Advertisment
NEWS POLITICS

Have your say on a 'tourist tax' for Wales

Have your say on a 'tourist tax' for Wales

By All About Newtown

8 months ago   1084 views

...

Consultation

Have your say

Give your views »

The Welsh Government has launched a public consultation today on proposals to give local authorities the powers to introduce a visitor levy.

The levy would be a small charge paid by people staying overnight in accommodation in Wales.

Each local authority in Wales will have the power to decide if they want to introduce a visitor levy, and the money raised will be re-invested in local areas to support local tourism. This could be investment in keeping the beaches and pavements clean, through to maintaining local parks, toilets and footpaths.

More than 40 countries and holiday destinations around the world have introduced a form of visitor levy, including Greece, France, Amsterdam, Barcelona, and California. A discretionary visitor levy for local authorities in Wales would represent a very small proportion of a visitor’s overall spend.

The extensive consultation seeks views on who should pay a levy, who would be charging and collecting the levy, how the levy could be best applied and how revenues from the tax could be allocated.

The careful process of translating proposals for a visitor levy into legislation, and then into delivery and implementation will span a number of years and will be subject to approval by the Senedd.

Rebecca Evans, Minister for Finance and Local Government, said:

“These proposals are about preparing for the future. Our intention is to bring about a sense of shared responsibility between residents and visitors, to protect, and invest in, our local areas. By asking visitors – whether they have travelled from within Wales or from further afield – to make a small contribution towards maintaining and enhancing the place they are visiting, we will encourage a more sustainable approach for tourism.”

Proposals for a visitor levy have been progressed through Welsh Government’s Co-operation agreement with Plaid Cymru. Plaid Cymru Designated Member Cefin Campbell said:

“While Wales may be the first place in the UK to introduce such a levy, we do not believe it will be the last – as we have seen recently, a visitor levy may soon be introduced in Edinburgh so Wales is not alone.

“We want to continue to see a thriving tourism industry in Wales. It is vital we have sustainable, responsible tourism that works both for visitors and for the communities they are visiting. Should local authorities decide to implement a visitor levy, it could make a real difference in communities across Wales to help develop and protect local services and infrastructure. We welcome all views in understanding what would work well for Wales and encourage everyone to contribute to the consultation.”

 


Get involved (0 comments)

You must be signed in to comment. Sign up for a free account now.


Related or similar stories based on this one

Image for the article Plaid call for Welsh Government to keep basic tax rate at 20p
Plaid call for Welsh Government to keep basic tax rate at 20p

8 months ago

Image for the article Homebuyers to benefit from new tax rules
Homebuyers to benefit from new tax rules

8 months ago

Image for the article Welsh Government to consult on a 'fairer council tax' for Wales
Welsh Government to consult on a 'fairer council tax' for Wales

10 months ago

Advertisment
Follow us

Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

   

Trending
Inquiry launched after body found in Llanidloes

5 hours ago 3852 views

Carnival call for volunteers

2 days ago 2000 views

Newtown woman refused drug test spared from ban

2 days ago 1704 views

Donate to us

We're a not-for-profit community interest company and have no corporate owners. We'd appreciate anything you can give to keep us providing free content.

  Donate via PayPal
Upcoming Events
Family River Workshop

31/05/23 10:00am Hafan yr Afon

Outdoor Festival 2023

03/06/23 09:00am Oriel Davies Gallery

Piano Recital with Paul Turner

04/06/23 03:00pm Oriel Davies Gallery

Latest Stories
 
What's on in the cinema this week?
 
Inquiry launched after body found in Llanidloes
 
Two players depart Robins