Visitors to Wales could be charged to stay overnight after the Welsh Government has launched a public consultation today on proposals to give local authorities the powers to introduce a visitor tax.
The levy would be a small charge paid by people staying overnight in accommodation in Wales.
Each local authority in Wales will have the power to decide if they want to introduce a visitor levy, and the money raised will be re-invested in local areas to support local tourism.
The extensive consultation seeks views on who should pay a levy, who would be charging and collecting the levy, how the levy could be best applied and how revenues from the tax could be allocated according to the Welsh Parliament
“A discretionary visitor levy for local authorities in Wales would represent a very small proportion of a visitor’s overall spend.” The Welsh Government has said.
Rebecca Evans, Minister for Finance and Local Government, said:
“These proposals are about preparing for the future. Our intention is to bring about a sense of shared responsibility between residents and visitors, to protect, and invest in, our local areas.”
“By asking visitors – whether they have travelled from within Wales or from further afield – to make a small contribution towards maintaining and enhancing the place they are visiting, we will encourage a more sustainable approach for tourism.”
