VAB27 Individual

Senedd Cymru | Welsh Parliament

Y Pwyllgor Cyllid | Finance Committee

Bil Llety Ymwelwyr (Cofrestr ac Ardoll) Etc. (Cymru) | Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy) Etc. (Wales) Bill

Ymateb gan Unigolyn | Evidence from Individual

General principles

1. What are your views on the general principles of the Bill and the need for legislation to deliver the Welsh Government’s stated policy objective, which is to:

§ ensure a more even share of costs to fund local services and infrastructure that benefit visitors between resident populations and visitors;

§ provide local authorities with the ability to generate additional revenue that can be invested back into local services and infrastructure to support tourism;

§ support the Welsh Government’s ambitions for sustainable tourism?

(We would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 500 words).

Tourism to Wales is already down, the worse thing you can do is deter visitors further by charging them to stay here.

Most of Wales is not a year round destination and we need to encourage visitors out of season.

This levy is particularly hard on families. Whilst we love Wales most people would actually rather go somewhere warm, like Spain, which is cheaper and the weather justifies charging a visitor levy.

The government are already making it hard to run a holiday let business by enforcing the 182 days; making the business owner also collect a new tax for them is extremely onerous. More holiday let accommodation will close as a consequence so fewer families will come (families often can’t afford hotels).

Most of my guests outside of the summer months are visiting family, not enjoying Wales as tourists. Should they be charged to visit their families and their native country?

The Bill’s implementation

The Regulatory Impact Assessment is set out in Part 2 of the Explanatory Memorandum (https://senedd.wales/media/g5ipwvwh/pri-ld16812-em-e.pdf). This includes the Welsh Government’s assessments of the financial and other impacts of the Bill and its implementation.

2. Are there any potential barriers to the implementation of the Bill’s provisions? If so, what are they, and are they adequately taken into account in the Bill and accompanying Explanatory Memorandum and Regulatory Impact Assessment?

(We would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 500 words).

Holiday let owners are severely disadvantaged by current government legislation, this will break the camel’s back.

3. Are any unintended consequences likely to arise from the Bill?

(We would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 500 words).

Reduction in visits from England - why go where the weather is equally poor when you can go abroad for less - the levy will be perceived as a tax on holidaying in Wales.

Especially hard on families when cost of living is so high - fewer tourists will come to Wales

Less affordable holiday accommodation when holiday let owners give up due to increased government intervention - fewer tourists will come to Wales.

People outside Wales think Wales overestimates its attractiveness as a holiday destination - the levy will compound the problem.

4. What are your views on the Welsh Government’s assessment of the financial and other impacts of the Bill?

(We would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 500 words).

People doubt that the money raised will be spent on tourism - the only thing councils could do to attract visitors is to make holidaying in Wales more affordable or improve the weather. Only the former is possible and the levy will counteract this.

Subordinate legislation

The powers to make subordinate legislation are set out in Part 1: Chapter 5 of the Explanatory Memorandum (https://senedd.wales/media/g5ipwvwh/pri-ld16812-em-e.pdf).

The Welsh Government has also set out its statement of policy intent for subordinate legislation (https://business.senedd.wales/documents/s155951/Statement%20of%20Policy%20Intent.pdf).

5. What are your views on the balance between the information contained on the face of the Bill and what is left to subordinate legislation? Are the powers for Welsh Ministers to make subordinate legislation appropriate?

(We would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 500 words).

Other considerations

6. Do you have any views on matters related to the quality of the legislation?

(We would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 500 words).

In general it is misguided. It would be informative for the government to speak to holiday let owners on the ground to find out how buoyant tourism in Wales really is

7. On 26 November, the Cabinet Secretary wrote to the Finance Committee with some indicative additional registration and enforcement provisions (https://business.senedd.wales/documents/s155952/Letter%20from%20the%20Cabinet%20Secretary%20for%20Finance%20and%20Welsh%20Language%20Indicative%20Stage%202%20amendments%20that%20.pdf) he intends to bring forward at Stage 2 of the legislative process (https://senedd.wales/NAfW%20Documents/Assembly%20Business%20section%20documents/Guide%20to%20the%20Legislative%20Process/Guide_to_the_Legislative_Process-eng.pdf).

Do you have any views on the indicative additional registration and enforcement provisions the Welsh Government intends to bring forward at Stage 2?

(We would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 500 words).

8. Are there any other issues that you would like to raise about the Bill, the accompanying Explanatory Memorandum and Regulatory Impact Assessment, or any related matters?

(We would be grateful if you could keep your answer to around 500 words).