Wales Launches a Tourist Tax Beginning in 2027

Wales has recently confirmed that local councils have the permission to introduce a tourist tax starting in 2027 because visitor taxes have been used successfully around the world.

The levy will add £1.30 per night to the price of accommodation in Wales, or £0.75 for adult tourists camping or living temporarily in a hostel. Although local councils are allowed to apply the tax, they may decide individually whether to enforce it.

Several exemptions have also been noted. Staying temporarily with family members, living at an individual’s main residence, or visiting for over 31 days in a single area are some examples.

In 1910, France began its “taxe de séjour” and was the first country in the world to introduce a tourist tax. Furthermore, today, more than 60 places in the world have a tax, including Barcelona, Amsterdam, and Venice. The reason for introducing the tourist tax, as Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford said, “Visitor levies are used successfully all over the world. They ensure the pressures and opportunities tourism brings are balanced fairly between visitors and residents. We want the same for Wales.”

The government of Wales declares it will use the money to make improvements to public infrastructure beneficial to both residents and tourists. This would imply maintaining toilets, footpaths, beaches, and frequent tourism areas.

The Welsh government also says that the new visitor levy could support the Welsh language, “particularly within Welsh-speaking communities where tourism is considered a significant contributor to the local economy.”

In addition, the government aims to use the earnings to also support its Cymraeg 2050 initiative, which targets to reach one million Welsh speakers by 2050 and for the percentage of the population that speaks Welsh daily to increase from 10% to 20%.

The revenue could be used to promote the popularity and appreciation of the Welsh language among visitors and residents.

Sources:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/wales-will-introduce-a-tourist-tax-in-2027-where-else-in-the-uk-is-charging-visitors/ar-AA1Iq0JY

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/nri/visit/wales-to-introduce-tourist-tax-in-2027-where-else-in-the-uk-are-visitors-being-charged/articleshow/122415396.cms?from=mdr

https://www.gov.wales/cymraeg-2050-welsh-language-strategy-action-plan-2