Cardiff Tourism Tax of £1.30 per night proposed by the council

Cardiff could be the first place in Wales to introduce a tourism tax on paid overnight stays.

The charge will be £1.30 per person per night for most types of accommodation and 75p a night for camps and shared at £3.5m a year.

The money goes to the Welsh revenue authority, which pays it out to local authorities.

If the Council of the Council gives permission, a 12-week public consultation will begin on 1 December.

Legislation was passed in September allowing Welsh Councils to charge a small fee to overnight guests from April 2027.

It will apply to the payment of Overnight stays of 31 nights or less in hotels, hostels, guesthouses, airbns on Airbnbs and temporary places.

Other guests may be exempt, including:

• Children under 18 in campers in camps or shared rooms
• People staying more than 31 nights in one booking
• Those in emergency or temporary accommodation arranged by the council

There was a mixed reaction from some in the business community, with a saying that if done right it could help boost the city’s tourism industry.

Councilor Russell Meidway, Member for Investment and Development, “

“Not only do we want people to enjoy their experience of coming to Cardiff, but we also want people to stay longer, so we need to increase our offer despite the investment.”

The proposed fee, he said, is lower than the norm in Europe.

The Federation of small businesses Wales Chief Joshua Miles said: “The FSB is not yet looking at a new tax on local economies through its implementation.

“The small business sector has experienced a long period of difficult economic conditions.

“With low consumer spending and incredibly high costs affecting some tourism businesses, they still need support to recover.”

He urged Cardiff to explore alternatives that “don’t burden small businesses and … customers.”

The Executive Director of the Business Group for Cardiff, Carolyn Brownell, said: “The Introduction of [a] The Visitor Lie by Cardiff Council provides a valuable opportunity to strengthen the city’s visitor economy, if it is implemented in a way that invests in increasing Cardiff’s tourism sector. “

Nick Saunders, Founder and Director of the organizers who are living, said: “I don’t think it’s a terrible idea, the council needs to raise money for services for services for services for services.

“At those low levels I don’t think it will affect people and an amount like that would benefit the council.”

There may be some negative response to the ongoing cost of living crisis, he said.

“Even if it’s a nominal fee people will have a grumble,” he said.