Tourism and the visitor levy

Peredur Owen GriffithsPlaid

30 January 2025, Finance Committee

Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy) Etc. (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 6

Thank you. Barbara and Lisa, have you got a view on that cumulative—? I know you haven’t given evidence as such, but it's just your opportunity to be part of that discussion.

Tagged from the title of its item or question: “Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy)”Official Record

Carl Thomson

30 January 2025, Finance Committee

Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy) Etc. (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 6

…to one another with no time really being taken to assess and understand the impact of each of them. The visitor levy’s a piece of this. On its own, it’s unlikely to make Wales uncompetitive, but it’s that cumulative impact point that Alistair made. It’s about the need to be cautious about how much…

Tagged for: “visitor levy”Official Record

Alistair Handyside

30 January 2025, Finance Committee

Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy) Etc. (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 6

…got to look at this in the round, at the cumulative impact; EPCs coming from Westminster; and then the tourism levy. Those are 10 interventions coming at once. We desperately need a cumulative economic impact assessment on that, because we are on the phone every day and it’s causing huge, huge…

Tagged for: “tourism”Official Record

Peredur Owen GriffithsPlaid

30 January 2025, Finance Committee

Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy) Etc. (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 6

Okay, and then, to Carl and to Alistair, this one, actually: you noted that the levy would compound the impact of broader Government policies, like the 182-night occupancy rule and the forthcoming abolition of the furnished holiday lets relief. Could you talk us through a bit more about that and…

Tagged from the title of its item or question: “Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy)”Official Record

Lisa Stopher

30 January 2025, Finance Committee

Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy) Etc. (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 6

We rely heavily on domestic tourism, especially in the out-of-season months, so this would have a real impact on our small businesses that we represent in our owner portfolio.

Tagged for: “tourism”Official Record

Alistair Handyside

30 January 2025, Finance Committee

Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy) Etc. (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 6

…do have that impact, and the Welsh Government impact assessment shows that. So, it will reduce the visitor economy in Wales.

Tagged for: “visitor economy”Official Record

Peredur Owen GriffithsPlaid

30 January 2025, Finance Committee

Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy) Etc. (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 6

Right. Okay, just for us to get the context of how long you've been involved. That's great. And a question, then, to Alistair and to Carl: as you mentioned in your written evidence that the charging of the levy on overnight stays could potentially shift the balance of visitors away from staying…

Tagged from the title of its item or question: “Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy)”Official Record

Barbara Griffiths

30 January 2025, Finance Committee

Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy) Etc. (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 6

At least 2022 from my point of view. I recall a Visit Wales meeting, as it happens, in Dolgarrog when there were quite a lot of us there discussing it.

Tagged for: “Visit Wales”Official Record

Carl Thomson

30 January 2025, Finance Committee

Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy) Etc. (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 6

Our experience of working with the Welsh Government has been positive. We found officials constructive and open to feedback. Obviously, the policy has gone through various iterations since it was consulted on in 2022, but we're happy with the engagement that we've had and we're happy to continue to…

Tagged from the title of its item or question: “Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy)”Official Record

Barbara Griffiths

30 January 2025, Finance Committee

Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy) Etc. (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 6

Yes, I have also been involved from the very beginning. I felt that decisions had already been made even before they started to discuss things with us and that, really, they were talking more about details than the basic principle of a levy.

Tagged from the title of its item or question: “Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy)”Official Record

Alistair Handyside

30 January 2025, Finance Committee

Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy) Etc. (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 6

We were involved, along with many, from the very beginning. I have to suggest that it was a bit of a one-way, because the officials, who do a brilliant job—and I want to thank them for all the work and the regularity of the meetings—whenever we were asking or challenging, were unable to respond…

Tagged from the title of its item or question: “Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy)”Official Record

Peredur Owen GriffithsPlaid

30 January 2025, Finance Committee

Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy) Etc. (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 6

Fantastic. Thank you very much for making the time to come to this. We have lots of witnesses and lots of ground to cover, so, brevity would be appreciated, please, and to my colleagues on the committee as well. I'd like to start with a general question to all of you and it's to look at how the…

Tagged from the title of its item or question: “Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy)”Official Record