Tourism

Tourism in Wales is an important strand of the economy, producing revenues of around £3bn a year.

Overview

It is estimated that some 100,000 people are employed in the industry which is in the main (70 per cent) made up of hotels, guesthouses and B&B accommodation, attractions, activity operators and event managers. Some 30 per cent are accounted for by people who work in restaurants, pubs and bars.

Wales attracts more than 11 million visitors each year, 10 million of whom come from within the UK. Some one million visitors came from overseas and spent £310m.

In 2004-5 £6.7m of Welsh Assembly Government was channelled into 111 projects under its investment support scheme, generating £40m in total investment - £21.2m of which was from the private sector - and creating or safeguarding 435 full-time-equivalent jobs.

The major thrust of advertising and promotional activity in support of tourism was via the Big Country campaign, which from a total budget of some £6m generated additional income of more than £100m.