Dear Reader

THIS week the Welsh government launched a public consultation into whether to introduce an overnight tax on visitors. It’s estimated that this could add £75 to the cost of a week-long family holiday, if it were to come into play.

It’s a good idea, in principle. Visitor levies are used to offset the negative aspects of tourism, whether that be through addressing environmental concerns or maintaining roads, parks or beaches.

More than 40 countries and holiday hotspots have introduced a form of visitor levy including Greece (from 45p per night), France (from 18p a night), Croatia (£1.18 a night) and Japan (£6.40 on departure).

Some, like the £183-a-night charged in Bhutan, are designed to limit visitor numbers, too.

It’s a complex issue. And while the proposed Welsh tax is nowhere near that of Bhutan’s, the simple fact that it exists could deter potential visitors.

The reality is that Wales has a very low profile internationally compared to its UK siblings. Some 70 per cent of those who holiday in Wales come from other parts of the union and are not used to paying such a tax when staycationing. Some could even see it as ‘anti-tourist’.

And, as the cost-of-living crisis bites, the extra fee could make all the difference to families looking for a campsite holiday on a budget. They may well choose to take their tents to Cornwall or Dorset instead. And who can blame them?

I grew up on the Pembrokeshire coast (pictured) and the subject seems to be as divisive as the potential quadrupling of council tax for those with second homes. One campsite owner I spoke to this week said this season had been much quieter than 2021 and business owners are questioning what’s to come next year.

What is clear is that tourism is fragile, especially in those areas which depend so heavily on the industry, and any decision must be thoroughly thought through.