The National Assembly for Wales Enterprise and Business Committee's inquiry into tourism heard that tourism is growing in Wales, with visits from domestic and international tourists, as well as associated expenditure, all increasing. However, time and again tourism businesses and academics said that Wales needs a stronger tourism brand to make the most of Wales's huge tourism potential.
The Committee welcomed the recent branding work undertaken by the Ashton Brand Consulting Group for the Welsh Government, but says that this work must be accelerated so that Wales has a clear and coherent tourism brand. Tourism businesses must be involved in this process so that all stakeholders – from Visit Wales to tourism SMEs – can work together to grow tourism in Wales.
A number of witnesses questioned whether the Welsh Government invested enough money in the tourism industry. The Committee heard that marketing spend on tourism in Wales was roughly equivalent to that of Glasgow, and also that money spent on tourism marketing often achieves a significant return on investment. The Committee therefore calls on the Welsh Government to reassess whether it is spending enough money promoting Wales as a tourism destination.
The Committee is concerned that VisitBritain (the UK Government's tourism development agency) is not doing enough to promote Wales as a distinct destination within the UK, and has called on the Welsh Government to work with VisitBritain to establish challenging growth targets for VisitBritain to increase tourism in Wales. The Committee welcomes the fact that similar conclusions were reached by the House of Commons Welsh Affairs Committee during its recent inquiry into the international representation and promotion of Wales by UK bodies, and calls on VisitBritain to implement the recommendations of these two reports.
During the inquiry,Assembly Members held meetings in Cardiff, Pembrokeshire and Gwynedd to hear the views and experiences of local tourism businesses.
William Graham AM, Chair of the Enterprise and Business Committee said:
"It is excellent to see the recent growth in tourism in Wales, especially given the importance of the tourism industry to the Welsh economy. However, more must be done by the Welsh Government to maximise Wales' huge tourism potential.
"A number of witnesses told us about what makes Wales so attractive and unique as a tourism destination, offering everything from unspoilt beaches and dramatic landscapes to dynamic cities, a rich industrial heritage and a vibrant living language. We were told by VisitBritain that our castles are highly valued by international visitors, who see visiting them as a "dream activity."
"On our visits we saw first-hand the excellent work being done by tourism businesses, and were excited to see the success of innovative new tourism attractions such as Bounce Below at the Llechwedd Slate Caverns.
"With this in mind, we call on the Welsh Government to strengthen Wales's tourism brand and consider whether the money it spends on tourism, and the growth targets it has, are sufficient given the significant potential for growth in this industry. The tourism industry plays a key role in the Welsh economy, and with the right support from the Welsh Government and VisitBritain it can do even more."
Report by the Enterprise and Business Committee on Tourism (PDF, 626KB)