Latest news with #WAVA
The Guardian
30-04-2025
- Climate
- The Guardian
‘Weather-proofing' fund to help Welsh tourism industry brave soggy summers
The landscapes are as spectacular as the welcome is warm in the Welsh valleys, mountain villages and harbour towns, but the weather can, to put it mildly, be unreliable. In an attempt to counter a trend of visitors staying away due to the threat of chilly sogginess, the Welsh government is launching a million-pound 'weather proofing' fund for tourism businesses. Owners of attractions will be able to apply for up to £20,000 to pay for measures such as canopies, sustainable drainage, covered seating areas, shelters or improved pathways and car park surfaces. The Welsh Association of Visitor Attractions (WAVA), which worked with the government to develop the fund, welcomed the move and claimed Wales was the first nation to experiment with ideas to combat the effect of the climate crisis on tourism. Ashford Price, a spokesperson for WAVA and chair of a caves centre in south Wales, said: 'Meteorologists forecast that Britain will get wetter winters and wetter summers, hence not trying out new ideas is not an option. Many attractions will in future give priority to keeping their customers dry. 'Ideas range from changing grass car parking, which readily turns to mud, into stone-based car parks, to transporting visitors in land trains and then ensuring that when they queue for tickets they have a roof over them to keep them dry. 'Improved drainage will in some attractions keep play areas dry, and putting a layer of stone dust on pathways will help keep footwear dry. Some boating attractions will provide coverings over their seating areas while out looking for dolphins.' Ironically, the Welsh government chanced on a very sunny week for the launch of the fund, but it cited data from Visit Wales, which showed that 55% of businesses said the weather was the reason for fewer visitors in summer 2024, even more than cost-of-living pressures. Almost 40% of businesses had fewer visitors last summer compared with the previous year. The poor weather included Storm Lilian, which brought 70mph winds to Wales in August, peak summer holiday season. Rebecca Evans, the cabinet secretary with responsibility for tourism, said tough weather had carved out the country's impressive landscapes, but she added: 'As the weather becomes more and more unpredictable, it has been identified as the single biggest factor affecting visitor numbers to Welsh attractions. Poor weather can stop them operating as normal, impact on the experience and has the potential to discourage visits in the first place. 'That's why we have listened to the concerns of people working in the tourism attraction sector and launched this fund, helping them prepare for increasingly variable weather patterns.' The Welsh Conservatives were not impressed, claiming the Labour government's policies, such as tighter rules around holiday lets intended to ease the housing crisis in visitor hotspots, were to blame, with a proposed 'tourism tax' likely to exacerbate the problem. The shadow cabinet secretary for culture, tourism and sport, Gareth Davies, said: 'Labour cannot seriously blame the weather for their own failures in government.'
BBC News
08-03-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Tourism: More Welsh attractions 'at risk' as Oakwood shuts
More Welsh attractions could follow Oakwood theme park in going out of business, with one owner describing "the most worrying time" in his 32 years in the Davies, who runs Heatherton World of Activities, near Tenby in Pembrokeshire, will see his wage bill go up £250,000 because of increases to National Insurance and minimum wage, and grimly predicted others "are not going to last".The owner of a marine zoo on Anglesey said small operators are at "breaking point", and the boss of the national show caves in Swansea county admitted "we can't carry on life this".Oakwood shut after almost 40 years due to a drop in visitor numbers. Operators such as Heatherton, which employs about 160 people, are being hit from "all sides" Mr Davies said, with increases in minimum wage, National Insurance, as well as higher supply and energy costs. "It's the most worrying time we've ever had in 32 years of running the attraction," he said. "If everything carries on the way it does others [attractions] are not going to last." Three Welsh attractions have recently failed according to the Welsh Visitor Attractions Association (WAVA), hitting a tourism sector that employs 150,000 people in Wales. The sector is facing a new burden in 2027 when the Welsh government could let councils charge £1.25 a night Welsh tourism tax, affecting guests at hotels, B&Bs and self-catered accommodation, or a75p charge for hostel and campsite Davies called the tax a "suicide mission for the industry" that could cost his business an extra £200,000 a year, depending on how the tax is implemented. "Welsh government is discouraging the whole industry," he claimed, accusing ministers of seeing it as a "cash cow to be milked".Frankie Hobro, owner of Anglesey Sea Zoo, said she expects more closures to be announced in the coming months. "Since Covid, we haven't recovered with our visitor numbers, down 23%," she said."On top of that, we've got a cost of living crisis so people are earning less so we've got less visitors spending less."Ms Hobro said she is worried about the mental health of some operators. "We are the people that are putting their life and soul into this kind of thing," she said."We're resourceful, we want to make things work, and yet these people are at absolute rock bottom."Operators are cutting costs and staff to survive, she said, but are now facing a future hurdle in the Welsh tourism added: "All these things are stacking up and there's a breaking point with everybody and particularly with small business owners." WAVA secretary Ashford Price, told the BBC Radio Wales Phone In that more Welsh attractions could fail if the tourism season is poor. the organisation represents more than 80 of Wales' main visitor attractions."I feel that the Welsh government has made life difficult for tourism in Wales," he said, pointing to rules over second homes, and proposals for a tourism tax. "In the last year, 29% fewer visitors have stayed overnight in Wales, and the tourist tax is sure to make the situation worse," he added. Mr Davies, who is also chairman of Dan-yr-Ogof - the National Exhibition Caves Centre for Wales - in Abercrave, Swansea county, said attractions "can't survive" if current trends continue. "We need visitor numbers to key places like Dan-yr-Ogof caves going," he said. "We can't carry on like this."He called for government changes."We don't spend enough on marketing and certainly some of the policies that the Welsh government have derived... like the tourism tax, the 182 day law for self caters, they are putting people off," he explained. Welsh Conservative Samuel Kurtz MS said Oakwood was "part of the fabric" of Pembrokeshire's tourism offer. "To lose a key cornerstone of that if going to make the season ahead quite difficult I think," he said. Charles Davies admitted in the short-term Heatherton would benefit from the closure of Oakwood, saying they had already picked up more school bookings. "In the longer terms though, will people still want to come to Pembrokeshire if we don't have a theme park?" he asked. He said Heatherton will have to find the money to "keep up to date"."It's a battle to have lots of attractions on site, which we are managing to do," he said. "At moment we are on hold with everything… hopefully everything goes well this summer." Prof Calvin Jones of Cardiff Business School said tourism was "rapidly changing" since Covid, with people once again "jumping back on a plane to go somewhere". "There's a need of understanding what tourists want into the future, how to provide that for them," he said. "Unfortunately it does seem running a theme park obviously with its high costs and very high safety requirements just doesn't seem to be viable." The Welsh government has not helped, he admitted, with the environmental and cultural priorities behind policies such as the second home and tourism tax initiatives. "It's very hard to find a goldilocks position," he added. A Welsh government spokesperson said it wanted to "work closely" with the Welsh tourism sector to help address the challenges businesses face."Tourism makes an important contribution to the Welsh economy and to Welsh life," a spokesperson added.
Euronews
26-02-2025
- Business
- Euronews
Dragons at half mast: Welsh tourist attractions to close on St David's Day in tourist tax protest
St David's Day is just around the corner, and the perfect opportunity for a day out in Wales. But visitors to the country's most popular attractions may be disappointed this weekend, as dozens choose to close in protest of the government's proposed tourist tax. Organised by the Welsh Association of Visitor Attractions (WAVA), the protest is designed to highlight the impact the proposed tax will have on local people and businesses. According to WAVA spokesperson Ashford Price, around 100 plus businesses will either close completely on St David's Day, Saturday 1 March, or fly the Welsh flag at half-mast. "Despite repeated efforts to engage through normal channels, our concerns have been ignored,' says Jim Jones, CEO of North Wales Tourism. "As a result, we are escalating our opposition and calling on businesses to join us in a symbolic gesture of lowering flags to half-mast, reflecting the profound damage to what was once one of Wales' most stable and economically significant sectors." The Welsh government has proposed a tax on visitors of £1.25 a night (€1.50), but with VAT on top, it comes out to £1.50 (€1.80). WAVA argues that this will deter visitors from coming to Wales and have a disproportionate impact on local people holidaying at home. While WAVA doesn't specify which attractions will participate in the protest, it has over 100 members from all regions of Wales. Member organisations include popular attractions like Anglesey Sea Zoo, Zip World, Oakwood Theme Park and the Royal Mint Experience. What's the problem with the proposed Welsh tourist tax? Tourist taxes have become commonplace in many of Europe's most popular destinations. Councils and governments have introduced them in hopes of mitigating some of the impacts of overtourism. But WAVA says this is not relevant for Wales, which is experiencing fewer tourists than it has in the past. 'Wales has recently lost 23 per cent of its overnight staying visitors,' says Price, 'and I know of no attraction that is getting the figures that they had pre-COVID.' According to Welsh Government statistics, Wales received 892,000 visits in 2023, 13 per cent fewer than it had in 2019. Tourist spending was at £458 million (€553 million) in 2023, down 11 per cent from 2019. 'Wales remains the only UK nation to not recover spend figures from 2019,' it says. But the problem is not only the impact a higher cost of visiting Wales will have on those coming from other countries. 'Most people in Wales do not realise that they, too, will need to pay this tax,' says Price, 'including babies and children.' According to Welsh government statistics, 21 per cent of people in Wales are living in relative income poverty. For children, that number rises to 29 per cent. Under the proposals, Welsh people holidaying in Wales will also need to pay the tourism tax. Around 60 per cent of Welsh people holiday in their home country, and account for three in 10 overnight stays. 'I do not think Welsh people will be very happy when this tourism tax comes into force,' says Price. 'If you have, and many do, three children and two adults in a tent, it will cost £52.50 (€63.40) to pay the tourism tax on top of your camping fees.' Price further points out that, while tourism taxes are becoming common abroad, businesses in those countries enjoy lower VAT rates. In Wales, the VAT is 20 per cent. Why is Wales proposing a tourist tax? If brought in, Wales would become the first UK nation to introduce a blanket tourist tax. The government has headlined the reasons for the measure as part of its broader effort to support communities impacted by high visitor numbers and ensure tourism remains sustainable. Officially called a visitor levy, the proposed tax would be applied regionally, with councils deciding for themselves whether to introduce it. As well as using the funds to better manage tourism and the infrastructure needed to support it, the Welsh government has said the funds will be used to support the Welsh language, 'particularly within Welsh-speaking communities where tourism is considered a significant contributor to the local economy.' The proposed visitor levy is still in the consultation phase, with plans to introduce legislation in 2027. Is tourist tax the answer to overtourism? Europe's 2024 was marked by an exponential rise in protests against overtourism. From the Canary Islands to Greece, local people took to the streets in anger and frustration at the ever-increasing numbers of visitors and the impact tourism has on housing, healthcare and services. Taxes on visitors are nothing new, with more than 60 destinations worldwide having such a levy in place. However, in response to overtourism, many more destinations are adding tourist taxes, or increasing the rates they charge. From street protests to an Airbnb ban, all the ways Barcelona said no to tourists in 2024 Not everyone has been happy with the implementation of new taxation on tourists. In Italy, a proposed increase in tourist taxes has sparked opposition from the hospitality sector, with hotel and travel industry associations expressing concern over the proposed hike to €25. 'We must tread very carefully,' Barbara Casillo, director of Italian hotel chain Confindustria Alberghi, told local media last year. 'If we scare travellers who come to us by giving the impression that we want to take what we can, we are not doing a good service to the country.' In Venice, a daily tax was introduced as a response to overtourism. But residents collectively opposed it, claiming it turned Venice into an 'amusement park' and arguing that the tax does not disincentivise anyone from visiting. The tax is still in place. In Thailand, a proposed tourist tax was scrapped after widespread protests against the idea from tourism businesses and the hospitality industry. The closure of Wales' attractions and flags at half mast is designed to have an impact on the outcome of the Wales tourist tax proposals. For visitors, the advice is to check before you travel whether the attraction you plan to visit is open.
