Valerie attends Welsh Tourism Week event at Parliament

Welsh Tourism Week was celebrated at an event in Parliament on 15 May 2019 hosted by the Shadow Secretary of State for Wales, Christina Rees MP.

Andrew Campbell, Chairman of the Wales Tourism Alliance, opened with a speech about the work of the organisation and the importance of tourism to Wales. The Alliance works in partnership with the National Caravan Council, Historic Houses and the The Caravan and Motorhome Club among other tourism organisations.

Green Tourism were there to discuss their organisation’s mission which is dedicated to promoting sustainable tourism across the Globe. Green Tourism help businesses and organisations operate in a more sustainable way. You can learn more about there work and their award system for sustainable tourist organisations here.

Christina Rees spoke about the Welsh tourism industry, which is particularly important in the economic sustainability of many small communities, and also to the cultural and built heritage of Wales. Of the approximately £5 billion contribution of tourism to Welsh GDP, 90% is from spending by visitors from the United Kingdom and 10% from overseas. Overseas visitors are, however, particularly important: they spend £680 on average compared with £280 from the average UK visitor.

Tourism in Wales provides opportunities for the employment of young people, women and those seeking self-employment and can be combined with conservation work to create a model which benefits people and the environment. This is a prime example of what the organisation Green Tourism aims to achieve with their promotion of sustainability in the industry. The tourism industry has also played an important role in Wales’ economic recovery from the 2008 financial crisis.

The picture above shows me with Andrew Campbell along with other MPs including: Gerald Jones (Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney), Albert Owen (Ynys Môn), Wayne David (Caerphilly), Ian Lucas (Wrexham) and Chris Ruane (Vale of Clywd).

Many communities have been able to thrive through tourism-related employment in Wales, and it is important that Wales receives the funding so that this can continue for many years to come.