During a visit to Llandudno, the Queen of Welsh Resorts, Tom Giffard MS, Shadow Minister for Tourism, and Janet Finch-Saunders, Member of the Welsh Parliament for Aberconwy, detailed a positive plan to support the hospitality sector in Wales.
The Welsh Conservative Alternative Tourism Strategy includes:
- Listening to businesses by scrapping Labour’s toxic tourism tax and cutting the self-catering accommodation regulation threshold to 105 days
- Freeing Welsh tourism by making Visit Wales independent of the Welsh Government
- Creating regional visitor passes for local attractions to boost local economies
- A plan for promoting heritage and speciality tourism offers, such as sport and faith
- Upskilling the industry for the future with a Tourism and Hospitality Academy
- Specific offers for different international markets in different languages
- Proactively capitalising on major events and Wales as a filming location to encourage new visitors
- Explore and trial a pilot tax free shopping scheme for international tourists coming to Wales.
Speaking after meeting with several hospitality businesses in Llandudno, Tom said:
“Tourism and hospitality are the backbone of our Welsh economy, supporting 1-in-7 jobs here. Wales has beautiful countryside, great attractions, a rich history and culture.
“Labour’s relentless attacks on the sector from their toxic tourism tax to their punitive 182-day self-catering accommodation regulation changes will only damage a sector that is keen to recover from the effects of the pandemic.
“We need a Welsh Government here in Wales that is focussed on enhancing the Welsh tourism offer, not taxing it into oblivion. That is why we as Welsh Conservatives have unveiled a positive vision for a tourism strategy fit for the future.”
Speaking about the importance of the new tourism strategy for Aberconwy, Janet said:
“Tourism brings in around £996.18million to Conwy County every financial year.
“The huge economic benefit generated by the sector is thanks to private businesses. From hoteliers to restaurateurs, the constituency is full of residents who work every day of the week to maintain our areas outstanding reputation as the tourism hub of North Wales.
“Whilst businesses are going above and beyond to create jobs for locals and care for customers, the Welsh Government is undermining their efforts.
“So appalling is the Welsh Labour’s tourism strategy that they have overseen a 33% drop in overseas visitors to Wales. That damage needs to be undone, so Tom and I are proud to have put forward a positive plan here in Llandudno”.
ENDS
Photo:
Janet Finch-Saunders MS/AS, Tom Giffard MS/AS, and Adam Williams, Owner of Llandudno Pier
Yn ystod ymweliad â Llandudno, sy’n un o brif drefi glan môr Cymru, bu Tom Giffard AS, Gweinidog yr Wrthblaid dros Dwristiaeth, a Janet Finch-Saunders, AS dros Aberconwy, yn rhannu manylion am gynllun cadarnhaol i gefnogi'r sector lletygarwch yma yng Nghymru.
Mae Strategaeth Twristiaeth Amgen y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig yn cynnwys:
- Gwrando ar fusnesau drwy gael gwared ar dreth dwristiaeth wenwynig Llafur a thorri'r trothwy rheoleiddio llety hunanddarpar i 105 diwrnod
- Rhyddhau twristiaeth Cymru drwy wneud Croeso Cymru'n annibynnol ar Lywodraeth Cymru
- Creu tocynnau rhanbarthol i ymwelwyr ar gyfer atyniadau lleol er mwyn hybu economïau lleol
- Cynllun hyrwyddo cynigion treftadaeth a thwristiaeth arbenigol, fel chwaraeon a ffydd
- Uwchsgilio'r diwydiant at y dyfodol gydag Academi Twristiaeth a Lletygarwch
- Cynigion penodol ar gyfer gwahanol farchnadoedd rhyngwladol mewn ieithoedd gwahanol
- Mynd ati’n rhagweithiol i fanteisio ar ddigwyddiadau mawr ac enw Cymru fel lleoliad ffilmio er mwyn annog ymwelwyr newydd
- Archwilio a threialu cynllun siopa di-dreth ar gyfer twristiaid rhyngwladol sy'n dod i Gymru.
Wrth siarad â sawl busnes lletygarwch yn Llandudno wedi'r cyfarfod, dywedodd Tom:
“Twristiaeth a lletygarwch yw asgwrn cefn ein heconomi yng Nghymru, gan gefnogi 1 o bob 7 swydd yma. Mae gan Gymru gefn gwlad godidog, atyniadau gwych, a hanes a diwylliant cyfoethog.
“Bydd ymosodiadau di-baid Llafur ar y sector, sy’n amrywio o'r dreth dwristiaeth wenwynig i'w newidiadau rheoleiddio cosbol 182 diwrnod ar gyfer llety hunanddarpar, yn gwneud dim ond niweidio sector sy'n awyddus i adfer ar ôl effeithiau'r pandemig.
“Mae Cymru angen llywodraeth sy'n canolbwyntio ar wella arlwy twristiaeth Cymru, nid ei drethu i ebargofiant. Dyna pam ein bod ni fel Ceidwadwyr Cymreig wedi datgelu gweledigaeth gadarnhaol ar gyfer strategaeth dwristiaeth sy'n addas at y dyfodol.”
Wrth siarad am bwysigrwydd y strategaeth dwristiaeth newydd ar gyfer Aberconwy, dywedodd Janet:
“Mae twristiaeth yn dod â thua £996.18 miliwn i mewn i Sir Gonwy bob blwyddyn ariannol.
“I fusnesau preifat mae'r diolch am y budd economaidd enfawr a gynhyrchir gan y sector. O berchnogion gwestai a bwytai, mae'r etholaeth yn frith o drigolion sy'n gweithio bob dydd o'r wythnos i gynnal enw da rhagorol ein hardaloedd fel canolbwynt twristiaeth y Gogledd.
“Tra bod busnesau'n mynd yr ail filltir i greu swyddi i bobl leol a gofalu am gwsmeriaid, mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn tanseilio eu hymdrechion.
“Mae strategaeth twristiaeth Llafur Cymru mor bitw nes ein bod wedi gweld 33% yn llai o ymwelwyr tramor yn dod i Gymru. Mae angen dadwneud y difrod hwnnw, felly mae Tom a minnau'n falch o fod wedi cyflwyno'r cynllun cadarnhaol hwn yn Llandudno”.
DIWEDD
Llun:
Janet Finch-Saunders AS, Tom Giffard AS, ac Adam Williams, perchennog Pier Llandudno
