The Labour Government have doubled down on their disastrous decision to punish the tourism sector in Wales by imposing a punishing new threshold on self-catering holiday properties.
The decision means an increase to the number of days a self-catering property is required to be made available to let – this will increase from 70 to 182 days in a single year. As a result, many self-catering properties will be subject to significantly higher rates of tax because they are unable to meet the new, extremely high threshold.
A survey by the Wales Tourism Alliance (WTA) found that 84% of self-catering operators in Wales believe they won't be able to continue their business if the lettings laws are introduced.
The Minister was responding to a topical question tabled by Tom Giffard MS, as the decision was announced via a written statement rather than in person in the Siambr, once again showing Labour’s contempt for the democratically elected legislature.
Welsh Conservative Shadow Minister for Culture, Tourism and Sport, Tom Giffard MS said:
“Businesses across Wales will be forced to shut because of this policy – it’s as simple as that.
“The Labour Government launched a consultation into these changes, but even though less than 1% of the responses to the consultation agreed with the suggestion of 182 days, their concerns were simply ignored by the complacent Cardiff Bay Government.
“It’s high time the Welsh Labour Government backed, rather than taxed our tourism industry.”
