Highland Council Visitor Levy Consultation In-person Events Announced
30th October 2026
Residents, businesses, community groups and visitors are encouraged to continue to take part in a series of public engagement events to learn more about the proposed Highland Visitor Levy and how they can contribute to the statutory public consultation.
In addition to the online webinars held earlier in the process, a programme of in-person events will continue throughout November. Details of forthcoming sessions, including information on how to register (where appropriate), are available on the Engage Highland events page. Sessions currently planned include Portree, Fort William, Inverness, Nairn, Aviemore, Lairg and Wick.
Highland Council Convener, Cllr Bill Lobban, said: "We know there is significant public interest in the proposed Visitor Levy consultation and have been encouraged by the level of public engagement in the process to date. However, with just over a month remaining until the consultation closes, we want to ensure everyone has the opportunity to access information, ask questions and provide feedback.
"At this time of year, many tourism and business organisations are holding their annual meetings and events. Therefore, it makes sense to work alongside Community Councils, Business Forums and tourism bodies such as Visit Inverness Loch Ness, Nairn BID and the Cairngorms Business Partnership to meet people and hear their views.
"I would like to reiterate that no decision has been made on whether a Visitor Levy will be introduced in Highland. The purpose of this consultation is to gather views from residents, businesses, visitors and stakeholders to help inform a future report to The Highland Council, when Members will decide whether to introduce a Visitor Levy scheme.
"We encourage anyone with an interest in the proposal to review all of the information available, which explains the requirements of the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Act 2024, the parameters in which a scheme could operate and the framework governing how any revenue generated could be invested.
"Should a Visitor Levy be introduced in the future, legislation requires that any net proceeds are used to support the scheme's objectives and invested in facilities and services that benefit both visitors and local communities. At this stage, however, our focus is on listening and gathering feedback through the consultation process."
What to expect at the engagement sessions
The sessions will provide an overview of the legislation available to local authorities and explain how a Visitor Levy scheme could be developed to support Highland's visitor economy. Attendees will also hear about the consultation process, key timescales and the supporting information available to help inform consultation responses ahead of the closing date on 30 November 2026.
Supporting documents and the online consultation questionnaire are available through the Engage Highland consultation portal.
https://engage.highland.gov.uk/en-GB/events
