More UK visitors flock to Wales - survey shows another increase in domestic visitor numbers
The number of visitors choosing Wales for overnight breaks and daytrips has increased, according to figures revealed today
Photo by DACHALAN
Today (23 October 2014) the Great Britain Day and Overnight Visits Survey covering the period January-July 2014 shows that in Wales the number of bed nights and day trips by UK residents has risen against the comparable period in 2013.
Of the 50.56 million overnight trips taken in the UK during January-July 2014, 8.4% of these were to Wales, a substantial increase from the 7.4% share recorded in the same period in 2013.
Day trips bring similarly encouraging news. 56 million tourism day visits were made by British residents to destinations in Wales in January-July 2014, generating expenditure of £1,490 million. The volume of trips is up 9 per cent in comparison with the first seven months of 2013 (51 million).
This boost in domestic visits complements the recent statistics that show that the number of international visitors to Wales has increased by 28% over the last year and in the wake of the Welsh Affairs Committee recommending that more should be done to promote Wales as a tourism destination internationally.
Wales Office minister Baroness Randerson welcomed the news:
We know what a fantastic product we have here in Wales – fascinating historic buildings, breathtaking coasts, first-class food and fabulously friendly people – and we welcome the fact that people from across the UK are now appreciating that Wales is a great place to visit. This message can now be transmitted across the globe.
These latest visitor figures are great news for the tourism industry and great news for those of us who enjoy seeing our country being appreciated and enjoyed by people from across the UK.