SAM ROWLANDS, Member of the Welsh Parliament for North Wales, says concerns are growing over the planned introduction of the controversial tourist tax in North Wales.
Mr Rowlands Chairman of the Cross-Party Group on Tourism, believes the new levy will seriously impact businesses and recently visited several sites in Wrexham and Flintshire.
Last November the Welsh Government said they planned to introduce a levy of £1.25 per night for people staying in commercially-let overnight visitor accommodation from 2027, a move which was condemned by tourism businesses in North Wales.
Mr Rowlands, who has constantly argued against any such levy said he is now seeing at firsthand how this ridiculous idea will impact local businesses.
He said: “I recently met with a group of business owners about this proposed tourist tax and followed this up with a visit to several different premises in the Wrexham area to hear about their growing concerns.
“Many of them fear that it will certainly impact their businesses. I met with Mandy McDermott, who runs Golly Farm Cottages, in Rossett, Glenn Carney, General Manager at The Plassey Caravan Park and Daryl Shaw, Group Operations Director for Everbright Hotels group who own Rossett Hall Hotel and six others in North Wales.
“They are all extremely concerned at the impact of a levy will have on their business in the future and fear it will have a detrimental effect and discourage tourists to North Wales.
“I share their concerns and fully support the Welsh Association of Visitor Attractions, WAVA who were due to hold a protest on March 1, against the tourist tax by flying flags at half-mast and shutting their doors for one day.
“It is a very sobering thought to think they have to resort to such drastic measures to be heard. Tourism is major business in North Wales, in particular, and I do not want to see us losing out because of a Labour Welsh Government failing to give the sector the support it needs
“Local councils do not have to introduce this levy and I would be urging them to seriously think about the dire consequences of introducing this tax.
