Development of Tourism and Regulation of Visitor Accommodation (Wales) Bill

A Welsh Government Bill, introduced by Mark Drakeford MS, Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Welsh Language. The Business Committee has remitted the Bill to the Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee.

About the Bill

The Bill aims to promote the development of tourism in Wales, and if passed will:

>>>>

>>> restate and modernise the Welsh Ministers' functions of promoting tourism in Wales, while requiring them to have regard to the potential social impact of tourism and its potential impact on the environment and the Welsh language;

>>> regulate the provision of visitor accommodation in Wales by:

>*>*>*

*** introducing a licensing regime to reassure visitors that accommodation meets the standards they would expect and aligning those standards, in the case of self-catering accommodation, more closely with corresponding standards already applicable to the private rented sector in Wales,

*** making a standard in relation to the fitness of visitor accommodation a contractual requirement, and

*** building on the register created by the Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy) Etc. (Wales) Act 2025 to establish a visitor accommodation directory for the purpose of providing information to the public about visitor accommodation in Wales.

<*<*<*

<<<

Further detail about the Bill can be found in its accompanying Explanatory Memorandum.

Current Stage

BillStagePost4

The Bill is currently at Post Stage 4. An explanation of the various stages of Senedd Bills is available in the Guide to the Stages of Public Bills and Acts.

Record of Passage in the Welsh Parliament

The following table sets out the dates for each stage of the Bill’s passage through the Senedd.

¬¬¬Post Stage 4 (Current)

The Bill is now in the four week period 17 March – 14 April 2026 during which, the Counsel General or the Attorney General may refer the question whether the Bill, or any provision of the Bill, would be within the Senedd’s legislative competence to the Supreme Court for decision (section 112 of the Government of Wales Act). Similarly, the Secretary of State for Wales may make an order prohibiting the Presiding Officer from submitting the Bill for Royal Assent. An explanation of this stage can be found in the Guide to the Legislative Process – Stage 4.

zzz

¬¬¬Stage 4, Vote by the Senedd to pass the final text of the Bill (17 March 2026)

The Development of Tourism and Regulation of Visitor Accommodation (Wales) Bill was passed by the Senedd on 17 March 2026.

Development of Tourism and Regulation of Visitor Accommodation (Wales) Bill, as passed (588KB)

Presiding Officer's statement in accordance with Section 111A(3) of the Government of Wales Act 2006 - Development of Tourism and Regulation of Visitor Accommodation (Wales) Bill (PDF 47KB)

zzz

¬¬¬Report Stage (17 March 2026)

Following the completion of Stage 3 proceedings on Tuesday 10 March, a motion to consider the Bill at Report Stage was agreed on Tuesday 17 March 2026.

Report Stage proceedings took place in Plenary on Tuesday 17 March 2026.

Notice of Amendments – 17 March 2026 (PDF 83KB)

Welsh Government: Purpose and effect table - 17 March 2026 (PDF 226KB)

Marshalled list of amendments – 17 March 2026 (PDF 104KB)

Grouping of amendments – 17 March 2026 (PDF 84KB)

Development of Tourism and Regulation of Visitor Accommodation (Wales) Bill, as amended at Report Stage (Amendments to the Bill since the previous version are indicated by sidelining in the left margin) (PDF 588KB)

zzz

¬¬¬Stage 3, Plenary consideration of amendments (6 February 2026 – 10 March 2026)

Following the completion of Stage 2 proceedings, Stage 3 commenced on 6 February 2026.

Stage 3 proceedings took place in Plenary on 10 March 2026. The deadline for tabling amendments was five working days before the date of the meeting at which they were due to be considered.

The Senedd agreed on 3 March 2026, under Standing Order 26.36, that the order of consideration for Stage 3 proceedings would be:

Sections 1-4; Schedule 1; Sections 5-14; Schedule 2; Sections 15-61; Long Title.

Notice of Amendments – 27 February 2026 (V2) (PDF 335KB)

Notice of Amendments – 2 March 2026 (PDF 100KB)

Welsh Government: Purpose and effect table - 3 March 2026 (PDF 312KB)

Notice of Amendments – 3 March 2026 (PDF 84KB)

Marshalled list of amendments – 10 March 2026 (PDF 356KB)

Grouping of amendments – 10 March 2026 (PDF 96KB)

Development of Tourism and Regulation of Visitor Accommodation (Wales) Bill, as amended at Stage 3 (Amendments to the Bill since the previous version are indicated by sidelining in the left margin) (PDF 588KB)

zzz

¬¬¬Stage 2, Committee consideration of amendments (14 January 2026 – 5 February 2026)

Stage 2 began on 14 January 2026.

Stage 2 consideration took place in Committee on 5 February 2026. The deadline for tabling amendments was five working days before the date of the meeting at which they were to be considered.

The Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee agreed on 21 January 2026, under Standing Order 26.21, that the order of consideration for Stage 2 proceedings would be:

Sections 1-4; Schedule 1; Sections 5-14; Schedule 2; Sections 15-60; Long Title.

Notice of Amendments – 27 January 2026 (PDF 210KB)

Welsh Government: Purpose and effect table - 28 January 2026 (PDF 267KB)

Notice of Amendments – 29 January 2026 (V3) (PDF 149KB)

Marshalled list of amendments – 5 February 2026 (PDF 295KB)

Grouping of amendments – 5 February 2026 (PDF 94KB)

Development of Tourism and Regulation of Visitor Accommodation (Wales) Bill as amended at Stage 2 (Amendments to the Bill since the previous version are indicated by sidelining in the left margin) (PDF 527KB)

Printing changes to the Bill as amended at Stage 2 (PDF 70KB)

Revised Explanatory Memorandum and Regulatory Impact Assessment – 4 March 2026 (PDF 1.42MB)

Letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Welsh Language: Revised Explanatory Memorandum - 6 March 2026 (PDF 175KB)

zzz

¬¬¬Financial resolution (13 January 2026)

In accordance with Standing Order 26.68 the Presiding Officer indicated that a financial resolution was required for this Bill. Further information about financial resolutions is available in section 3 of the Guide to the scrutiny stages for Public Bills.

A Financial Resolution in relation to the Bill was agreed in Plenary on 13 January 2026.

zzz

¬¬¬Stage 1, Committee consideration of the general principles (3 November 2025 – 13 January 2026)

Debate on the general principles of the Bill

The motion to agree the general principles of the Bill was agreed in Plenary on 13 January 2026.

Report

The Committee laid its report on 19 December 2025 (PDF 2.5MB).

The Welsh Government responded to the report on 12 January 2026 (PDF 285KB), with a follow-up response on 27 January 2026 (PDF 198KB).

Consultation
The Committee's consultation on the Bill closed on 17 November 2025.

The Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee considered its approach to Stage 1 consideration on 22 October 2025.

Committee dates

The Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee considered the Bill on the following dates:

Date and Agenda	Purpose of meeting	Transcript	Senedd.TV
22 October 2025	Consideration of approach to Stage 1 scrutiny Technical briefing with officials	Private	Private
5 November 2025	Evidence sessions, including scrutiny of the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Welsh Language	Transcript	View meeting
13 November 2025	Evidence sessions	Transcript	View meeting
20 November 2025	Evidence sessions, including final scrutiny of the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Welsh Language	Transcript	View meeting

The Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee considered the Bill on the following dates:

Date and Agenda	Purpose of meeting	Transcript	Senedd.TV
10 November 2025	Evidence session, with the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Welsh Language	Transcript	Senedd.TV

The Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee laid its report (PDF 2.1MB ) on 19 December 2025.

Letter (PDF 193 KB) from the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Welsh Language to the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee, 9 January 2026.

Letter from the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee to the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Welsh Language, 13 February 2026 (PDF 92KB).

The Welsh Government responded (PDF 194KB) to the report on 24 February 2026.

The Finance Committee will consider the Bill on the following dates:

Date and Agenda	Purpose of meeting	Transcript	Senedd.TV
13 November 2025	Evidence session, with the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Welsh Language	Transcript	Senedd.TV