Voters in the North East would reject MPs who back the ‘holiday tax’, major poll shows

Over half (54%) of people in the North East oppose the Government’s proposed holiday tax, according to a major new poll of over 10,000 adults across Great Britain, commissioned by UKHospitality.

Nationally, almost three quarters of Brits (73%) would cut back or stop taking holidays in the UK as a result of the hike, with over 70% in the North East. Almost two in five (38%) in the region said they would be more likely to holiday abroad instead. Hospitality is critical to tourism in the North East, supporting 118,000 jobs and contributing £2.1 billion to the region's economy.

The poll also showed that voters across the country are nearly 10 times more likely to reject an MP who supports the holiday tax than back them. Nearly half (47%) said they would be less likely to vote for their existing MP if they supported the tax, compared with just 5% who said it would make them more likely to back them.

The polling, which included MRP modelling, revealed that a majority oppose the tax in over 90% of constituencies in Great Britain (573 out of 632). In the North East, 51% of Labour voters are less likely to vote for an MP who supported the tax.

Across the UK, 40% of 2024 Labour voters across the country said they would be less likely to re-elect an MP who supported the tax. The warning also cuts across the political spectrum: 45% of Conservative 2024 voters said they would be less likely to re-elect an MP who supported the tax, alongside 40% of Liberal Democrats, 47% of Greens, and 53% of Reform UK voters.

The UK Government is proposing to allow regional mayors to impose a tax on all overnight stays in hotels, holiday parks, holiday lets, B&Bs and AirB&Bs. UKHospitality has calculated the tax could saddle a family of four with an extra £100 or more for a two-week break.

Opposition to the tax is strongest amongst people already struggling to make ends meet. Over 85% of the most financially vulnerable say they would be negatively affected, with almost one third (31%) scrapping domestic trips altogether.

Allen Simpson, Chief Executive of UKHospitality, said: “This polling should be a wake-up call for every MP tempted to back the holiday tax. It is opposed by a majority of their constituents, it would deter millions from holidaying in England, and it would hit hardest the very families the Government says it wants to help.

“In her Spring Statement, the Chancellor said being able to pay for a holiday should never be too much to ask, but this tax puts a holiday out of reach for many.

“Voters are nearly 10 times more likely to punish their MP for backing this tax than to thank them for it. That is a political signal no MP should ignore. The public’s verdict is clear and decisive: stop the holiday tax. Let’s keep holidays relaxing, not taxing.”

Stephen Cassidy, Senior Vice President at Hilton UK and Ireland, said: “The message from the public could not be clearer – the proposed holiday tax is an added cost nobody wants and a risk no one can afford. The hospitality sector in the North East is already shouldering a damaging and disproportionate tax burden.

“If we are serious about boosting economic growth, tackling unprecedented youth unemployment, and keeping the North East attractive as a holiday destination for British families, we need to unlock the potential of our hospitality and tourism industries, not hinder them.”

Butlin’s CEO, Jon Hendry Pickup, said: “We oppose any proposal that takes away people's chance of a holiday, and this polling shows exactly why. For many families, a holiday tax won’t mean choosing a different type of break – it will mean not going on holiday at all. The numbers here are stark and in an already price-sensitive market, even small increases can be the tipping point between booking and staying at home.

“Guests holidaying across our three resorts supports jobs, local businesses, and long-term investment and the data shows 78% are worried about the impact on their local economy. At a time when there’s a real opportunity to back UK staycations, introducing a tax that would see 73% of people reduce or cut back on holidays in England risks undermining both consumer demand and regional growth.”  

The polling follows economic modelling by Oxford Economics, commissioned by UKHospitality, which found that a 5% holiday tax – the model being introduced in Edinburgh in July 2026 – would hit holidaymakers in England with a £1.6 billion tax rise, shrink GDP by £2.2 billion, cost 33,000 jobs, and leave the Treasury £688 million worse off in lost tax receipts by 2030.