WITH 2017 set to be another busy year for the UK tourism industry, TV Licensing is appealing to hotels and guest houses in the South West to make sure they are correctly licensed.

Budget hotels, boutique bed and breakfasts, luxury spa resorts or serviced apartments must all be covered by a valid television licence if guests or staff are watching TV as it’s broadcast.

All viewers who use the iPlayer to watch any BBC programmes must also now be covered by a TV licence after new rules came into force in September.

There are around 35 hotels within ten miles of Tavistock, and 25 within ten miles of Okehampton. For many smaller hotels and guesthouses, the cost of a TV Licence is £145.50 a year, the same amount as a private house.

Hotels with more than 15 rooms are covered by one licence for the first 15 units, but will need an additional licence for every five thereafter.

According to the latest industry figures, the UK tourism industry is set to grow further after a bumper year of visits. In 2015/16, tourism brought in £22-billion to the UK economy, with 36.1 million overseas visitors to the UK – up 5% on 2014. In the first six months of 2016, the number of overseas visitors to the South West stood at 1,100,694 – an increase of almost 15% on the same period for the previous year.

Richard Chapman, spokesperson for TV Licensing in the South West, said: ‘As these figures show, the UK’s growing tourism business becoming more competitive, with hoteliers vying to provide ever greater guest satisfaction. Whether hotels are providing extras such as Smart TVs or TVs in the bathroom, they all need to be correctly licenced.’

Peter Ducker, chief executive of the Institute of Hospitality, said: ‘In-room entertainment is a vital part of the customer experience and any offering that is below-par can lead to unfavourable user reviews. Having a valid TV licence is obviously a necessity too.

‘Making sure your business is fully compliant with the law is a mark of your professionalism.’

For details about TV Licensing requirements for hotels and accommodation providers, call the TV Licensing on 0300 790 6124 or visit www.tvlicensing.co.uk/hotels