Welsh visitor levy plans diverge as councils weigh local concerns
Anglesey has decided not to introduce Wales’s visitor levy for now, while Gwynedd and Conwy have postponed decisions. The BBC UK reports that the legislation allows local authorities to charge set nightly rates from 2027, though a Bangor University lecturer argues that the system needs more local flexibility.
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BBC UK reports that three north Wales councils have taken different steps on the proposed visitor levy: Anglesey decided on Thursday not to introduce it for now, while Gwynedd and Conwy postponed decisions. Anglesey cited concerns about its tourism industry after a consultation drew more than 2,000 responses. Gwynedd said it needed more analysis of almost 7,000 responses; Conwy deferred its decision pending further evidence and practical experience.
Under Welsh government legislation, local authorities can choose whether to introduce the charge from 2027. The set rates would be 75p plus VAT per person per night for hostels, shared rooms and tent pitches, and £1.30 plus VAT for most other accommodation. The levy would apply to adults and children.
Dr Linda Osti, a senior tourism lecturer at Bangor University and co-author of a 2024 report for the Welsh government, argued that councils should have more scope to tailor charges below county level. She said visitor patterns and conditions differ between places. The councils’ pauses and rejection leave the local decisions unresolved; Osti called for the legislation to be revisited.
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