While many seaside towns across the UK have suffered a decline in tourism, here in North Wales the number of visitors has actually been up in recent summers and we’ve even had some record years.
Our seaside towns are undoubtedly the crown jewels of tourism in North Wales and it is great that people are still attracted to all they have to offer, however it is disappointing that so many are not achieving their full potential.
This month, senior industry figures criticised the state of tourism in North Wales – citing dirty streets, poor amenities and local authority spending cuts. They said North Wales needs to improve the basics it offers visitors if it wants them to return, and I couldn’t agree more.
We can’t expect people to want to come back and stay in our seaside towns if they are confronted with litter and weeds on their first arrival. First impressions count and we must do all we can to ensure that visitors like what they see when they reach their holiday destination so that they recommend our towns to friends and family, as well as returning themselves.
The lack of cleanliness and proper upkeep of seaside towns is symptomatic of local authorities not receiving the support they need from the Welsh Government. For example, the UK Government has a Coastal Communities Fund to help regenerate coastal towns to improve their tourism offer, yet the Labour-led Welsh Government has failed to encourage communities to bid for financing. This funding has the potential to give areas in Wales a welcome boost by supporting the development of their local economies. Since the start of the Coastal Communities it has awarded 218 grants worth £125 million to organisations across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. These projects are forecast to deliver 12,000 jobs opportunities, and help attract over £240 million of additional funds to coastal areas. It is sheer madness that this is not being promoted and our seaside town, who desperately need this funding, could end up missing out.
To compound matters Wales’ tourism sector is being let down by poor marketing. Key stakeholders have also identified missed opportunities to utilise innovative markets, including wildlife tourism - highlighting the need for an industry-led approach.
The people who know best in attracting tourists to Wales are those in the industry itself. The Welsh Government must therefore consider removing Visit Wales from Government control and ensure industry-expertise is in the driving seat in promoting Wales’ unique tourism offer.
We have so much to be proud of on the North Wales coast, and with a renewed emphasis on attracting more visitors to our beautiful country, we could see our seaside towns returning to their glory days.
The time has come to ensure this billion-pound industry fulfils its full potential - creating new jobs and ensuring we better promote North Wales to the rest of the UK, and the world.