New £1m fund to boost Welsh tourism come rain or shine

A new £1 million fund will help to ensure tourism attractions across Wales can welcome visitors whatever the weather.

The ‘Year of Croeso Weather-Proofing Fund’ is being launched as Visit Wales celebrates the unique welcome that can only be found in Wales that means many choose to return time and again.

The fund will provide grants of between £5,000 and £20,000 to eligible businesses, enabling them to implement weather-proofing measures.

Pressures

Tourism puts £3.8bn into the Welsh economy each year – but recent data from Visit Wales showed poor weather was cited by 55% of businesses as the reason for fewer visitors in summer 2024, even ahead of cost-of-living pressures.

Similarly, the Domestic Sentiment Tracker survey identified UK weather as the top factor dissuading people from taking domestic breaks.

The grants could therefore cover a variety of measures like canopies, sustainable drainage, covered seating areas, visitor shelters or improved pathways and car park surfaces.

‘Croeso’

Announcing the fund, the Cabinet Secretary with responsibility for Tourism, Rebecca Evans said: “Naturally, Wales has an incredibly strong offer when it comes to tourism and our visitors can always be guaranteed a warm croeso.

“But as the weather, which has carved out our impressive landscapes throughout history, becomes more-and-more unpredictable, it has been identified as the single biggest factor affecting visitor numbers to Welsh attractions.

“Poor weather can stop them operating as normal, impact on the experience and has the potential to discourage visits in the first place.

“That’s why we have listened to the concerns of people working in the tourism attraction sector and launched this fund, helping them prepare for increasingly variable weather patterns.”

Strategy

The Welsh Government says its tourism strategy, ‘Welcome to Wales: Priorities for the Visitor Economy 2020-25’ emphasises the importance of tackling seasonality by promoting Wales as a nation that can be visited all year round.

The Cabinet Secretary added: “All visitors, wherever they come from, will discover a destination delivering a great experience and we are always helping build on and improve the offer in Wales.

“These grants will help our tourism attractions become more resilient, extend their season and improve the visitor experience, supporting both the businesses and the wider Welsh economy.”