Majority of Bognor Regis, Littlehampton and the South East oppose the Government's proposed holiday tax

New polling suggests six in ten adults in Bognor Regis and Littlehampton oppose government proposals for a visitor levy on overnight stays.

The survey, commissioned by UKHospitality with Butlin’s, found half fear it could lead to local business closures.

UKHospitality estimates the levy could add more than £50 to the price of a seven-night family holiday. It claims that, under the government’s current proposals, the cost of some of Butlin’s lowest-priced four-night term-time breaks could increase by as much as 66%.

Polling of more than 10,000 adults across Great Britain found that 59% of people in the South East opposed a levy on overnight stays — the highest level of opposition recorded in any English region.

Opposition was slightly higher in the Bognor Regis and Littlehampton constituency, where 60% of adults were estimated to oppose the proposal. This was four percentage points above the national constituency-level average.

The research also suggested concerns about the possible impact on the wider visitor economy.

Almost half of adults in the South East — 47% — said they believed a levy could lead to local businesses closing, while 39% said it would make them more likely to take a holiday abroad.

In Bognor Regis and Littlehampton, 50% believed the proposal could lead to business closures and 47% thought it could reduce investment in the area.

A further 44% were concerned it could increase local unemployment, which the research said was ten percentage points above the national average. Almost half also said they would be less likely to vote for a political candidate who supported the proposal.

Butlin’s expects almost 70,000 guests to visit its Bognor Regis resort during the summer holiday period.

The company said it was continuing to invest in its resorts and guest experience, with many activities and entertainment options included in the overall price of a break.

Matt Rake, Resort Director, Butlin’s Bognor Regis said: “The visitor economy is a major part of life in Bognor Regis and across West Sussex. It supports businesses, creates value and contributes massively to what makes the South East such a special part of the UK.

“This summer alone, we'll welcome almost 70,000 guests to our resort, with those visits supporting local businesses and generating wider economic value across our community. I joined Butlin's as a Redcoat nearly 30 years ago, and it's given me a career I'm incredibly proud of because of the opportunities tourism creates. We're continuing to invest in our resort and our team members because we're confident in the long-term appeal of UK holidays, but policies like this make it harder to keep doing that.

“This polling shows local people share our concerns about the proposed visitor levy. We want to keep investing in Bognor Regis, creating opportunities and giving families every reason to holiday here. Making UK holidays more expensive works against that ambition. That's why we're urging the Government to rethink its proposal.”

Visitor activity generated more than £4.06 billion for the East and West Sussex economy during 2024, according to figures included alongside the polling.

Overnight visitors contributed almost £1.4 billion, while the number of overseas visitors staying in the region reportedly increased by 21% compared with the previous year.

Tourism is estimated to support approximately 58,470 full-time equivalent jobs across Sussex.

Butlin’s also spoke to guests staying at its Bognor Regis resort about how an additional charge could affect their holiday plans.

Gemma, a guest from Brighton said additional costs on her families’ break will “impact the length of our stay or whether we come at all…we will probably start looking to go abroad.”

Meanwhile, Kim from Hampshire noted spending less in the local area, adding “with the cost of living, it will cause problems for so many people.”

The polling was carried out by Stack Data Strategy, which interviewed 10,005 adults online across Great Britain between March 24 and April 20, 2026.

The results were weighted to be representative of the adult population, while constituency-level estimates were produced using a multi-level regression and poststratification model.

Across Great Britain, the polling found that 56% opposed the proposed levy, compared with 24% who supported it.

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