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A planned tourist tax in Wales would deter holidaymakers, a new poll of Express.co.uk readers has found. Visitors to Wales may be charged an additional fee to stay overnight in the country. The Welsh Government launched a public consultation earlier this month on the proposal to introduce a tourist tax.
The tax would help create “sustainable tourism” in Wales and would apply to all overnight guests, including Welsh holidaymakers.
The Welsh Government claims that the fee would be a very small part of a visitor’s total expenditure in the country, and would be optional for local authorities “according to the needs of their communities”.
Cefin Campbell of Plaid Cymru said: “While Wales is the first place in the UK to introduce such a levy, we don’t think it will be the last – as we have seen recently, a visitor levy may soon be introduced in Edinburgh, so that Wales is not alone.”
He added: “We want to continue to see a thriving tourism industry in Wales. It is vital that we have sustainable, responsible tourism that works for visitors as well as the communities they visit.”
In a poll that ran from 2 p.m. Friday, September 23 to 2 p.m. Friday, September 30, Express.co.uk asked readers: “Would city tax stop you from holidaying in Wales?”
A total of 2,806 votes were cast and readers were put off with 53 percent (1,485 people) answering “yes”
By comparison, 47 percent (1,307 people) answered “no” and another 14 people said they didn’t know.
Dozens of readers shared their opinion about the possible tourist tax in the comments below the accompanying article.
Many were against the tax with one reader, username Beehive remarking: “If Labor introduces a city tax in Wales, it just won’t work anymore.”
Another, username Rinzler, said: “100 per cent, yes, this would keep me from going on holiday in Wales.
“I really feel sorry for the Welsh hoteliers, pub owners and others who depend on tourism for their livelihood, they didn’t ask for this!”
Some have argued that a tourist tax introduced by the devolved government went against UK nationalism.
Username Points of View said, “We are the same country. How divided and petty can you be.”
And username Dundeedon said, “Yeah, a city tax would put me off, not because of the cost, but because of the lack of empathy for their neighbors.”
The Welsh Conservatives have expressed concern about plans that deter visitors and put livelihoods at risk.
Chris Frost, chairman of North Wales Tourism, warned businesses were still struggling after the pandemic.
The owner of the Manorhaus restaurant with rooms in Ruthin, Denbighshire, told the BBC: “With the spikes in supply chains and utilities and food costs, rising labor costs, the cost of doing business is definitely a huge challenge for the industry right now. It’s now not the time for a consultation on a proposed tourist tax.”
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Other readers commented that they were not interested in a holiday in Wales and thus were not affected by the city tax.
Username GirlintheCountry52 said “Why go to Wales when England has wonderful places to stay.”
While username bob58 wrote “I wouldn’t go to Wales if they paid me.”
It will take the Welsh government a number of years to finalize the plans and introduce the tax, meaning final approval by the Senedd may not be until 2024.
Many popular cities and countries around the world have city tax in effect, including Paris, Venice, Madrid, Greece, Japan, and New Zealand.
The Scottish capital, Edinburgh, is also considering introducing a city tax, with plans expected to be unveiled in the Scottish Parliament in early 2023.
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