A council leader in one of Wales' most popular counties for visitors has said he struggled to see how a tourism tax can be "justified" in the current cost of living crisis for households and businesses. The leader of Conwy Council, Councillor Charlie McCoubrey, said he personally struggled to "see how any additional burden either financial or administrative could be justified" in the current economical crisis.
This comes as Welsh Government is consulting on a visitor levy in Wales, which could see a small tax added to overnight stays in parts of the country, with the money used to support communities impacted by tourism. The levy would potentially be used for things such as beach cleaning or additional infrastructure.
The Welsh Government said these taxes are now commonly used around the world, although any final decision on implementing the tax will lie with each local authority. In response to such discussion however, the tourism sector has argued that the industry is already paying large amounts in taxes, such as through VAT, business rates, corporation and income tax.
