07. ABIDs – Mission Drift or Natural Evolution?

With talk of tourist taxes heating up in the UK, Vicinity and Beyond dives into one of the most important debates in the place management and visitor economy world:

Are Accommodation BIDs (ABIDs) a natural step forward—or a step too far?

In this episode, we explore:

🏨 Where ABIDs came from – how Manchester pioneered the UK model

 💰 How ABIDs differ from traditional BIDs – rateable value levies vs. per-night visitor charges
🗳 Why some ABID ballots fail – lessons from Bournemouth, Cambridge, and Chester
⚖️ Tourist taxes vs. ABIDs – a deep dive into the pros, cons, and international comparisons
📈 What the evidence says – do tourist levies really harm tourism?
🔮 What’s next – will ABIDs expand, fade, or coexist with national tourist taxes?

With new models emerging and tourist tax legislation on the horizon, this episode is packed with insights to help you make sense of a fast-changing landscape.

🗣 BID Managers, DMO leaders, local authorities: Share this episode with colleagues and board members to spark strategic discussions about the future of tourism funding.

🎧 Listen now on Vicinity and Beyond via YouTube or your favourite podcast platform.

#BIDs #ABIDs #TouristTax #Placemaking #TourismFunding #VicinityAndBeyond #DestinationMarketing #UKBIDs #LocalGovernment #VisitorEconomy