Overnight visitors to Wales

[GeoffL]

Interesting to know if it will apply to Welsh residents who ask for a room in Cymraeg

Another thing is how do 'they' define "visitor"? How about non-Welsh people who now reside in Wales? How about Welsh people to now live elsewhere?

One airfield I did a taster flight at had a policy of charging the same landing fee as a visiting pilot's home airfield would charge its visitors. So, perhaps Welsh and Scottish people should be taxed for visiting England the same amount as English people would for visiting their country?!

 

[colinm]

Another thing is how do 'they' define "visitor"? How about non-Welsh people who now reside in Wales? How about Welsh people to now live elsewhere?

One airfield I did a taster flight at had a policy of charging the same landing fee as a visiting pilot's home airfield would charge its visitors. So, perhaps Welsh and Scottish people should be taxed for visiting England the same amount as English people would for visiting their country?!

As I posted, this is not a tax on someone's nationality, it is a tax imposed by local councils to people staying in visitor accommodation.

 

[GeoffL]

As I posted, this is not a tax on someone's nationality, it is a tax imposed by local councils to people staying in visitor accommodation.

My comment re. reciprocal charges still stands. Those staying overnight in English 'visitor accommodation' should be charged the same as their home country would charge someone from England.

 

[Fisherman]

It will make no difference where you come from, Welsh or not.
Edinburgh are introducing a similar levy and if I spent the night in Edinburgh I would have to pay, and rightly so.
It would be wrong to apply based on your nationality.
Also this is not a tax levied by the Welsh government, they are simply giving local councils the right to decide individually whether they wish to apply a levy or not.

 

[Wheelie]

It's pretty normal by now in lots of countries: France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Belgium..... in fact most of Europe.
Wales propose 75p (hostels / campsites) or £1.25 in other types of accommodation, but it will be up to individual councils whether they implement it. Cheap compared to most of Europe..... and easier to work out than places that charge a percentage or different rates depending on the hotel size and star rating.

 

[colinm]

My comment re. reciprocal charges still stands. Those staying overnight in English 'visitor accommodation' should be charged the same as their home country would charge someone from England.

If anyone, including a Welsh person was to stay in a larger hotel in Manchester, Bournemouth, Christchurch, or Poole, they would be charged a 'tourist tax', the amounts seem to be roughly what it is being suggested local authorities might charge in Wales. So it's already happening.

 

[barryd]

But you are all well ard freeloading wild campers!! Just think how smug you can be when you do Wales for free and everyone else has to pay!!

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Most of Europe charge it Kev, luckily I'm happy to stay in the UK.

I'm not aware of it Rob when we went this year through 4 countries.

 

[Robmac]

But you are all well ard freeloading wild campers!! Just think how smug you can be when you do Wales for free and everyone else has to pay!!

Wonder if it will make it more difficult for the pub stops though Barry when they charge you a fee for a voucher which you can then spend in the pub.

Hopefully not but who knows.

 

[mariesnowgoose]

I may be wrong, but isn't it meant to be a kind of "local services tax"?

To pay for things like bins, rubbish collection, public loos (yes, I know, lucky if there's any left nowadays!) etc. etc.

Basically places where the population is minimal, but swells massively with visitors/tourists. Same logic could be applied to Scotland.

Makes sense to me, but depends on whether the money raised is actually spent where it's supposed to be.

And there's the rub... who me? Cynical and mistrusting?! Nah!

 

[Fisherman]

Basically places where the population is minimal, but swells massively with visitors/tourists. Same logic could be applied to Scotland.

Makes sense to me, but depends on whether the money raised is actually spent where it's supposed to be.

And there's the rub... who me? Cynical and mistrusting?! Nah!

All monies collected will go to a good and deserving cause, something which currently concerns most Welsh folk right now, their rugby team

 

[GMJ]

It's not a consideration for us when we go abroad. Many places in France levy it albeit usually at a low level €0.20 - €0.40 pppn. The highest we paid was in Berchtesgaden the other year which was around €4 - €5 pppn from memory but tbf we got free pubic transports for that.

It will be interesting to see which councils apply it and also how the revenue gained is used.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

As wild campers I don't see it affecting us at all.

 

[barryd]

As wild campers I don't see it affecting us at all.

Apparently there will be a £5 charge per night for industrial estate parking.

 

[Rumour]

We pay it when we travel in Europe. It's pennies on top of normal charges. I can't really understand why some are so put out by it! I see no problem paying for local services that we use, it makes sense to me.

 

[GeoffL]

I may be wrong, but isn't it meant to be a kind of "local services tax"?

To pay for things like bins, rubbish collection, public loos (yes, I know, lucky if there's any left nowadays!) etc. etc.

Basically places where the population is minimal, but swells massively with visitors/tourists. Same logic could be applied to Scotland.

Makes sense to me, but depends on whether the money raised is actually spent where it's supposed to be.

And there's the rub... who me? Cynical and mistrusting?! Nah!

Businesses that provide accommodation already pay for things like commercial rubbish collection and business rates are supposed to pay for other facilities their footfall uses. I can understand the issue re. roads -- we have the problem in Cornwall that the roads are sized for the permanent population rather than to cope with the annual influx of emmets -- but the major roads bear the brunt of traffic and that's supposed to be down to the Highways Agencies rather than the local council who will collect this tax.

 

[mariesnowgoose]

Businesses that provide accommodation already pay for things like commercial rubbish collection and business rates are supposed to pay for other facilities their footfall uses. I can understand the issue re. roads -- we have the problem in Cornwall that the roads are sized for the permanent population rather than to cope with the annual influx of emmets -- but the major roads bear the brunt of traffic and that's supposed to be down to the Highways Agencies rather than the local council who will collect this tax.

I think a “services” tax is wider than just businesses providing accommodation (or food), Geoff?

Day, or transitory, visitors also put pressure on local amenities/services. They may just come for a gander at the view. I’m sure many campers/mohos do, even though there are lots of protests to the contrary

If a small town which normally consists of just a few thousand people (or even smaller villages with mere hundreds) swells to tens of thousands in the “tourist” seasons then somebody has to deal with all the waste that produces (in every sense of the word “waste”)

 

[GeoffL]

I think a “services” tax is wider than just businesses providing accommodation (or food), Geoff?

Day, or transitory, visitors also put pressure on local amenities/services. They may just come for a gander at the view. I’m sure many campers/mohos do, even though there are lots of protests to the contrary

If a small town which normally consists of just a few thousand people (or even smaller villages with mere hundreds) swells to tens of thousands in the “tourist” seasons then somebody has to deal with all the waste that produces (in every sense of the word “waste”)

IMO, this is why the status quo is fairer than seeking to fund waste collection etc. via a tax on tourist accommodation. Every business that generates waste must pay for its disposal rather than just those who also provide accommodation.

 

[mark61]

I think a “services” tax is wider than just businesses providing accommodation (or food), Geoff?

Day, or transitory, visitors also put pressure on local amenities/services. They may just come for a gander at the view. I’m sure many campers/mohos do, even though there are lots of protests to the contrary

If a small town which normally consists of just a few thousand people (or even smaller villages with mere hundreds) swells to tens of thousands in the “tourist” seasons then somebody has to deal with all the waste that produces (in every sense of the word “waste”)

The tax is only collected on accommodation though. So day visitors won't be contributing any more than they do or don't already.

Those already paying for campsite, B&B, etc are already contributing to the service, and now they will be contributing more.

I wonder if we can tax the view?

 

[colinm]

I wonder if we can tax the view?

For your council tax, yes it's already done.