Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Tourism Sector Visitor Levy

Wednesday 6 December 2023 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Kevin Foster inquired about recent discussions with the Welsh Government on the potential financial impact of a visitor levy for Wales on the tourism sector.
  • The UK Government invested 500,000 in the Hay Festival, a project supported by the Welsh tourism industry.
  • The Minister stated they will remind the Welsh Labour Government of the importance of supporting the tourism industry and the drawbacks of introducing a tax on visitors.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Kevin Foster Con
Economy Wales
Context

The question addresses the potential negative financial impact of a visitor levy proposed by the Welsh Government on the tourism sector in Wales. It highlights concerns about deterring tourists and harming local employment.

Question

What recent discussions he has had with the Welsh Government on the potential financial impact of proposals to implement a visitor levy for Wales on the tourism sector?

Answer from David Davies

The UK Government are investing in Wales and in the Welsh tourism industry, which has been evidenced most recently by the decision to allocate £500,000 to the Hay Festival—a project championed by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary. It is a pity that the Welsh Government are not taking the same view about the importance of the tourism industry and are introducing a tax that signals that Wales is closed for business.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not address recent discussions with the Welsh Government on the visitor levy's impact directly, instead criticizing the proposed tax.

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Q2 Kevin Foster Con
Wales
Context

The question follows up on concerns about a visitor levy, emphasizing its potential to deter tourists and harm the tourism sector's employment. It asks for assurance that similar proposals in other UK regions will be discouraged.

Question

I thank my right hon. Friend for his answer. It is no surprise that hitting tourists with a tax is likely to deter them from wanting to visit Wales, despite the natural beauty of places such as Snowdonia and the attractions of visiting locations such as Anglesey. Alongside highlighting the folly of this move from the Welsh Labour Government, will he ensure that anyone advocating for a tax on tourism anywhere else in the UK is reminded of the negative impact that it would have on our tourism sector?

Answer from David Davies

I can assure my hon. Friend that not only will I be reminding the Welsh Labour Government about the importance of supporting the tourism industry and the folly of introducing a tax, but my Conservative colleagues in the Senedd will also be making that point. I hope that the Welsh Labour Government will listen to them and also listen to the Wales Tourism Alliance, which has said that this tax will be a tax on jobs and a tax on an industry that employs one in 10 people in Wales.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not provide a specific commitment to discourage similar proposals elsewhere in the UK directly, instead focusing on current efforts and previous statements.

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