Shadow Minister for North Wales and Clwyd West MS Darren Millar has lambasted the Welsh Government over its plans for a tourism tax, accusing the Labour administration of being “anti-business and anti-North Wales”.

Speaking in yesterday’s meeting of the Welsh Parliament, Darren condemned Labour’ proposal for a tourism tax, highlighting once again the devastating impact it would have on the tourism industry in North Wales.

He also slammed the Minister for North Wales for failing to engage with businesses in the region over the controversial proposals.

Speaking in the Senedd chamber, he said:

“Many people will find it absolutely astonishing, given the importance of the tourism and hospitality industry in North Wales, that you haven't met specifically with businesses in order to discuss this important potential tax on them.

“Go North Wales represents 15,000 businesses across North Wales, and you'll know that they have expressed a lot of concern. Will you agree to join me at a meeting with Go North Wales, and other representatives of the tourism industry, in order that you can hear from them first-hand about the potential adverse impact of this punitive and unnecessary tax on tourists who stay overnight in Wales, and the impact that it could have on jobs and livelihoods in the region?”

He added:

“You keep saying that you're not the relevant Minister. You are their relevant Minister; you're the Minister for North Wales, and people expect you to be standing up for North Wales around the Cabinet table and engaging with businesses in North Wales when such an important issue arises in their inbox.

“There are tens of thousands of jobs reliant on the tourism industry and the tourism trade in the region. And let me be clear to you and the Cabinet colleagues: you cannot support a tourism tax and be for the economy in North Wales; you cannot support a tourism tax and support businesses in North Wales; you cannot be for a tourism tax and support jobs in North Wales.

“I'm afraid that it's the same old story from this Labour Party: pro-tax, anti-growth; pro-tax, anti-business; and pro-tax, anti-north Wales.

“That's what we get from this Government, and it's about time that that story changed.”

In her response the Minister agreed to meet with representatives of the tourism industry in North Wales to listen to their views, however she insisted that a tourism tax would not be a “bad thing”.