DESPITE the pandemic, wage rises, VAT, business rates and the upcoming hike in energy costs, tourism and hospitality businesses are resilient and the industry will survive.

That’s according to Glenn Evans, vice chairman of North Wales Tourism.

Although there is no doubt the industry faces many challenges this, year Mr Evans believes there are things business owners can do to face them.

Commenting on the upcoming energy price hike, he said: “It’s a bit of a lottery at the moment for people, depending on if they have a fixed price or are about to renew and some people could see and 200-300 per cent increase in their bills.

“Options are limited, but the thing to do is engage with an energy broker to get the best price.

“There are lots of other rising costs we will have to contend with, and all of them come on the top of Covid which we are still going through.

“Those rises, the ones we know about now, include the 6.6 per cent increase to the living and national wage from 1 April, VAT which is going from 12.5 per cent to 20 per cent, the reintroduction of business rates that stopped because of the pandemic but will still again based on historical trading levels, food costs of around 5 per cent and other fixed costs going up by about 15 per cent.”

Mr Evans, who runs a hotel, added: “Our insurance premium is up 30 per cent, but I think we’re one of the lucky ones there, having heard from others and their premiums.

“With the recent restrictions, lots of businesses are experiencing a downturn in trade, and there is lots of uncertainty about. There is no indication of a pathway out of the pandemic, or how long it will go on for. Will we face further restrictions? It’s hard to recruit in the sector with all of this uncertainty.”

Commenting on the future, Mr Evans added: “We don’t want to pass any of these price rises on to our customers, but it could be hard not to, given the situation over the last 18 months.

“But we are a resilient industry, used to seasonal challenges and we will get through this.

“The industry is ready to go.”