Select committee: Welsh Affairs Committee
Recommendation 8
Fourth Report - Wales as a global tourist destination
Published 12 Jul 2023
Paragraph 61
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)
When developing a joint strategy to promote Wales, as a distinct destination, we recommend that VisitBritain and Visit Wales encourage tour operators to include Wales in UK holiday packages. We expect VisitBritain to report its progress on this issue by February 2024.
From: Welsh Affairs Committee, Fourth Report - Wales as a global tourist destination (HC 220), paragraph 61, 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".