The Scottish Tourism Alliance (STA) has submitted evidence to the Local Government Housing & Planning Committee on the Short-Term Let Implementation Update.
The document titled “Scottish Tourism Alliance Submission to Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee (1 October 2024)” outlines concerns regarding the implementation of Scotland’s Short-Term Let (STL) Licensing regime. Here’s a summary:
- About the STA:
The Scottish Tourism Alliance (STA) is the largest trade body representing over 15,000 businesses in Scotland’s tourism and hospitality industry. Members include key associations including the Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers (ASSC) and the Scottish Bed & Breakfast Association (SBBA).
- Concerns Over STL Licensing:
The STA raises significant concerns about the STL licensing scheme’s negative impact on Scotland’s tourism and hospitality sector. These include:
- Availability of accommodation: The policy has affected the variety and pricing of overnight accommodations, which is vital for supporting tourism, festivals, events, and other industries like film production.
- Link between planning and licensing: STA supports calls for separating planning and licensing processes, as local authorities have imposed varying planning requirements, which has created barriers to obtaining STL licences.
- Previous Submissions:
Although STA did not directly submit views on the STL operation, it supports ASSC’s continuous engagement with the government and has previously submitted evidence on the STL Licensing Amendment Order 2024.
- Recommendations for Review:
STA believes that the STL regime should be urgently reviewed. The government should focus on:
- Addressing unintended consequences of the legislation.
- Collecting data on STL closures, impacts on visitor numbers, and tourism economy to evaluate whether the STL regime meets its original objectives.
- Understanding how the reduction in accommodation options has affected events, festivals, and industries dependent on accommodation (e.g., film crews).
- Establishment of an Expert Group:
While the STA welcomes the creation of an expert group, it emphasises the need for real-time impact assessments of the STL regime. This group should include the right mix of stakeholders to help avoid further business closures and economic damage, particularly in rural and island communities.
- Impact on the Sector:
STA remains concerned about the overall effect of the STL licensing scheme on job losses, local economies, and the reduction of accommodation options, which could harm Scotland’s tourism strategy, Scotland Outlook 2030.
In conclusion, the STA urges the Scottish Government to review the STL regime’s impacts urgently, emphasising the need for better regulation and separation of planning from licensing to prevent further harm to the tourism and hospitality sector.
Read submissions from the ASSC and STA here.