WTA Policy

Tourism: Vital To Wales

Tourism is the engine of the economy of Wales. Tourism is remarkably resilient, provides jobs that cannot be exported and an investment in infrastructure valuable to residents and visitors alike. Visitors to Wales spend millions in our shops and £1 in every £10 on transport and retail in Wales each year.

A recent Deloitte Oxford Economics study estimated the Visitor Economy sector in Wales directly supported 86,000 jobs, accounting for 6.3 per cent total Welsh employment and contributing £2.7bn in Value-Added to the Welsh economy (5.8 per cent of Welsh GDP). Overall, the Visitor Economy in Wales supported 172,000 jobs contributing £6.2bn in total GDP in 2009. It accounts for 13.3 per cent of Welsh GDP, 12.7 per cent of total employment (England 8.6 per cent, Scotland 10.4 per cent). By 2020, the visitor economy is forecast to contribute £7.1bn in Value-Added to the economy of Wales (6.9 per cent of total GDP) and will support 188,000 jobs, increasing its share of employment to 13.7 per cent

Challenges:

To maintain a maximum economic return to Wales, together we must combat our dual threats:

• Costs: Food, energy prices, business rates and the taxation burden have soared. Too much of this is of Government’s making- so let’s cut the red tape.
• Falling visitor numbers: when money is tight, people cut back on holidays and holiday spending. The Welsh Assembly Government (WAG)’s investment in marketing Wales as a tourism destination is a catalyst for huge returns in PAYE, VAT, NI, Rates and Corporation Tax contributions and crucial to sustaining incomes and jobs in every constituency. Please support this vital resource.

Product Development:

Quality improvement is a lynchpin of continued competitiveness. WTA is delighted that WAG has recognised the specialist nature of support required for tourism by allocating dedicated grant resources to our businesses. They must be protected, along with Tourism access to Department of Economy assistance for larger projects.

Skills:

In Wales, we have thousands of small and medium sized enterprises and few global chain businesses. If we are to meet Economic Renewal Programme promises and fully equip our young people, industry and government must commit, design and build a partnership-based, demand-led, skills programme that can offer bespoke training to genuinely meet specialist needs and long term aspirations.

Keep Tourism Strong:

Political support for Tourism develops transferable skills, sustains and creates vital jobs and brings crucial cash into communities across every constituency in Wales.

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WTA Policy Document 2011-12