The tourism sector is a fundamental component to the Mid Wales economy, so it is little wonder why one local AM is concerned about the drop in domestic tourists coming to Wales.
This week the findings from the Great Britain Tourism Survey were published, showing key data for the first three months of this year. While the figures showed total trips to Wales were up 3.2% on the same time last year at 1.5 million, it also showed that in 2014, there was a 12% fall in the number of domestic tourism day trips to Wales.
Additionally, the survey data highlighted that the amount of nights spent in Wales fell 11% in the first quarter of this year compared to 2013, while overall spend also fell, down 14.6% from £246m in 2013 to £210m, a bigger fall than England (down 10.7%) and overall GB (down 10.3%).
Montgomeryshire Assembly Member, Russell George, said these figures must be of concern to both the regional and national economy and called on the Welsh Government to do more to make the country more attractive to the lucrative long-stay, high-spend visitors.
Commenting, Mr. George said:
“The domestic day trip market is an important part of Mid Wales’ vibrant tourism industry and it is a poor reflection on Visit Wales that despite last year’s good weather, that fewer day trips were undertaken in Wales.
“Tourist day trip visits to Mid Wales contribute millions of pounds to the regional and national economy and represent income and jobs to small tourism operators and the hospitality industry.
“These figures do not bode well for attracting those lucrative longer-stay and high-spend visitors if Visit Wales cannot even tempt more day trippers from within Wales and neighbouring regions to take up our tourist offer.
“The potential of the day visit has long been recognised and the domestic market forms the strong focus of the Welsh Government's tourism strategy.
“That strategy is now over a year old. The economy was improving last year and continued to do so this year. Has the Welsh Government’s strategy started to fail already?”