Moray Council supports Tourism BID renewal ballot
Moray Council is supporting the Tourism BID’s decision to proceed with a renewal ballot which will allow businesses to vote on the proposal to extend the BID's operations for another five years.
The Moray Tourism BID became operational on 1 April 2020 with the establishment of Visit Moray Speyside. The board is made up with nine directors, including the Chief Executive of Visit Moray Speyside, and a cross-section of businesses within the BID area.
During its first term, the Tourism BID implemented an evolving programme that included various initiatives aimed at boosting local tourism. Proposed activities for the second term include marketing, business support and advocacy for the industry.
The proposal informed by public consultation, suggests transitioning from the current banded levy model to a percentage-based model. The proposed percentage rate is set initially at 1.8%, with a minimum levy of £250 and a maximum levy of £3,500, applicable to all tourism related non-domestic properties within the Tourism BID area. Tourism businesses operated solely by volunteers will be exempt from the levy.
Chair of the Economic, Development and Infrastructure Services, Cllr Marc Macrae, said: “Visit Moray Speyside’s ongoing activities and events to continue to attract visitors to Moray and provide economic growth in the region is essential for Moray. We’re pleased to support their proposal and look forward to seeing the results of the ballot.”
The provisional date for the announcement of ballot results is 27 March 2025.
A Business Improvement District (BID) is a business-led initiative where businesses come together to provide additional services and initiatives to improve the trading environment and benefit the local economy within a defined geographical area.
BIDs are developed and managed by the business sector with projects being partly funded through a compulsory levy, which is calculated on the non-domestic rates valuation. All tenants and, if applicable, property owners, who will be subject to the levy, will be invited to vote on whether the next Tourism BID proposal will go ahead or not.