Survey shows welcome boost to Welsh tourism sector
British residents hail Wales’s tourism hotspots
Tourism figures published today (2 June) show an increase in the amount of money spent by British tourists during visits to Wales in the first part of 2015.
The Great Britain Day Visits Survey shows 16.8million day visits were made by British residents to Wales from January to March 2015, up 7% from the same period in 2014.
Day visitors to Wales generated a £575million boost to the Welsh economy from January to March 2015, a 41% increase on the amount spent over the same period last year. Overnight visitors spent £132million in Wales from January to February 2015 - up 19% in comparison to the same period in 2014.
Wales Office Minister Lord Bourne last month visited Wales’ most popular tourist attraction, Cardiff Castle. Here, he called on people across the whole country to play their part to promote Wales and boost the Welsh economy.
He said:
Indoors and outdoors, Wales has a wealth of wonderful tourism attractions and activities for visitors all year-round. Building a successful tourist industry helps generate investment and create jobs across the whole country, and we all have a responsibility to promote Wales.
Today’s figures will come as welcome news to those working hard to make this important industry a success in the summer months ahead.
The tourism survey results can be found here
NOTES TO EDITORS
The survey is jointly sponsored by the Welsh Government, VisitEngland and VisitScotland. Results of the survey are published annually in the GB Tourist, with quarterly updates at a Wales level.
The annual reports provide analysis across all of Great Britain, including statistics for Wales. The quarterly reports provide top line figures for Wales.