Wales is spending £1 million on shelters to protect tourists from rain
According to the Welsh government, tourism brings £3.8 billion to the country's economy each year. That being said, data from VisitWales revealed that 55 percent of Welsh businesses blamed bad weather for a drop in visitor numbers last summer. But now, the Senedd has come up with a way to tackle that.
Last week, the Welsh government announced that it would be launching a £1 million weather-proofing grant scheme. What does that involve, exactly? Basically, it'll offer business money to invest in stuff canopies, rain shelters for queues and ticket offices and improved car park surfaces so that they can welcome visitors come rain or shine.
The scheme will run until 2026, with grants ranging from £5,000 to £20,000. To be eligible, businesses must be micro, small or medium-sized, be accredited visitor attractions under the Visitor Attraction Quality Assurance Scheme and have been running at least one year as a limited company, partnership, sole trader or social enterprise.
Rebecca Evans, the Welsh cabinet secretary responsible for tourism, said: '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.'
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