitor Levy (Scotland) Act 2024 allows local councils to charge a percentage rate on accommodation within the scheme’s area.
There is flexibility over whether the charge applies to all or part of the local council area, whether it is charged for all or part of the year and can change depending on the purpose of the visit.
Early research shows that a visitor levy scheme charging 5% (in line with City of Edinburgh Council) could generate between £3.4m and £8.2m each year.
Councillors have now agreed that a thorough early engagement consultation exercise should take place over the coming months to inform future decisions on the issue.
Council leader David Ross explained: “Tourism is an important industry for the Kingdom. There are very mixed views on the introduction of a visitor levy.
“There’s also lots to learn from others who have already introduced these schemes. So we will be taking the time to make sure we gather all the views and have all the facts and evidence in front of us before we make any decisions on this.”
No decision on the introduction of a visitor levy will be taken before August 2026 at the earliest.
