York Central MP Rachael Maskell says residents are paying the price for the number of tourists coming to the city.
And she is calling for a visitor levy of £4 to be imposed to counter that imbalance.
The Labour MP was speaking in a debate on the proposed visitor levy in the Commons last week.
Ms Maskell said: “York itself sees 1.7 million overnight stays – 6.2 million visitors to our city –and as a result we recognise the cost of tourism to our local authority.
“Whether it is about tidying our streets, putting infrastructure in place, cleaning our city or making additional provisions, the pressure of tourism on our public services is being paid for by local residents.
“There is an equation where local residents feel that they pay into the system and tourism gains, but that tourists are not making their contribution.”
York and North Yorkshire Mayor David Skaith says he wants to introduce a tourist tax in the region when the government allows it.
He says it could bring in £52.2 million based on a charge of £2 a night.
Hospitality Association York is “very concerned” about the plans, and says the sector is being “unfairly penalised”.
Ms Maskell said the revenue should be collected by local councils not the Mayor, and she says the price should be higher than Mr Skaith is proposing.
“I believe that this should be a flat-rate levy. I have always said that the price of a cup of coffee could be the benchmark – people would not think twice about going and getting an extra coffee.
“If it were something like £4, we would bring £6.8 million into our city and that would help our local economy. We will struggle to support our tourism industry otherwise, so I would encourage that factor.”
She says half the money be spent directly on tourism, “but there is also the opportunity to invest back into our communities and in local projects”.
Ms Maskell said the tax should be levied on Airbnbs as well as hotels. Children would be exempt, as would budget holiday options like camping and hostels.
She added: “We could use the money to promote the local tourism offer, from which the industry would gain, and could gain substantially.
“I am talking about putting on events, ensuring that we have better facilities and better infrastructure in our city, and supporting our bid to become a UNESCO world heritage site.
“All that would benefit not just York, but North Yorkshire and the wider region. It could include putting on projects such as Wild in Art and so on, to draw in even more tourism. I believe that a measure such as that could be seen as an investment in our future.”
Her fellow North Yorkshire MP, the Conservative member for Skipton and Ripon, Sir Julian Smith, has vowed to fight the tourism tax.
He told the debate: “One of my worries is that entrepreneurs in the tourist industry in North Yorkshire and elsewhere are on their knees due to post-covid issues, national insurance, rates and a whole range of factors.”
He said the the levy “must be paused until those businesses are back on their feet and start investing again”.
