Select committee: Welsh Affairs Committee
Recommendation 4
Fourth Report - Wales as a global tourist destination
Published 12 Jul 2023
Paragraph 39
Addressed to Wales Office
Welsh Affairs Committee Wales as a global tourist destination All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Recommendation (the committee's words)
We recommend that VisitBritain and Visit Wales work together to develop a strategy, by February 2024, for promoting Wales as a first-choice destination for international visitors to the UK. A key aspect of this should be the development of a distinctive brand that raises awareness of Wales, which can be used consistently to help market Wales and to raise awareness of its location as a holiday destination.
From: Welsh Affairs Committee, Fourth Report - Wales as a global tourist destination (HC 220), paragraph 39, 12 July 2023
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 2 November 2023 (deadline 12 September 2023).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government sets out existing VisitBritain and Visit Wales activity in response to the Committee's recommendations on promoting Wales, and on transport states its support for a western rail link to Heathrow is conditional.
- On a Wales brand and strategy, the government says Visit Wales "leads on the development of a tourism brand specifically for Wales", with VisitBritain working with it so these brand values are reflected in the GREAT Campaign.
- On tour operators, it says "uptake by Welsh organisations could be improved" and that VisitBritain "will continue to liaise with Visit Wales" so tourism benefits are spread across all Home Nations.
- On the Heathrow rail link, support is "predicated on" a satisfactory business case and agreement of an acceptable financial contribution from Heathrow Airport Limited, and assumptions need to be "reconsidered" after the pandemic.
- On transport funding, it cites £2.7 million announced on 2 February 2023 for options on the South Wales Main Line and additional stations, with decisions on further Welsh study proposals to be announced "in due course".