The North Yorkshire city in the UK is hugely popular with tourists from around the world, but York City Council's Pete Kilbane is backing a move to charge each person a levy of £2.50.

He argued that this could raise up to £5 million a year based on its annual overnight stay figures of 1.7 million.

The council is said to be in talks with those in the hospitality industry regarding the nightly charge, which mirrors those in other European cities.

The tax generated from such a measure usually supports local infrastructure, as well as helping maintain attractions.

However Andrew Pawson, acting CEO of Continuum Attractions, has argued there despite the city's "rich culture, historic sites and varied attractions", the move could be a "risk".

He told the Daily Express newspaper: "The proposed visitor levy has the potential to bring about significant challenges to the tourism sector.

"Given the current economic challenges and the pressures on people’s pockets, we are deeply concerned that this boom could be put at risk by imposing additional taxes, which make an affordable, family day out just that little bit more expensive and highlight York as a place erecting barriers to tourism."

He insisted those in power shouldn't take any action that would put the UK and York's popularity "at risk".

He added: “Tourism is a vital economic driver for the city, supporting thousands of jobs and contributing significantly to the local economy.

"Any reduction in visitor numbers could have a cascading effect on restaurants, attractions and other businesses.”