The Green Party are promising to give councils the power to set up a bed levy to fund infrastructure if elected on November 7.
The party would also allow councils to charge a higher levy rate on Airbnbs and other short-term accommodation, and set up a national register so councils know where short-term rentals are and apply the levy.
National has ruled out introducing a bed levy as part of the pledge to not introduce new taxes, disappointing the mayors of Auckland and Queenstown, and instead promised to distribute money to all councils by resetting how the International Visitor Levy is allocated.
Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick said on Wednesday councils wanted a bed levy to reduce the pressure on ratepayers and support tourism.
"From Auckland to Queenstown, mayors don't care about central government politicians' squabbles about whether a levy is a tax.
"They want the tools to fund the infrastructure tourism requires and we will ensure they have them.”
A bed levy was "common sense", she believed.
"When more people stay, councils have more money for the services those visitors use.
"No council should have to build a local register and run its own system when it's central government who still disproportionately benefits from tourist spending.”
'Residential visitor accommodation' is classed as when a residential unit or flat is occupied by paying guests for any period under 90 days.
This excludes homestays when the resident of the property occupies it at the same time as paying guests staying for a period under 90 days, but includes hotels, motels, serviced apartments and campgrounds.
