In a bid to enhance transparency and regulate the booming tourism industry, the Welsh government has introduced plans that will compel landlords with holiday lets to join a comprehensive register, disclosing their operational details. The proposed legislation is anticipated to be presented to the Senedd (Welsh parliament) by the end of the current year.
The initiative, spearheaded by Deputy Minister for Arts, Sport, and Tourism, Dawn Bowden, envisions the eventual establishment of a licensing scheme encompassing all categories of visitor accommodation. The primary focus in the initial phase will be on ensuring compliance with safety standards, with subsequent plans aimed at elevating overall accommodation standards.
Minister Bowden emphasized the importance of this move, stating, “Tourism makes an important contribution to the Welsh economy and to Welsh life, so this information will be crucial in helping us better understand the sector, as well as helping to inform future policy decisions at a local and national level.”
Highlighting the dynamic changes in the visitor economy, particularly with the growth of online booking platforms, Bowden acknowledged concerns regarding compliance with existing regulations and the potential impact of short-term lets on housing availability and local communities.
Expressing gratitude to businesses within the visitor economy for their resilience in the face of recent challenges, Bowden also emphasized ongoing collaboration with stakeholders. “The input from the sector, visitors, and communities has been invaluable to our work so far. We will continue this engagement as we develop the scheme,” she added.
The announcement comes on the heels of a public consultation and engagement with the sector, along with the release of a survey revealing that 89% of visitors prioritize accommodation safety.
Andy Fenner, Chief Executive of the Short Term Accommodation Association (STAA), lauded the Welsh government’s proactive approach, stating, “The Welsh government has swooped in ahead of its counterpart in Westminster to deliver a registration scheme worthy of the name.” Fenner emphasized the significance of mandatory registration for all types of visitor accommodation, providing policymakers with accurate data to make informed decisions about the sector’s size, composition, and economic contributions.
Fenner expressed optimism for the positive impact of the Welsh initiative and urged similar measures in England, noting, “Moves to restrict any part of the tourist accommodation sector will, in future, be based on hard facts, not rumour and innuendo, giving decisions a proper basis. This is a really positive step forward for tourism in Wales and one that we hope is replicated in England, which will be the last region of the UK to see a registration scheme introduced.”
NetRent Comment
There really is no area of life that the Welsh Government doesn’t want to seize control over. Their landlord registration scheme has been confused, messy and much delayed with no obvious benefit to landlords or tenants. This has all the hallmarks of being more of the same.
NetRent is a business based in Wales and we see daily just how the Welsh Government wants to control everything Welsh citizens do, think and say. From their ludicrous 20 mph imposition to their total inability to run any major department this is a Government who simply cannot keep their hands off anything, and once they it in their grasp they inevitably make it worse. We hope Mr Fenner is braced for crushing disappointment if he really believes this will do anything other than introduce another layer of bureaucracy at great expense to businesses and visitors to Wales alike.