Does the Cabinet Minister accept the conclusions of the previous Welsh Government's Integrated Impact Assessment for the Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy) Etc. (Wales) Act 2025 relating to potential reductions in visitor spend, reduced overnight stays and disproportionate impacts on smaller accommodation providers and, if so, does the Cabinet Minister consider those risks to be acceptable?
The integrated impact assessment identifies a range of potential positive and negative impacts that may emerge given the uncertainty on the elasticities of demand for tourism in Wales. It uses the best available evidence and research to hand and was developed collaboratively with input from stakeholders.
It is a choice for local authorities to use a visitor levy for not following consultation with their communities. Local authorities will undertake their own impact assessments before introducing a levy in their area to reach their own conclusions and will consider any appropriate mitigations where necessary.
Evidence from other countries demonstrates that visitor levies are used successfully towards the benefit of the local tourism offer, the environment and local communities.