Plaid Cymru Assembly Member for Ynys Mon Rhun ap Iorwerth has written urgently to UK Government Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Welsh Government Finance Minister Rebecca Evans asking them to commit to continued support for the island’s vital tourism sector long after lockdown is ended, in order to enable the sector to survive into the new year.
At present, businesses and employees across Wales can access Welsh and UK Government schemes for financial support, but there are concerns that the short-term support will not be enough to cover the costs of vital business that has been lost over the course of the lockdown – which is normally one of the busiest times for the island’s booming tourism industry.
This has led to the Plaid Cymru AM writing to the UK and Welsh Governments requesting further financial support for the sector as it struggles through this unprecedented time.
I have written to @RishiSunak & @wgmin_finance with urgency to request further, sustained support for the business community.
We need to provide our tourism industry with the support it needs to survive at this unprecedented time, and to thrive once again in the future.
— Rhun ap Iorwerth (@RhunapIorwerth) April 29, 2020
Mr ap Iorwerth said:
“Tourism plays an integral part in the economy of Ynys Môn, and of Wales as a whole, and I am thankful to those businesses who have temporarily closed their doors in the interest of public health and the need to protect our limited resources.
“Whilst urging visitors to stay at their primary residences for the time being, we look forward to welcoming them back once this crisis has passed, and for that to happen, we need to provide the industry with the support it needs to survive during this unprecedented time.
“I am inundated by correspondence from businesses seeking financial assistance, and whilst many are able to furlough staff through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and access support for the self-employed, many businesses dependent on tourism have brought some issues to my attention.
“Given that the industry will have lost such a significant proportion of its business for 2020, I have asked UK and Welsh Government for a commitment to continue support for affected businesses and employees way beyond the end of lockdown, in order to take the sector through to 2021, and look forward to receiving an urgent response regarding this very important matter.”
