Wales tourist tax set to be introduced
How would the Wales tourist tax work?
The Welsh Parliament, or Senedd Cymru, voted on Tuesday to give local councils the right to decide whether to bring in the fee, which would be introduced in 2027 at the earliest.Each of the 22 main councils in Wales will decide whether they want to introduce the tax in their area.Under the plans, people staying in hostels and campsites would pay 75p per person per night, while those in all other accommodation - such as hotels and holiday homes - would pay the higher rate.Children under 18 staying at hostels and campsites would not pay an extra charge.So far, a number of councils across the country - including Cardiff, Anglesey and Gwynedd - have shown interest in the scheme.However others, such as the Vale of Glamorgan, Newport and Wrexham, said they have ruled it out.
Welsh tourist tax: What has the response been?
Tourism taxes are not a new idea - many places around the world charges fees for visitors, including Austria, Belgium, France, Greece, Japan and many of the Caribbean Islands.Wales' finance secretary, Mark Drakeford, says the introduction of these types of taxes is a good idea for the country. "We believe it is reasonable for visitors to contribute towards infrastructure and services integral to their experience, as they do in so many other parts of the world," Mr Drakeford explained.He added that it was the first local tax for more than 500 years to have been designed in Wales.
However, not everyone agrees with Mr Drakeford.The Welsh Conservatives have promised to scrap the plans before they come into force, should they form a government after next year's Senedd election.Sam Rowlands MS, from the party, said the levy would impact jobs and the economy by the Welsh government's "own admission"."We believe it is bad for Wales and bad for the Welsh tourism sector which forms such an important part of the Welsh economy," Mr Rowlands added.The Welsh Tourism Alliance have also expressed concerns with the plans.They worry that the way the bill had been drafted means that councils will not need to focus on tourism when they decide how to spend the additional money they earn from the tax.
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