Visitors to Edinburgh will be charged a tourist tax designed to raise £50m annually, after city councillors voted in favour of the move. The charge, which mimics those already used in Germany, Spain and Italy,

Local politicians in Edinburgh have approved a tourist tax for visitors staying overnight the Scottish capital, introducing the first charge of its kind in the United Kingdom.

A five per cent charge will be levied on hotels, B&Bs, campsites and accommodation let through websites such as Airbnb

The plans being considered by the City of Edinburgh Council would see overnight tourists charged a 5% levy - which the council has said could raise £50m a year.

Edinburgh councillors are to vote for Scotland’s first visitor levy designed to raise £50m annually for the authority. The final proposals for the scheme, taking account the findings of the 12-week public consultation, were presented by officers at a special meeting of the Policy & Sustainability Committee last Friday (January 17).

The City of Edinburgh Council has voted to enforce a 5% charge on overnight stays in a bid to use the area's booming tourist trade to the local authority's advantage. Those visiting Scotland's capital will have to pay a 5%-per-night fee for up to seven nights when staying at hotels,

Councillors agreed to delay the introduction of the new charge until October to give the industry time to prepare