Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary has warned that Andy Burnham's plans to heap taxes on foreign visitors risk killing off tourism and devastating regional economies. O'Leary criticised the Prime Minister's move to hand English mayors the power to impose uncapped overnight visitor levies on hotels, holiday lets and bed and breakfasts, saying tourists already pay a £15 departure tax on short-haul flights and should not be double taxed on hotel nights. He argued that if Labour intends to tax hotel stays it should abolish air passenger duty, claiming the levy costs Britain about £2.5m a year, a sum he said would be recouped within 12 months through a jump in traffic and newly viable routes. Ryanair alone would base 30 more jets at UK airports, lifting passenger numbers by more than a quarter to 80 million, adding 200 routes and creating 10,000 jobs by 2030, he said, compared with a potential scaling back of operations if taxes rise. O'Leary also predicted high oil prices could trigger a 20pc jump in airfares next summer, repeated his call for the sacking of Martin Rolfe, head of National Air Traffic Services, and complained that an investor revolt over his €150m bonus scheme would force Ryanair into 12 months of meetings after 40pc of shareholder votes rejected his pay deal.
Ryanair Holdings plcO'Leary warns hotel visitor levies and air passenger duty would force Ryanair to scale back UK operations instead of adding 30 jets and 200 routes
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