Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 2:21 pm on 11 October 2022.
First Minister, I noticed on Friday that you and Adam Price—I think you both got along then—launched your tourism tax consultation with members of the industry present. In that meeting, I’m told you both sought to explain your plans, but then left before you could take any questions. Well, I’ve spoken with some of those tourism industry professionals, and the one thing above all else they wanted to get across to you is how low the morale is in the tourism industry at the moment. That morale, they say, is low because of a succession of policies from this Welsh Labour Government. They’re worried about the huge impact of a tourism tax on their businesses and their communities, they’re worried about changes to self-catering holiday properties, which will reduce the amount of holiday accommodation in their areas, and they’re worried that they have a Welsh Government that is doing very little to support them, and which they feel is hampering them instead. After speaking to one such operator in the last week, they told me they cancelled a seven-figure investment into their business, which would have supported more jobs and boosted the local economy, because of those Welsh Government policies. First Minister, do you now accept that your policies are having a real-world impact now, even before they are implemented, and that morale is at an all-time low in the sector? Will you commit to reviewing your slate of damaging anti-tourism policies before it’s too late?