'Wales can't survive without tourism' warning as First Minister backs new tax
North Wales Live readers have been debating the recent comments from Wales First Minister Eluned Morgan about second homes and a potential tourism tax. Opinions are split, with some backing governmental efforts, while others worry about the repercussions for community life.
Wales' First Minister Eluned Morgan says the Welsh Government had to take action on second homes and remains committed to a tourism tax. The government has introduced a number of policies aimed at reducing the number of holiday homes - including council tax premiums and tougher criteria for properties to be classed as a holiday let business.
They are also looking at bringing in a visitor levy to raise extra money for facilities in communities at tourism hotspots. Those measures have been welcomed by campaigners but opposed by many in the tourism sector and the Welsh Conservatives, who say the focus should be on building more homes. On the visitor levy the sector says the UK already taxes its tourism sector more heavily than most other parts of Europe.
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Talking to North Wales Live, she said: "I think the tourism sector is a really important and vibrant sector for us to support. I live in St David's, which is a tourist hotspot, and is utterly dependent on tourism. What I see is a local council who actually struggle with funding for the number of people who come in."
One reader, JD Van Driver asks: "How about building more affordable housing. A lot of second homes are out of the price bracket for local people in poorly paid jobs. I have a second home that I inherited. It was built by my great great grandad. I spend a lot of time in it over the summer and more in the winter.
"If council tax is increased again I will be forced to sell and it will more than likely be turned into an Airbnb or bought by a wealthy person who would perhaps only use it a couple of times a year. I believe I contribute to the economy and always use local people to work on the property."
Idontstop adds: "We are a Welsh speaking family living in a tourist hot spot in north Wales. Both our children attend universities in England, they and their friends are unlikely to return to Wales to work which is supported by evidence, the main reason being employment relating to their degree and a higher salary than they would achieve in Wales.
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"There is a glut of holiday homes for sale in the area, which are beyond the reach of local young people. They are being purchased in the majority by people from England. No legislation can address this issue. House prices are expected to increase by 4% a year in our area for the next 5 years, pushing these houses further from the reach of local young people. So the availability of houses is not the issue, it’s the availability of affordable housing.
"The WG and local authorities can only address this by investing in building affordable housing stock, work with house builders to provide such properties. Bring in a tourist tax as they do in other countries to invest in local facilities. Don’t push tourists away by closing public amenities or forcing the closure of holiday homes as it is only the local economy that will suffer and in turn the local young people."
Tjr42 believes: "End of the day, Wales can’t survive without tourism. It was nearly 20% less than 2019. Slowly the Welsh government and anti-tourists are killing the country. Don’t say I didn’t warn you."
Rojer writes: "It's too late to take steps to curb second homes now as prices are already too high for a local person on a pittance wage due to no well paid jobs typical of a rural setting."
Looking at it as a second home owner, YGWYD writes: "We are one of those second home owners who have bought a little terraced cottage which would have been ideal for a first time purchase at a reasonable price for a local but no local made an acceptable offer. So forgive me where is the evidence of a local housing shortage?"
Johnp11 comments: "I fully support Eluned Morgan’s standpoint. We can’t have houses which are standing empty for 11-11.5 months per year, with young people moving away, and with so many homeless in Wales. We all know that the economic added value to a community of a family living in a house is 60% higher than if the same house was used as a holiday home. This is a good piece of legislation, well designed and supported by many local residents as well as those in the local tourist industry."
So do you agree with the First Minister? Let us know in the comments below or HERE.