Wales

Tourism contributes over £6 million each day, amounting to almost £3 billon a year, to the Welsh economy, and employs 8% of the Welsh workforce.

Domestic visitors, from rest of the UK, account for more than 90% of overnight trips to the country, while the majority of the 1million annual overseas visitors come from the Republic of Ireland, USA, and Germany.

There are five Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty in Wales; the Gower Peninsula; the Wye Valley; the Anglesey Coast; the Llyn Peninsula; and the Clwydian Range. Two thirds of Wales’ 8,000 square miles is sparsely populated countryside and almost a quarter of its land area lies in three National Parks – Snowdonia, Brecon Beacons and Pembrokeshire Coast.

The Welsh Assembly Government is responsible for the development of tourism in the country and is supported by four regional tourism partnerships.

Visit Wales

Functions previously undertaken by the Wales Tourist Board have now been transferred to Visit Wales. Visit Wales is the Welsh Assembly Government’s tourism team, within the Department of Heritage, and is responsible for the promotion and development of tourism. Its vision for tourism in Wales is that of a customer-responsive, innovative, sustainable and profitable industry that makes an increasing contribution to the economic, social, cultural and environmental well-being of Wales. In order to reach this point by 2013 five key challenges have been identified; branding, quality, accessibility, skills, and partnership.

Key People

Minister for Heritage Alun Ffred Jones Director of Tourism and Marketing Jonathan Jones
Director of Marketing Roger Pride

Contact details

Visit Wales
Welsh Assembly Government
Brunel House
2 Fitzalan Rd
Cardiff
CF24 0UY
Telephone: 029 20 499 909
Email:tourism.industryadvice@wales.gsi.gov.uk
Corporate website: www.wales.gsi.gov.uk/tourism
Visitor information: www.visitwales.co.uk

Sub Regional

Four Regional Tourism Partnerships (RTPs) were set up in 2002 to cover North, Mid, South-West and South-East Wales. Their principle role is to lead the implementation of four regional tourism strategies which seek to improve the competitive performance of tourism. The RTPs work in partnership with Visit Wales, local authorities, tourism businesses and with other relevant organisations to undertake a range of marketing, product investment and business support activities on behalf of the tourism industry. Most of these activities are delivered under contract by third parties. The RTPs have small teams of staff who plan, manage and monitor the delivery of contracts and who report to a Board of Management, elected to have an equal public/private sector membership.

Contact Details

South West Wales Tourism Partnership
The Coach House
Aberglasney Gardens
Llangathen
Carmarthenshire
SA32 8QH
Telephone: 01558 669091
Website: www.swwtp.co.uk

Regional Strategy Director: Gary Davies


Capital Region Tourism (South East Region)
C106 - C107 - C108
University of Wales Institute Cardiff (UWIC)
Colchester Avenue Cardiff
CF23 9XR
Tel: 029 2041 7194
Website: www.capitalregiontourism.org

Regional Strategy Director: Peter Cole

Tourism Partnership Mid Wales
Ty Glyndwr
Machynlleth
Powys
SY20 8WW
Telephone: (01654) 704220
EMail: info@tpmw.co.uk
Website: www.tpmw.co.uk

Regional Strategy Director: Dee Reynolds

Tourism Partnership North Wales
25 St Asaph Business Park
St Asaph
Denbighshire
LL17 0LJ
Telephone: 01745 589020
Website: www.tpnw.org

Regional Strategy Director: Dewi Davies

Sunday, 5 September 2010