Is tourism tax a case of cutting off your nose to spite your face?

I refer to the article in last week’s paper (CP, 10-09-21) that the council is considering imposing a tourist tax.

Does the council not know that the Isle of Wight's economy is heavily dependent on tourism?

Do councillors not know that attracting tourist to the Isle of Wight is highly competitive, with many deciding to go elsewhere due to the significant premium that has to be paid to cross The Solent?

It may well be due to the boom in visitors during the last two years that they consider that the supply and demand balance will remain in their favour, despite prior to the pandemic Island tourist accommodation struggled to fill the shoulder seasons (spring and autumn), because of the high premium to be paid to cross the channel.

Many accommodation providers have to factor this into their pricing to be competitive with mainland destinations.

Cllr Quigley makes the ludicrous suggestion that the tourists will not notice.

They will notice, and more of them will decide to go elsewhere. It is just that Cllr Quigley will not notice when this happens.

If this measure is adopted, the council will gain a few hundred thousand pounds, but at the price that the local economy will lose millions due to the resultant reduction in tourists.

Less money coming into the Isle of Wight will mean less jobs and less income for the council. How short-sighted would this be?

Read more letters sent to the County Press here. Do you have a view on this or any other subject? Send us a letter to editor@iwcp.co.uk