Tourism developers in Wales will need to show more clearly how new projects support local communities, jobs and culture, according to planning and development consultancy Lichfields.
Plaid Cymru is leading the Welsh Government for the first time after emerging as the largest party in the Senedd, without an overall majority.
While no major tourism-specific policy announcements have yet been made, the direction of travel points towards a stronger focus on sustainable tourism, local benefit, Welsh culture and community involvement in planning decisions.
Tourism and hospitality employs around one in nine people in Wales, rising to one in five in areas such as Pembrokeshire and Anglesey.
Policy areas already on the agenda include the visitor levy, the 182-day threshold for holiday accommodation and new registration requirements for short-term accommodation, which are due to come into force from October 2026.
Planning reform is also expected to have implications for tourism development, with proposed changes including stronger community involvement, earlier pre-application consultation, greater emphasis on the Welsh language, simplified planning processes and reform of national and regional planning frameworks.
Nathaniel Lichfield &Partners staff photographs.
Helen Ashby-Ridgway, a Planning Director at Lichfields, said: “The change in government is an important moment for tourism and planning in Wales, but the direction of travel looks more evolutionary than revolutionary.
“Tourism is recognised as an important part of the Welsh economy, but future proposals will need to do more than show visitor demand. They will need to show how development supports local jobs, communities, culture, language and long-term place-making.
“That does not mean tourism development cannot come forward. It means operators, landowners and developers should be thinking carefully about how proposals are shaped, explained and brought to local communities from the outset.”
From October 2026, providers offering stays of 31 nights or fewer will need to register with the Welsh Revenue Authority by 31 March 2027. The resulting data is expected to help local authorities better understand the scale and location of visitor accommodation, with implications for planning policy, local development plans and future investment decisions.
Helen added: “The short-term accommodation register could become an important evidence base for councils and for businesses looking to invest in Wales.
“Good data should help move the debate beyond assumptions. It can give councils, communities and the industry a clearer picture of where accommodation is located, what demand looks like and where future growth may be appropriate.
“For tourism businesses, the key will be to engage early, take part in plan-making and show clearly how proposals deliver economic, social, cultural and environmental benefits. That will become increasingly important if planning policy moves further towards community value and local benefit.”
With Plaid Cymru leading without an overall majority, cross-party support is likely to be needed to deliver future reforms. Many current policy areas, including the visitor levy and accommodation registration system, continue measures developed during the previous Senedd term.
Those bringing forward tourism and leisure development in Wales should prepare for a planning environment where community engagement, local benefit and policy alignment carry increasing weight.
