Fury as babies and toddlers to be hit with £1.25-a-night tourist tax in Welsh holiday hotspot – amid fears children will miss out on ‘life-changing’ experiences_Nhy
Babies and toddlers are set to be hit with a tourist tax after the Labour-run Welsh government rejected calls for an exemption.
The £1.25-a-night levy will apply to guests at hotels, B&Bs and self-catering accommodation in Wales under proposals by the government from 2027.
Countries which have this tax, like France and Spain, include exemptions for children.
But finance secretary Mark Drakeford told the Senedd’s finance committee this week that exempting under-18s would result in a ‘significant fall’ in tax receipts.
The tax will hit tourists staying in holiday hotspots.
Gareth Davies, manager of an outdoor centre in Snowdonia National Park said he fears the levy would impact schoolchildren from deprived areas the most.
He said: ‘We have many schools from deprived areas, and I know even an increase of a couple of pounds will be significant.’
A spokesman for the Welsh government said it wants to ensure ‘long-term sustainability’ to improve services for tourists and residents.
Arete Outdoor Centre in Snowdonia National Park opens its doors for children to be able to enjoy the outdoors.
Gareth Davies, pictured, manager of an outdoor centre in Snowdonia National Park said he fears the levy would impact children from deprived areas the most
Mark Drakeford told the Senedd’s finance committee this week that exempting under-18s would result in a ‘significant fall’ in tax receipts
The tax will hit tourists staying in holiday hotspots such as Llandudno, pictured, in North Wales
The centre runs a charity and last month it paid for 10 children from low-income families to enjoy a stay.
He told MailOnline: ‘Arete Outdoor Centre runs educational residentials. We want all educational trips to be exempt from the proposed tourist tax otherwise we fear the number of pupils that attend will be reduced.
He estimates they will be facing a bill of around £8,500 for the whole year which will either have to absorb or pass it on to struggling families.
He said: ‘The tourist hotpots do need financial support for the necessary infrastructure and services required to deal with the big numbers in summer.
‘At Arete, we contribute by negotiating access, litter clean-ups at local venues and funding gates and fences that need replacing.
‘Importantly we are part of the system to educate others on the delicate nature of the Welsh environment and how to look after it sustainably.
Ministers have said the levy on visitors would raise money to spend on local tourism activity and infrastructure
‘So I do support the need for a tax but I also believe that education needs to be totally free for young people.
A Welsh Government spokesperson said: ‘Tourism makes an important contribution to the Welsh economy and to Welsh life. We want to ensure its long-term sustainability.
‘We have taken a fair, straightforward approach to the application of the levy and the Bill proposes keeping rates low, avoiding the need for further exemptions and nil rates which would add complexity for providers and visitors.
‘As set out in the Bill, any money raised would have to be reinvested in the local area to provide and improve services for visitors and residents.’
