More than £428m a year could be raised by imposing a £1-a-night levy on visitors staying in hotels, according to the Northern Powerhouse Partnership (NPP).
A previous report by the NPP making the case for handing more tax powers to mayors and council leaders said it would give them more independence, flexibility and control over their ‘economic destiny'.
NPP chief executive Henri Murison said: ‘Introducing a tourism levy is common sense if we want to be able to invest in our offer to international visitors by protecting and enhancing our natural and cultural assets.
‘It's not fair that the burden of this upkeep or the cost of increased traffic should fall entirely on residents – nor does it make sense economically.'
