Visitor businesses urged to take part in levy survey

Visitor accommodation providers in Welshpool and throughout North Powys are being urged to take part in a survey that will shape a new national registration system, as mounting concerns grow within the tourism industry about the impact of the proposed Welsh visitor levy.

The Welsh Revenue Authority is seeking views from local bed and breakfasts, hotels, holiday cottages, campsites and Airbnb hosts ahead of the Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy) Etc. (Wales) Bill, which is expected to pass through the Senedd this summer. The 13-question survey closes on Friday 18 July.

Mid Wales Tourism, which represents more than 600 tourism and hospitality businesses across Powys, Ceredigion and Meirionnydd, is calling for greater scrutiny of the proposed visitor levy, warning it could place disproportionate strain on rural economies while delivering limited practical benefit. 

The organisation argues that rural Wales lacks the safety net of major events or business tourism, meaning even a small drop in visitors could have immediate impacts on jobs, high streets and communities.

If the bill becomes law, all visitor accommodation in Wales will be required to register, regardless of whether their local authority chooses to introduce the levy. The register will then be used by councils like Powys if they decide to implement a visitor tax charging overnight visitors 75p per person per night for stays at campsites and hostels, and £1.25 per person per night for all other accommodation.

Zoe Hawkins, chief executive of Mid Wales Tourism, said rural Wales works differently to urban areas. "We don't have the safety net of major events or business tourism. Even a small drop in visitors can have immediate, far-reaching impacts on jobs, high streets and communities," she said.

There are concerns about the readiness of the registration system, with no confirmed timeline or funding for the statutory register. Estimates range from 16,000 to 55,000 businesses across Wales that would need to register, highlighting uncertainty around the scope and financial modelling of the policy.

For Newtown's accommodation sector, which includes hotels and various holiday cottages and Airbnb properties, the registration requirement will affect all providers regardless of size. 

The town has been developing its visitor economy around attractions such as the Newtown Textile Museum, Oriel Davies Gallery and the historic Montgomery Canal.

Councillor James Gibson-Watt, Powys County Council's Cabinet Member for a More Prosperous Powys, said many providers of tourism accommodation in Powys would be affected if the new law is passed as expected. "This is your chance to help shape how a national registration service would work, if you are one of them, so I would urge you to take it," he said.

The Wales Tourism Alliance has also submitted formal concerns to the Welsh Government, arguing that the policy's administrative costs will outweigh the revenue generated and that the data underpinning the policy is unreliable. The organisation notes that the bill extends beyond tourism visits to encompass stays of less than 31 days for purposes such as work or education.

If all local authorities in Wales introduced the levy, it could potentially generate up to £33 million across Wales, according to Welsh Government estimates. However, local authorities would retain sole control over any net revenue with no obligation to allocate funds to tourism-related initiatives.

Mid Wales Tourism is calling on local authorities and Senedd members in Powys to follow Pembrokeshire's lead and stand with their rural communities, citing existing pressures on town centres, attraction closures and fragile job security.

The survey can be found on the Welsh Government's website at https://surveys.wra.gov.wales/s/NR-VAP-june2025/ or through the Have Your Say Powys site at https://www.haveyoursaypowys.wales/hub-page/powys-county-council. More information on the bill is available at https://www.gov.wales/VisitorLevy.​