The Scottish Green party has unveiled plans to impose a new tax on cruise vessels visiting Scotland, aiming to address environmental concerns and the impact of large numbers of tourists on local communities.
Lorna Slater, the Circular Economy Minister, highlighted the potential focus on the most polluting vessels with this levy. In addition to this, the party introduced an extension of free ferry travel for young residents of Scottish islands, now granting four free mainland trips a year to individuals under the age of 22.
Ms. Slater expressed hope that the cruise ship tax would encourage operators to adopt cleaner, less-polluting vessels. The Green party intends to collaborate with local authorities to grant them the authority to levy cruise ships, ensuring that communities hosting these ships receive appropriate investments while promoting environmentally friendly ship choices.
In 2019, Scotland welcomed ~817000 cruise ship tourists, prompting some councils to raise concerns about the impact of the cruise industry. For instance, Orkney Council recently approved measures to limit the number of ships allowed to visit at any given time.
Scottish ports like Greenock, Oban, Lerwick, and Leith frequently host cruise vessels.