Clwyd West AM Darren Millar has challenged the First Minister in the Senedd this week over the impact of the Welsh Government’s proposed Tourism Tax, particularly on the holiday market in North Wales.

When Labour’s Finance Minister announced plans for the tax in last week’s draft budget, Darren said it would be a devastating blow to North Wales.

Raising his concerns with First Minister Carwyn Jones on Tuesday during a question on heritage tourism, he described the proposals as “ridiculous”.

He said:

“One of the things that has the potential to damage heritage tourism is, of course, the proposals that your Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government unveiled last week for a potential tourism tax here in Wales.

“Whilst that might not affect you and your Cabinet colleagues so much given the luxury hotels that you must frequent on a regular basis, it could significantly impact on the lower cost end of the holiday market, much of it in my own constituency and your constituency, First Minister, namely on holiday caravan parks.

“What action are you going to take to ensure that people who are less well-off don’t have their aspirations to have an annual holiday undermined by your ridiculous proposals for a tourism tax in Wales?”

He added:

“Carwyn Jones was given another opportunity to reject a Tourism Tax this week, but once again he defended his Government's decision to press ahead with one. So much hard work has gone into trying to regenerate our towns along the North Wales coast and this tax on tourists could put all that in jeopardy.”