Sam Rowlands MS for North Wales has called on Welsh Government to back and not tax the tourism industry.
Mr Rowlands, Shadow Minister for Local Government and Chair of the Cross Party Group on Tourism was commenting after Welsh Government announced plans to increase the classification of self-catering accommodation.
He said:
You talk about the visitor economy providing a proper contribution; you will know full well it employs around 140,000 people in this country, contributing over £6 billion to the economy here.
We are talking about a contribution to Wales that puts bread on the tables of over 140,000 people and putting roofs over their heads as well. These are the people who have huge concerns about the proposals that you have outlined.
I chaired the cross-party group on tourism on March 30, and officials from Government asked whether the attendees there could provide perhaps between 10 and 20 case studies to describe the impact of these proposals. Within four days there had been 400 case studies submitted, outlining their concerns.
And in the words of the Wales Tourism Alliance, UKHospitality Cymru and the Professional Association of Self-Caterers UK themselves, they have said in their report that they submitted to you: 'Our evidence shows that many micro locally-run family businesses will simply shut down’.
In light of this, Minister, why is it that you and the Minister for Economy are ignoring the views of this very important sector, and how can you pursue your proposed changes when these very serious concerns have been outlined to you.
The new plans will see an increase to the number of days a self-catering property is required to be made available to let, 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.
Mr Rowlands added:
I am so disappointed that once again tourism businesses are being hit hard, it really is unbelievable that anyone would want to tax a sector still struggling to recover from the pandemic.
It is high time Welsh Government listened to the experts and started backing not taxing all those working within this industry.
Sam Rowlands AS yn cyhuddo Llywodraeth Cymru o beidio â gwrando ar yr arbenigwyr ynghylch cynlluniau i gynyddu trothwy dosbarthu llety hunanarlwyo
Mae Sam Rowlands AS dros y Gogledd wedi galw ar Lywodraeth Cymru i gefnogi yn hytrach na threthu’r diwydiant twristiaeth.
Roedd Mr Rowlands, Gweinidog Llywodraeth Leol yr Wrthblaid a Chadeirydd y Grŵp Trawsbleidiol ar Dwristiaeth yn siarad ar ôl i Lywodraeth Cymru gyhoeddi cynlluniau i gynyddu dosbarthiad llety hunanarlwyo.
Meddai:
Rydych chi’n siarad am yr economi ymwelwyr yn gwneud cyfraniad sylweddol; byddwch yn gwybod yn iawn ei bod yn cyflogi oddeutu 140,000 o bobl yn y wlad hon, gan gyfrannu dros £6 biliwn i’r economi yma.
Rydym yn siarad am gyfraniad i Gymru sy’n rhoi bwyd ar fyrddau dros 140,000 o bobl a rhoi to uwch eu pennau hefyd. Dyma’r bobl sy’n poeni’n fawr am y cynigion rydych chi wedi’u hamlinellu.
Cadeiriais y grŵp trawsbleidiol ar dwristiaeth ar 30 Mawrth, a gofynnodd swyddogion o’r Llywodraeth a allai’r mynychwyr yno ddarparu rhwng 10 ac 20 astudiaeth achos i ddisgrifio effaith y cynigion hyn. Cyn pen pedwar diwrnod roedd 400 o astudiaethau achos wedi’u cyflwyno, yn amlinellu eu pryderon.
Ac yng ngeiriau Cynghrair Twristiaeth Cymru, UKHospitality Cymru a Chymdeithas Broffesiynol Hunanarlwywyr y DU eu hunain, maent wedi dweud yn eu hadroddiad a gyflwynwyd i chi: ‘Dengys ein tystiolaeth y bydd llawer o ficrofusnesau teuluol lleol yn cau eu drysau’.
O ystyried hyn, Weinidog, pam eich bod chi a Gweinidog yr Economi’n anwybyddu safbwyntiau’r sector pwysig hwn, a sut allwch chi ddal ati gyda’ch newidiadau arfaethedig ar ôl i’r pryderon difrifol hyn gael eu rhannu â chi.
Bydd y cynlluniau newydd yn gweld cynnydd yn nifer y dyddiau y mae angen i eiddo hunanarlwyo fod ar gael i’w osod, o 70 i 182 diwrnod mewn blwyddyn unigol. Yn sgil hynny, bydd llawer o eiddo hunanarlwyo’n wynebu cyfraddau llawer uwch o dreth gan nad ydynt yn gallu bodloni’r trothwy newydd, uchel iawn hwn.
Datgelodd arolwg gan Gynghrair Twristiaeth Cymru bod 84% o weithredwyr hunanarlwyo yng Nghymru yn credu na fyddant yn gallu dal ati gyda’u busnesau os cyflwynir y deddfau gosod.
Ychwanegodd Mr Rowlands:
Rwyf mor siomedig bod busnesau twristiaeth yn wynebu ergyd drom arall, mae’n anhygoel y byddai unrhyw un am drethu sector sy’n dal i fod yn ceisio adfer o effeithiau’r pandemig.
Mae’n hen bryd i Lywodraeth Cymru wrando ar yr arbenigwyr a dechrau cefnogi ac nid trethu’r rhai sy’n gweithio yn y diwydiant.
