Opinion: Welsh tourism tax plan will make visitors cash cows
It's that time of year when our area gets a huge influx of tourists, drivers on our back roads who can't reverse, and people walking up Pen-y-Fan in flipflops, writes James Evans MS.
Nevertheless, we all welcome tourists and the tourism spend to support our communities, our High Streets, our pubs and more.
With one in seven jobs reliant on the sector, it's a vital employer. From family-run B&Bs to outdoor education centres and self-catering cottages, tourism keeps our rural economy alive.
That's why I'm increasingly concerned that the Welsh Government's plans to introduce a tourism tax are a step closer to becoming reality.
Under the current proposal, visitors could be charged at least £1.30 per person, per night to stay in accommodation (80p for hostels and campsites).
That's before VAT. Councils would be free to raise that figure further.
This is a new tax that could do real damage to Wales, and at a time when many accommodation providers are already under pressure from rising costs and policies like the 182-day occupancy rule for self-catering properties.
Recently, the Senedd debated and approved the general principles of the Tourism Levy bill. Labour and Plaid Cymru voted in favour, and the sole Liberal Democrat, Jane Dodds MS, chose to abstain. Only Welsh Conservatives voted against.
It's important to stress that councils can choose whether to introduce the levy. Pembrokeshire County Council has already said it won't do so until at least 2027.
I've recently met with Councillor James Gibson-Watt to urge the Lib Dem/Labour-run Powys County Council to follow their lead.
If they decide to implement it, they must be fully transparent about how the money will be spent.
Without that clarity, there's a real risk it won't be reinvested into tourism at all.
Let's not forget that 90% of visitors to Wales are from within the UK. Welsh families could be taxed just for holidaying in their own country.
The Welsh Government should be supporting tourism in mid Wales, not turning it into a cash cow for council budgets.
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