Cyngor Gwynedd has postponed its decision to implement a tourism tax following a public consultation that generated 6,856 responses, exceeding initial expectations. The council had originally aimed to introduce the levy by October 2027 but now faces delays as it cannot analyze all feedback within the original timeframe.
Public Opinion and Comparative Response Levels
The consultation revealed that 48.7% of Gwynedd residents support the visitor levy, while 43.5% oppose it. Among all respondents, including visitors and businesses, only 22.7% backed the tax, with 68.5% against it. For context, neighboring councils received fewer responses: Anglesey recorded around 2,000 and Conwy about 1,300 during their own consultations.
Proposed Levy Details and Exemptions
The
tourism tax would apply a nightly charge on overnight stays at hotels, bed and breakfasts, self-catering units, holiday caravans, campsites, hostels, and shared accommodation within Gwynedd. Hostels, shared rooms, and tent pitches would incur a fee of 75p plus VAT (£0.90) per person per night, whereas other accommodations would be charged £1.30 plus VAT (£1.56) per person per night. Exemptions include visitors under 18 years old, stays longer than 31 nights, and emergency or temporary housing arranged by local authorities.
Legal Constraints and Council Position
In a report, the council stated it has received “clear legal advice that it is not possible to proceed with
a decision on the levy in September, 2026” as initially planned. The influx of responses and extension of the consultation period from May 20 to July 26 made it “not currently in a position to make a decision.” The consultation aimed to assess potential impacts of the visitor levy rather than measure explicit support or opposition.
The council report emphasized it “has not been possible to analyse, process and consider all the consultation responses” within the scheduled deadline. It clarified that the consultation was intended to “identify the potential impacts of introducing a visitor levy in the county and to
assist in reaching a decision,” not simply whether respondents were “for” or “against” the tax.
