Call to drop Wales tourist tax ‘refused,’ says Tory MS
Welsh Conservative calls to suspend plans for a ‘tourism tax’ consultation have been ‘refused,’ a Tory Senedd member has said.
The Welsh Government launched a public consultation yesterday, September 20, on proposals to give local authorities the powers to introduce a ‘tourism tax’ visitor levy.
The levy would be a small charge paid by people staying overnight in accommodation in Wales.
Aberconwy MS Janet Finch-Saunders had asked Minister for Finance and Local Government Rebecca Evans to suspend the ‘tourism tax’ consultation to assist the sector in confronting the energy crisis and rising cost of living.
The MS said, in response, the Welsh Government has “refused” to suspend the plans, with the Minister stating: “We are starting a consultation about our proposal to give local authorities the power to introduce a visitor levy on 20 September.
“Any levy would not be introduced for some time. The process of developing a levy spans years, and any legislative proposal would ultimately be subject to scrutiny and approval by the Senedd in the future.
“Our consultation is an opportunity for the public and the sector to help inform our thinking and what would work well for Wales. We encourage everyone to contribute to the consultation.”
‘Negative impact’
Janet Finch-Saunders said: “The tourism tax will have a negative impact on the tourism industry, especially here in Aberconwy, where people work in and communities rely on the income generated by visitors.
“We have no idea how long this cost-of-living crisis will persist, but in a time of uncertainty for employers and employees in the tourism sector, it would be a welcome relief if the Welsh Government stopped its plans to attack the sector with a new tax.
“The Welsh Labour Government and their co-operation pals in Plaid Cymru really need to start cooperating positively with businesses so that steps are taken to boost economic growth”.
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And the real news, call to help the poor over winter ” refused ” by the Tory UK gov. A action the Tory ‘s in Cymru refuse to acknowledge, or comment upon, while watching the poor get a 63p a month tax cut.
HOY! JANET. WHITBY!
47 Tory councillors in a council of 90 demanded a tourist tax. Just pay it yourself if you don’t want to put off your guests.
It’s always the same suspects. Opposition for oppositions’ sake and always with more than just a hint of gross hypocrisy. While she complains about tourists having to pay just a few bob on their travels to Cymru, her party RIGHT NOW is announcing plans to make the rich obscenely richer while the poor plummet yet further into the pit of desperation. You’d think a person in her position would know when saying nothing is the best option.
A Tourism Tax didn’t stop me going to Rome, but would it make people chose Scotland or Devon over Wales?
And how will it be administered? What if businesses “forget” to apply it? Is applying it going to cost more than what it brings in?
But there are also positives to it. Wales isn’t just a theme park and we should have ways of raising money to re-invest to create better communities ready to compete with others to attract longer term/higher paid jobs.
If Janet Finch-Saunders seriously thinks that tourism is a valid driver of economic growth, then she needs a reality check. Wales needs to develop a real economy that has tangible benefits. She also seems oblivious to tourism’s detrimental consequences which a tourism tax would go some small way to mitigate.
How about a better idea – dropping the Tories from the Senedd? The standard of their contribution are really abysmal.