Sam Rowlands MS for North Wales is calling for plans to tax tourism to be scrapped.
Mr Rowlands, Welsh Conservative, Shadow Minister for Local Government and Chair of the Cross-Party Group on Tourism was responding to the Welsh Government Statement on, ‘Visitor Levy Consultation’ from Finance Minister, Rebecca Evans.
He said:
This summer's report by the Federation of Small Businesses on tourism showed that tourism accounts for over 17 % of Wales's gross domestic product, and accounted for over 12% of employment here in Wales, showing how crucial that sector is to us as a country and to many of our communities across Wales.
Within that report, the FSB have stated that 'discussions on more tax are unhelpful, so tourism tax should be kept off the table'.
Across the summer recess, in my capacity as chair of the cross-party group on tourism, I had the delight of meeting a number of businesses within the tourism sector, listening to their concerns and the challenges that they are facing at the moment.
It is clear to me, from those in the sector, that this is the wrong time to introduce a tourism tax, and, in their words, it could be detrimental to their businesses.
Minister, we have your side of the story, which seems to say that a tourism tax is a wonderful idea, and we've got hard-working businesses and the Federation of Small Businesses saying that this is not a good idea. So, who's wrong here, Minister? Is it them or is it you?
Welsh Conservatives have warned that the average family face a £75 charge under Labour and Plaid’s new tourism tax and are against any form of levy which affect this sector.
Mr Rowlands added:
I think it is clearly time to listen to businesses who are still recovering from the Covid pandemic and think of the thousands of visitors we attract to our lovely country each year and scrap any idea of a tourism tax.
Sam Rowlands AS yn beirniadu Treth Twristiaeth Llywodraeth Cymru
Mae Sam Rowlands, AS dros Ogledd Cymru, yn galw am ddileu cynlluniau ar gyfer treth twristiaeth.
Roedd Mr Rowlands o'r Ceidwadwyr Cymreig, Gweinidog Llywodraeth Leol yr Wrthblaid a Chadeirydd y Grŵp Trawsbleidiol ar Dwristiaeth, yn ymateb i Ddatganiad Llywodraeth Cymru ar 'Ymgynghoriad Ardoll Ymwelwyr' gan y Gweinidog Cyllid, Rebecca Evans.
Meddai:
Dangosodd adroddiad yr haf hwn gan y Ffederasiwn Busnesau Bach ar dwristiaeth fod twristiaeth yn cyfrif am dros 17% o gynnyrch domestig gros Cymru, ac yn cyfrif am dros 12% o gyflogaeth yma yng Nghymru, gan ddangos pa mor hanfodol yw'r sector hwnnw i ni fel gwlad ac i lawer o'n cymunedau ledled Cymru.
O fewn yr adroddiad hwnnw, mae'r FSB wedi dweud nad yw trafodaethau ar fwy o dreth yn ddefnyddiol, felly ni ddylid trafod treth twristiaeth.
Dros doriad yr haf, yn rhinwedd fy swydd fel cadeirydd y grŵp trawsbleidiol ar dwristiaeth, cefais y pleser o gyfarfod â nifer o fusnesau o fewn y sector twristiaeth, gan wrando ar eu pryderon a'r heriau maen nhw'n eu hwynebu ar hyn o bryd.
Mae'n amlwg i mi, o'r rheini sydd yn y sector, nad dyma’r amser i gyflwyno treth twristiaeth ac, yn eu geiriau nhw, fe allai fod yn niweidiol i'w busnesau.
Weinidog, mae gennym ni eich ochr chi o'r stori, sydd fel pe bai'n dweud bod treth twristiaeth yn syniad gwych, ac mae gennym ni fusnesau sy'n gweithio'n galed a'r Ffederasiwn Busnesau Bach yn dweud nad yw hwn yn syniad da. Felly, pwy sy'n anghywir, Weinidog? Nhw neu chi?
Mae'r Ceidwadwyr Cymreig wedi rhybuddio bod y teulu cyffredin yn wynebu tâl o £75 o dan dreth twristiaeth newydd Llafur a Phlaid Cymru, ac maen nhw yn erbyn unrhyw fath o ardoll sy'n effeithio ar y sector hwn.
Ychwanegodd Mr Rowlands:
Dwi'n meddwl ei bod hi'n amlwg yn amser i wrando ar fusnesau sy'n dal i adfer ar ôl y pandemig Covid a meddwl am y miloedd o ymwelwyr rydyn ni'n denu i'n gwlad hyfryd bob blwyddyn a rhoi’r gorau i unrhyw syniad o dreth twristiaeth.
