Caravan park bans families over Welsh tourism levy proposal
Owner of Dan‑yr‑Ogof caravan site makes it adults‑only, citing enforcement worries about the new tourism tax.
The Welsh Government’s proposed tourism levy has prompted the owner of Dan‑yr‑Ogof’s caravan park to ban families from the site.
Ashford Price, who chairs the National Showcaves Centre for Wales, says wardens warned they would refuse to collect the charge from parents arriving with babies.
To avoid confrontations, the Dan‑yr‑Ogof caravan site has been made adults‑only, with bookings already secured for 2027 and 2028.
The levy would allow local councils to charge overnight guests in paid accommodation, applying a higher rate of £1.30 per person per night to caravans, motorhomes, hotels and holiday cottages.
A lower rate of 75p would apply to tent pitches and shared accommodation, with under‑18s exempt.
Earlier this year, Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd MS Iain McIntosh asked whether babies and infants would be included in the charge.
Cabinet Secretary for Finance Elin Jones replied that all guests would be counted in the chargeable rate for accommodation other than tents, hostels and other shared settings.
She added the levy is a tax on providers, who may decide whether to pass the cost onto visitors.
Mr McIntosh described the measure as the Welsh Government’s “latest tax grab”.
Mr Price questioned why babies in caravans would be taxed while those in tents would be exempt.
He asked how wardens could enforce the charge if families refused to declare babies staying in their caravans.
He also wondered whether a mother could avoid the levy by sleeping with her babies in a tent pitched beside the caravan.
Other caravan park owners have reportedly contacted Mr Price with similar concerns about the levy’s implications.
Powys County Council says it is taking a cautious approach and is not proposing to introduce the levy at this stage.
The council is gathering views from residents, businesses and visitors before any decision is made.
Any move to implement the charge will be left to the next administration following the May 2027 elections.
A further formal consultation would be required before the levy could be introduced, with 2028 the earliest possible start date in Powys.
The controversy highlights the tension between revenue‑raising ambitions and the practicalities of collecting a tax from families on holiday.
Industry observers note that the tourism sector contributes significantly to Wales’s economy, and any reduction in caravanner numbers could affect local businesses.
For now, Dan‑yr‑Ogof’s caravan park remains closed to families, while the wider debate over the tourism levy continues across the country.