Multiple visitor attractions are closed today across Wales in protest against the Welsh Government’s tourist tax plans, which could be introduced as early as 2027
A visitor attractions group is advising attractions to close their doors today in protest over the Welsh Government’s tourist tax plans.
The Welsh Association of Visitor Attractions (WAVA) has announced that after an emergency meeting, it is recommending that its members close for one day. The independent trade body represents over 100 visitor attractions in Wales.
The call to close for a day comes after the government announced last month its plans for a tourist tax. The WAVA said that the reason for the action “is in response to the Welsh Government’s proposed tourism tax where their own government reports indicated such a tax would damage the Welsh tourism industry”, reports The Independent.
Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford introduced the bill on Monday November 25 for consideration by the Senedd, the Welsh Parliament, who will then scrutinise and vote on the legislation, with a final decision yet to be made.
The bill proposes that the levy would be 75p per person, per night, for those staying in hostels or on campsites. However, for people staying in all other types of accommodation, including hotels and Airbnbs, the levy rises to £1.25 per person, per night.
The government said that it estimates that if all the local authorities in Wales choose to introduce a visitor levy, it could generate up to £33 million annually.
WAVA pointed out that “in the latest commissioned Welsh Government report, their own findings were that in the worst scenario, over 700 tourism jobs could be lost by this tax, with a revenue loss of £40m+. Welsh Government figures were based only on a 1.6 per cent drop in visitor numbers. Many in tourism expect the drop to be more.”
The government’s economic impact evaluation, which was carried out by Calvin Jones of Cardiff Business School, compared different scenarios based on an optimistic, neutral and pessimistic outlook on how the tax will affect the Welsh economy. Gross losses to full-time employment under a pessimistic model were 730 jobs, a neutral outlook equalled 485 job losses and an optimistic outlook resulted in a loss of 250 jobs, reports The Independent.
Anglesey Sea Zoo was one of the attractions that chose to close today, stating on social media platform X (formerly Twitter): “On Tuesday, the 10th of December, we will be closed for the day in solidarity with the Welsh Tourism and Hospitality Sector over the increasing challenges being imposed on small business owners in the sector, and now in addition to a Wales Tourism Levy.”
Frankie Hobro, who has run Anglesey Sea Zoo for the last 18 years, said: “The tourist tax is a huge huge worry to us. People are in despair because their costs are the same but they’re not making more money. Prices for everything are going up and the minimum wage is going up.
“People’s mental health is being affected because they can’t afford to carry on but they can’t sell up either. The Welsh Government did not consult the industry. Tourism tax works well in Europe because they pay 8% not 20% VAT like we do”, reports Wales Online.