Scotland considers letting local areas tax cruise ships after a surge in visitors. Consultation open until May 30th.
Last year, many cruise ships visited Scotland, bringing approximately 1.2 million people. That is a big jump from 2019, representing almost 400,000 more visitors per year.
The popular ports are Invergordon and Orkney. Edinburgh, Lerwick, and Greenock also see lots of ships. Ships usually carry over 1,000 people. Other ports, like Ullapool and Scrabster, are seeing increased popularity as destinations.
The government wants to hear from everyone, including the cruise industry and local councils. They want to assess the potential impact of taxing cruise ships.
Scotland won’t implement a nationwide tax on cruise ships. They recently authorized local areas to tax overnight stays, and some desired this cruise ship tax as well. You can share your thoughts; the consultation closes on May 30th through the government website.