Welsh Government ministers have been banned from visiting one of Wales’ best-known attractions because of their “anti-tourism, anti-English” attitude which its chairman has claimed could lead to tourism businesses going under.
Ashford Price, chairman of the National Showcaves Centre for Wales at Dan Yr Ogof, located within the Brecon Beacons National Park. said they were taking a stand against the Welsh Government and in solidarity with businesses in the tourism industry. You can get the latest WalesOnline newsletters e-mailed to you directly for free by signing up here.
The row is to do with a second home ownership crackdown from the powers that be in Cardiff Bay, the first part of which will come into force in April, 2023. It means that holiday homes will have to be let out for more than 182 days a year to qualify for a council tax exemption and be liable to pay business rates instead. The current threshold is only 70 days a year. Failure to meet the new threshold will result in second home owners paying council tax premiums of up to 300%. You can read more about the changes and what they mean here.
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A sign now being displayed in the Dan Yr Ogof ticket office reads: ”Owing to the Welsh Government’s anti-tourism, and anti-English policies being imposed on the Welsh tourism industry, members of the Welsh Government are no longer welcome at this attraction. Their policies will lead to tourism businesses being forced to close and thousands of tourism jobs lost.”
The attraction believes that demanding businesses let their properties out for 182 days a year is akin to a “Soviet-type purge being imposed by the Welsh Government”, which also comes in for criticism over some of the other policies it is bringing in.
"I have had the pleasure of meeting two First Ministers for Wales at the caves," said Mr Price. “The late Rhodri Morgan and Carwyn Jones on more than one occasion and they were always genuinely interested in tourism. However, the present Welsh Government with their anti-tourism policies, namely the 182-day rule, the proposed tourism tax, and planned alterations to the main summer holidays, clearly show that they do not understand or care that their actions will decimate seasonal tourism businesses in Wales.
"Thirty per cent of self-catering businesses are forecast to close, with a resulting loss of 1,400 Welsh jobs. Is it any wonder that some operators in Welsh tourism are now holding back on any future investment in Wales? With the resultant job losses, soon the only growth area in Welsh tourism will be the growth in redundant tourism operators claiming ‘benefits’.
“The Welsh Government have used ‘bully boys’ tactics to bulldoze through these new laws, ignoring tourism opposition and leading experts advising against these new proposals. For the Welsh Government to take these actions, especially during a cost-of-living crisis, and a recession starting this Autumn that according to the Bank of England will last for over a year and with inflation rising to 13% next year is complete economic madness!
“Eighty per cent of all visitors to Wales are English and many of these new policies will be seen as anti-English by the English media. Wales will pay a heavy price if our main tourism market refuses to pay the proposed tourism tax, and vote with their feet and go elsewhere. In a recession, people will be looking for ‘bargain holidays’ not holiday regions where you pay a tax for visiting them.”
When the change to the number of days holiday homes would have to be let out for to qualify for a council tax exemption was announced by the Welsh Government in May, finance minister Rebecca Evans said: “Following our consultation the Welsh Government is of the view that properties let out as self-catering accommodation on an infrequent basis should be liable for council tax. Increased letting criteria will ensure that self-catering properties are classed as non-domestic only if they are being used for business purposes for the majority of the year.”
Whatever the explanation, however, Mr Price was adamant about taking a stand. He added: “Surely, with power comes responsibilities and a willingness to listen to experts as none of the ministers involved have ever run a tourism related business. My parents always told me as a youngster that you must always stand up to ‘bullies’, hence this is my personal stand to ban Welsh ministers from the showcaves and show our support for the beleaguered self-catering operators in Wales.”
A Welsh Government spokesperson, said: “The Welsh Government is fully supportive of tourism in Wales and is working very closely with our hospitality and tourism sectors to ensure they have a successful summer season and a thriving and sustainable future.”
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