Our work
Visitor levy
We’re campaigning for a fairer way to pay for the things that the Lake District National Park needs to remain a beautiful place to live and visit.
Who pays?
The Lake District welcomes millions of visitors every year, and tourism is vital to the region’s economy. But with such high visitor numbers comes pressure on the landscape, infrastructure, and the communities who live here all year round.
Our Visitor Levy campaign calls for a fair, simple way to help manage these impacts and invest in the things the Lake District urgently needs — from better transport to cleaner lakes and well maintained paths. The levy could be in the form of a vehicle charge or a charge on overnight stays.
Research shows strong public backing for this idea. A YouGov poll commissioned by us found that 68% of Cumbrian residents and 64% of past or future visitors support a visitor charge that would directly fund protecting and enhancing the National Park.
A visitor levy isn’t about restricting tourism — it’s about ensuring that the place we all love remains protected, accessible, and thriving for generations to come.
An “Invisible Burden”
Tourism brings enormous benefits, but the current volume of visitors creates an “invisible burden” on the Lake District’s natural environment and infrastructure. Read more in our report: Who Pays for the Lake District?
This burden includes:
- Congested roads and inappropriate parking
- Wear and tear on footpaths and verges
- Pressure on lakes, water quality, and the wider environment
- Strain on local authority services, which must manage visitor impacts without receiving additional funding
- Reduced quality of experience for visitors and residents alike
A visitor levy would create a fair mechanism to help fund solutions. It recognises the contribution visitors make while supporting the transport, conservation, and maintenance work needed to keep the Lake District special.
Our campaign actions
Friends of the Lake District is leading the way with research, engagement and advocacy to demonstrate how a visitor levy could work in practice.
Influencing government proposals
In November 2025, the government announced that mayors, including the mayor for Cumbria to be elected in May 2027, will have the right to impose a levy on the cost of overnight stays in the area under their control. We will be urging all mayoral candidates to commit to seeking on their first day in office, the power to levy a visitor tax.
Our visitor levy YouGov survey
Working with YouGov, we surveyed over 2,000 people — including residents, past visitors and upcoming visitors — to understand support, preferred models, and funding priorities.
Starting a public and political conversation
As debate grows around how best to protect the Lake District, we are encouraging residents, visitors and policymakers to consider the levy as a positive, practical step toward regenerative tourism — where every visit contributes to caring for the landscape. Our 2025 Kirby lecture (pictured above) explored this idea. Click here to watch a webinar we ran in 2025 on the subject of Who Pays for the Lake District?
Campaign news
The latest updates from our current campaigns.
Our new website
The website as you see it now is just the start. Much of our previous content is temporarily…
What shape should a Cumbrian visitor levy take?
Last November, the government announced that mayors, including the mayor for Cumbria to be elected in May 2027,…
Roanhead… Saved!
Friends of the Lake District have joined a coalition of other nature and landscape charities, and the community…
Explore more of our work
A snapshot of what we’re focused on right now. Explore a project to see updates, evidence, events and the best ways to get involved.
