The earliest date by which Wales will introduce a tourist tax for visitors will be 2027, North Wales Live has reported.
The country has been a forerunner of the tourist tax idea and has been debating the introduction of such a levy for around 12 months, and has since been beaten to the punch – in terms of bringing one in – by many other cities and regions around Europe.
No details have been agreed as to the actual amount visitors will have to pay, or whether it will relate to the entire country, with it still being debated. The Welsh Senedd is now expected to come to a final decision sometime in 2025 and if it passes legislation, experts believe it will not be until 2027 that the new tax will actually pass into law.
North Wales Live quoted the Welsh Government as saying: “We believe it is fair and reasonable to ask visitors to make a small contribution towards the wider costs of tourism. Our intention is to foster a sense of shared responsibility between residents and visitors, to protect, and invest in, local areas. Where a levy is used in Wales it should encourage a more sustainable approach to tourism.
“We know that tourism plays a vital role in supporting local economies. But unbalanced, poorly supported tourism can also put pressure on local communities and undermine the high-quality amenities we all want to experience and to offer our visitors.”
