‘Anti-English’ tourism tax would hammer Wales’ tourism sector
The proposed Welsh tourism tax will seriiously hold back the tourism recovery .
This will inevitably lead to a fall in the numbers employed in Welsh tourism, and possibly to less tourism investment, according to National Showcaves chairman Ashford Price.
“For the Welsh Government to even consider the idea of a Welsh Tourism Tax at a time when many Welsh tourism businesses are still struggling; is unfathomable to many in Welsh tourism,” Price added.
“If this Welsh tourism tax does come about how many of our potential customers will simply vote with their feet and go to Devon, Ireland, or Scotland rather than pay yet ‘another tax’ at a time when they are trying to cope with a personal cost of living crisis?”
Earlier this year the Welsh Government announced a tourist tax consultation.
If passed, local councils would collect fees.
“Visit England, Visit Scotland, Visit Ireland must all be delighted that the Welsh Government is proposing to self-inflict such a wound on Welsh tourism. The prospect of pinching potential Welsh visitors will also be on their agendas.”
Tourism is Wales’ second largest industry and tourists spend on average eight million pounds a day in Wales, and a quarter of all VAT registered businesses are in the visitor economy.
“To anyone running a tourism business in Wales the Welsh Government’s lack of any tourism tax research should ring alarm bells. However, it does not take much intuition to guess that for many operators’ further investment in their businesses is now on hold,” Price said.
Price says ‘there is now a growing feeling by some in England that the Welsh Government is anti-English, and also anti-tourism.’
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