Welsh Tourism Boom Continues
Figures for the first 6 months of 2016 show that there has seen a substantial increase in the number of overseas visitors coming to Wales and a record half year increase in the amount they spend during their visit.
The International Passenger Survey, published by the Office for National Statistics today, shows that Wales welcomed 450,000 overseas visitors in the first 6 months of 2016, an increase of 15 per cent compared to the first 6 months of 2015 and the highest increase among the nations of the UK.
The figures also show that while there has been a decrease in expenditure across the UK as a whole, expenditure by overseas visitors in Wales has increased by more than 8 per cent.
For Wales and for the UK as a whole, 75 per cent of international visits in this first half year came from Europe.
A total of 338,000 visitors came from Europe to Wales – a whopping 17 per cent higher than in the first six months of 2015. Visits form North America to Wales were also 10 per cent up compared with the first 6 months of 2015.
Cabinet Secretary for the Economy and Infrastructure, Ken Skates, said:
“This is phenomenal news for Wales.
“Our decision to target key growth markets is clearly working and we remain on course to achieve a 10 per cent growth in tourism by 2020.
“As we approach the end of the Year of Adventure we are gearing up for the promotion of Wales in 2017, our Year of Legends.”
Spotted something? Got a story? Email News@News.Wales
