The Manchester Accommodation Business Improvement District (BID) is a ground-breaking initiative led by the city’s hotel and serviced apartment providers to help promote the city, create new events and support additional activities that will attract more people to visit and stay in Manchester and Salford.
How the Manchester Accommodation BID works
The Manchester Accommodation Business Improvement District contributes to the enhancement of overall guest experience and helps to expand the city’s visitor economy by amplifying marketing campaigns that drive overnight stays; securing large-scale events, conferences, and festivals in low-season months; and improving guest welcome and street cleanliness.
The above activities are funded by the City Visitor Charge; a supplementary £1 (plus VAT, where applicable) Charge per room/unit per night for guests, added to accommodation costs. The Charge has been in place since April 2023 and applies to most paid accommodation establishments within the Manchester Accommodation BID zone.
The equivalent of the Charge is subsequently collected from establishments within the Manchester Accommodation BID zone by way of a statutory BID levy that is used to fund the activities described above.
Helping to support the city's visitor economy
What We Do
Key Successes
Country to Country Secured
Manchester secured Country to Country, Europe’s largest country music festival, for March 2027, with Accommodation BID support helping attract a high‑spending international audience and strong city‑wide accommodation demand.
National Spotlight
The Accommodation BID featured on BBC’s The One Show, highlighting how the City Visitor Charge supports major events, including the BRIT Awards, and clearly differentiating the BID model from proposed government visitor levies.
CHS Secured
With fund-support from the Accommodation BID, leading meetings and event industry show, CHS, announced that it would combine its existing Birmingham and Leeds events to create on super show in its new home in Manchester from September 2026 onwards.
MOBO Awards Secured
Manchester was announced as host city for the MOBO Awards 2026, with Accommodation BID funding supporting the successful bid and reinforcing Manchester’s reputation as a leading destination for major cultural events.
