With 2017 set to be another busy year for the UK tourism industry, TV Licensing is appealing to hotels and guest houses in Tenby and across Wales to make the sure they are correctly licensed.

Budget hotels, boutique B&Bs, luxury spa resorts or serviced apartments must all be covered by a valid TV Licence if guests or staff are watching TV as it’s broadcast. All viewers who use the iPlayer to watch any BBC programmes must also now be covered by a TV licence after new rules came into force in September.

There are around 66 hotels within 10 miles of the centre of Tenby. For many smaller hotels and guesthouses, the cost of a TV Licence is £145.50 a year, the same amount as a private house. Hotels with more than 15 rooms are covered by one licence for the first 15 units, but will need an additional licence for every five thereafter.

According to the latest industry figures, the UK tourism industry is set to grow further after a bumper year of visits. In 2015/16, tourism brought in £22billion to the UK economy, with 36.1 million overseas visitors to the UK – up 5% on 20142. In the first six months of 2016, the number of overseas visitors to Wales stood at 450,353– an increase of almost 15 per cent on the same period for the previous year3.

Catherine Griffith-Williams, spokesperson for TV Wales, said: “As these figures show, the UK’s growing tourism business becoming more competitive, with hoteliers vying to provide ever greater guest satisfaction. Whether hotels are providing extras such as Smart TVs or TVs in the bathroom, they all need to be correctly licenced.

Peter Ducker, Chief Executive of the Institute of Hospitality, added: "In-room entertainment is a vital part of the customer experience and any offering that is below-par can lead to unfavourable user reviews. Having a valid TV licence is obviously a necessity too. Making sure your business is fully compliant with the law is a mark of your professionalism."

Buying a licence is easy, and hoteliers can pay using BACS or electronic transfer. For more information about TV Licensing requirements for hotels and accommodation providers, call the TV Licensing businesses team on 0300 790 6124 or visit http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/hotels" TARGET="_blank">www.tvlicensing.co.uk/hotels