defestival1-9, Exercise 3: Edinburgh and a German city

Model answer (check the details):

Edinburgh: the Festival Fringe, Hogmanay and the Christmas market bring very large crowds. Residents have raised concerns about crowding, short-term holiday lets that reduce housing for residents, and pressure on services. The city and the Scottish Government have approved a visitor levy on overnight stays (check the start date), and there are rules on short-term lets (check).

A German city, for example Munich during Oktoberfest or Nuremberg at Christmas: the same crowds, high hotel prices and pressure on transport, plus strict event safety rules. The city earns tourism income and regulates stall places, and residents sometimes complain about noise and crowds (check).

Two measures that both could use:
1. A visitor levy or tourism income fund, with part of the money reserved for services that residents use, such as transport and cleaning.
2. Limits on the siting and opening hours of the largest events, with places and times reserved for local use, and regular public consultation with residents.

Other options: capping short-term lets, spreading events across the city, and publishing visitor and income figures so that the debate rests on evidence.