About this plan

Whilst this plan outlines our vision for the future, and provides clarity on the priorities for Visit Wales, we are just one of a number of partners with a part to play in delivering these goals. Visit Wales is the team within Welsh Government that is responsible for the development and promotion of the visitor economy in Wales. We see our role as that of an enabler and partner – providing the investment, support and marketing required to grow the sector and the sector’s contribution to wider Welsh life. We are not a membership organisation; we are here to listen to the views of, and to represent the interests of, the industry across Wales and to take an evidence-based approach. We work closely with other parts of Welsh Government – such as Cadw, Transport, Health and Education – to ensure that the needs of the sector are recognised and reflected in cross-government policy and intervention programmes. And we work with the wider visitor economy: public sector organisations, private sector bodies and individuals involved in tourism from accommodation, events and experience providers to local authorities, natural and cultural organisations, transport bodies and many others. As a result, we have not developed this plan in isolation. It has been informed by a wideranging conversation with the industry and stakeholders. Their broad consensus was that we needed a shift towards sustainable economic development, with a focus on delivering wider wellbeing goals alongside commercial growth. They wanted a renewed emphasis on developing distinctively Welsh – but international-quality – visitor experiences that are good for visitors as well as our own communities. The plan has been informed by long-term trends shaping tourism globally, from how visitor expectations are changing, to the big factors that shape the way people travel. Crucially, it is also based on in-depth analysis of the current performance of the Welsh visitor economy and its future growth prospects and potential in particular.

Brexit.

Whilst Brexit presents opportunities and challenges for tourism to Wales, the core role of Visit Wales is to build a positive view of Wales as a welcoming, open country. Our business-as-usual is to encourage UK visitors to experience high-quality staycations here, and to ensure that international visitors discover and choose Wales. Whilst we will need to be especially flexible and agile in the coming years, we believe that the best strategic response to Brexit is to continue with our core business – to recognise tourism’s ongoing potential to act as a bedrock for the Welsh economy in projecting a positive message from Wales. The focus of this plan is on enabling the industry to do what it already does well even better – as a response to Brexit and beyond – improving the quality of Wales' welcome, supporting local supply chains, making our offer fit for international audiences and continuing to market Wales with a confident and distinctive brand in the UK and abroad as a key part of the Welsh Government’s new International Strategy.