19th JUNE 2025
GLAMPING INDUSTRIES TRADE ASSOCIATION SUPPORTS SCOTTISH TOURISM ALLIANCE CALL FOR CHANGES TO TOURSIM LEVY
The UK's new Glamping Industries Trade Association (GITA) has today formally endorsed a call to the Scottish Government from the Scottish Tourism Alliance (STA) to make important changes to the way the new Tourism Levy works in Scotland.
The endorsement follows a 23rd May letter from the STA to Scottish Public Finance Minister, Ivan McKee, requesting further discussion on the introduction of the levy. Changes slated for discussion include making the levy far easier to implement as well as the introduction of a fixed fee approach.
“The STA is an excellent and influential organisation.”, commented GITA Executive Director, John White. “It is important that we support the work they do, which has direct impact on our Scottish glampsite owners. GITA has held a number of concerns about Tourism Levies generally and in Scotland specifically, where the first charges are being introduced. Whilst in principle the concept of a levy to support tourism is a good one, any costly bureaucracy, excessive charges and misapplication of funds to activities, projects and initiatives only tenuously connected tourism, must be avoided. We are pleased the STA is insisting the Scottish Government converses meaningfully with the industry and are very happy to support that work.”
To join GITA visit www.gitauk.org.
ENDS – 200 words
About GITA(UK)
The Glamping Industries Trade Association UK (GITA) is the trade association dedicated to supporting and promoting the glamping industry. GITA provides its members with valuable resources, industry insights, networking opportunities, and advocacy to ensure the continued success and growth of glamping businesses. About the STA The Scottish Tourism Alliance (STA) is the overarching leadership and representative body for Scotland’s tourism and hospitality industry.
Our organisation comprises over 250 trade associations, businesses, destination groups and other organisations with an interest in tourism and hospitality.
We are able to offer the best possible representation of the issues and challenges we face as an industry through continuous engagement with more than 70% of tourism businesses in Scotland.
Our membership is spread across all regions and destinations in Scotland. We are governed by a Board with representation from across Scotland’s tourism and hospitality industry, and supply sectors.
We are committed to representing issues of national importance which affect Scotland’s tourism and hospitality industry; we are focused on removing barriers to growth and working with governments and the public and private sectors to improve the global competitiveness of Scotland’s tourism industry.
Tourism and hospitality matters. It is the lifeblood of many of Scotland’s communities. It is one of the largest employers in the country; one of our greatest exports and our industry has the capability and potential to enrich the lives of Scotland’s people, our visitors and those who work within our industry.
The STA led and co-ordinated the development and launch of Scotland’s tourism strategy, Scotland Outlook 2030, in collaboration with the Scottish Government and its agencies. We remain driven by this strategy, growing the value and positively enhancing the benefits of tourism across Scotland by delivering the very best for our visitors, our businesses, our people, our communities, and our environment. Our policy agenda and representational activity is centred on seeking to influence the right conditions that will enable a sustainable and thriving industry and to achieve our collective national ambition.
There has never been a time when our industry has needed such strong leadership to help all of our tourism and hospitality businesses, and the industry’s supply chain, to move through recovery. We ask that you stay connected to the STA and channel your voice through our activity to create better conditions to grow a sustainable tourism industry for the future.
Click here for a copy of the STA Letter to Ivan McKee.
