Wales may impose ‘visitor levy’ on overnight guests

theguardian.com:

Everyone who overnights in Wales, whether it be in a luxury hotel, a cosy holiday cottage or the most basic campsite, may face a “visitor levy” under a hugely controversial Welsh government scheme.

The Labour-led government has launched a consultation on the proposal that could result in almost all visitors – including Welsh residents staying away from home – being taxed for their stays.

It argues that the idea is to raise money that local authorities will be able to reinvest to improve tourist spots and engender a feeling of “shared responsibility” between residents and visitors.

The proposals have been fiercely criticised by many tourism businesses who worry a levy could make Wales seem less welcoming, especially as the consultation comes at a time of the cost of living crisis.

Suzy Davies, the chair of the Wales Tourism Alliance, branded it a “misguided and damaging bed tax”. She added: “Visitor numbers have not recovered since the pandemic. The Welsh government has not gone for higher parking charges for day visitors or entry fees to vulnerable landscapes: it has gone for the staying guest.”

The government says dozens of places around the world charge a levy, but Davies said: “Wales is not like destinations which already charge a tourism tax. They enjoy other targeted tax cuts for tourism and hospitality, which mitigate the effect on their businesses. Also, unlike many other countries, the current plans will see any tax take disappear into local authority coffers without any guarantee of additional local spend.”

Rowland Rees-Evans, the director of a holiday park near Aberystwyth, said he could understand why places such as Venice might introduce taxes as a way of capping visitor numbers. “But we want to expand and grow.