Should tourists help pay for New Zealand’s infrastructure?

Tourism is booming again, but who should pay for the pressure that comes with it?  A powerful alliance of mayors and tourism leaders is pushing for a nationwide accommodation levy, or bed tax.  They argue tourists should help fund the roads, rubbish collection, public facilities and major events that keep our biggest destinations running.   Supporters say it’s a common-sense user-pays model, one that would take pressure off local ratepayers.   But critics say it’s just another tax, one that could make New Zealand more expensive and harder to compete as a travel destination.   So why is this idea back on the table now? Why has it failed to get across the line before? And if a levy does happen, who pays, who collects it, and where should the money go?  Today on The Front Page, Regional Tourism New Zealand chair Andrew Wilson is with us to discuss the growing push for an accommodation levy. Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. You can read more about this and other stories in the New Zealand Herald, online at nzherald.co.nz, or tune in to news bulletins across the NZME network. Host: Chelsea DanielsEditor/Producer: Richard MartinProducer: Jane YeeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.