Cambridge residents are divided on managing tourism, debating a potential tourist tax and coach restrictions to enhance visitor experience and city infrastructure
Cambridge: Tourism has been a hot topic here for years. People are discussing how to manage the city’s appeal to visitors. Ideas range from a tourist tax to changes in coach rules.
We recently ran a poll asking locals what changes they want to see. Some want limits on visitors, while others suggest ways to improve their experience.
Some readers propose a “day-tripper tax” for coach groups. Others want to ban coaches altogether. There are also calls for better infrastructure to support tourists.
Last summer, hotels voted against a proposed ‘tourist tax’ of about £2 per night. This idea, suggested by Cambridge BID and the city council, could have raised £1.5 to £2.6 million annually.
However, 16 out of 23 large hotels opposed the tax. The funds would have supported a new group to enhance overnight offerings in the city.
Coaches in the city centre are another concern. In 2018, a council meeting discussed banning them from Queen’s Road. A retired councillor called the tourism situation “dysfunctional.”
He warned that the city could be overwhelmed by visitors. He supported banning coaches from the city centre entirely.
While there are some restrictions on Queen’s Road, it still gets blocked at times. Residents are calling for more action.
