Aberdeen Visitor Levy Explained: What It Means for Business Travel

Aberdeen is one of Europe's busiest energy hubs, with thousands of business travellers, offshore workers, project teams and contractors passing through the city every year.

For many of these travellers, an overnight hotel stay is part of the journey before boarding a helicopter, joining a vessel or beginning work on a project. Whether coordinating offshore crew changes, arranging accommodation for visiting engineers or managing corporate travel, overnight stays are often an essential part of business travel through Aberdeen.

From 1 April 2027, those stays will be affected by Aberdeen's new Visitor Levy.

While often associated with leisure travel, the levy will also apply to business travellers staying overnight in the city. For organisations arranging accommodation on a regular basis, understanding how the levy works now can help organisations plan ahead, avoid unexpected costs and keep future travel budgets accurate.

In this guide, we'll explain what the Aberdeen Visitor Levy is, who it applies to, and what businesses should consider before it comes into effect.

What is the Aberdeen Visitor Levy?

The Aberdeen Visitor Levy is a 7% charge applied to the cost of overnight accommodation within Aberdeen. The levy is collected by accommodation providers as part of the booking and applies to eligible overnight stays within the Aberdeen City Council area.

Introduced under the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Act 2024, the scheme allows local authorities to apply a charge to overnight accommodation, with revenue reinvested into initiatives that support the local visitor economy.

The levy applies to overnight stays taking place from 1 April 2027, including eligible bookings made in advance where payment falls within the implementation period.

Does the Visitor Levy Apply to Business Travellers?

Yes.

One of the biggest misconceptions is that the Visitor Levy only affects tourists.

In reality, the levy applies to overnight stays regardless of whether the reason for travel is leisure or business, unless a specific exemption applies.

For organisations managing:

• Corporate travel

• Offshore crew changes

• Marine personnel movements

• Energy sector mobilisation

• Project teams

• Contractor accommodation

  
  

…the additional charge should be considered as part of future accommodation planning.

Why This Matters for Aberdeen's Energy & Offshore Sector

Unlike many UK cities, Aberdeen has a unique travel profile. As the gateway to the North Sea energy industry, the city sees thousands of offshore workers, marine personnel, engineers and contractors travelling through it every year.

For many organisations, accommodation isn't simply a convenience—it's an operational requirement. Crew members often arrive the day before scheduled helicopter departures, project teams stay overnight ahead of mobilisation, and visiting specialists may require accommodation before joining vessels or offshore installations.

While the Visitor Levy may represent a relatively small increase on an individual booking, organisations arranging hundreds of overnight stays throughout the year could see a noticeable increase in accommodation costs.

Understanding that impact now gives businesses time to plan ahead.

Planning Ahead for the Visitor Levy

Although the levy represents a relatively small percentage increase on individual bookings, businesses arranging regular overnight accommodation in Aberdeen may wish to review:

• Annual accommodation budgets

• Long-term project costs

• Crew mobilisation planning

• Internal travel policies

• Forecasting for future travel spend

  
  

Considering the levy as part of wider travel planning can help avoid unexpected costs once it comes into effect.

How Munro's Travel Can Help

As an Aberdeen-based travel management company, Munro's Travel understands the unique travel requirements of the energy, offshore and marine sectors.

Our Account Managers work closely with organisations managing complex business travel, crew logistics and project mobilisation through Aberdeen every day.

As changes such as the Visitor Levy are introduced, we're here to help clients understand how they may affect accommodation costs, travel planning and future budgets, providing practical advice to keep business travel running smoothly.

Get in touch with our dedicated team here.

Looking Ahead

Although the Visitor Levy represents a relatively small increase on individual bookings, it has the potential to make a meaningful difference to organisations arranging accommodation at scale.

Understanding the changes now gives businesses time to review travel budgets, update policies where appropriate and plan confidently ahead of implementation.

For organisations moving people through Aberdeen every day, preparation now can help avoid surprises later.

Frequently Asked Questions

When does the Aberdeen Visitor Levy start?

However, if you book accommodation from 1 October 2026 for a stay taking place on or after 1 April 2027, the Visitor Levy will already be included in the booking.

How much is the Visitor Levy?

The charge is 7% of the cost of eligible overnight accommodation.

Does it apply to business travel?

Yes. Business travel is not exempt from the Aberdeen Visitor Levy.

Whether you're booking accommodation for an engineer, offshore worker, contractor or project team, the levy will generally apply to eligible overnight stays. The only exceptions are for specific categories of traveller defined by Aberdeen City Council.

Are there any exemptions?

Yes. Aberdeen City Council has introduced a number of specific exemptions, including certain people receiving qualifying disability benefits, individuals travelling for medical appointments (and an accompanying companion where applicable), and some emergency accommodation arrangements.

Business travel is not exempt.

Will businesses need to pay more for accommodation?

Yes. While the additional cost on an individual booking may be relatively small, organisations booking accommodation regularly should consider the cumulative impact across annual travel budgets, offshore crew changes and long-term projects.