More tourists than ever visiting Mid Wales and Shropshire border
More tourists than ever before are visiting Mid Wales from overseas – and spending more money when they arrive.
Figures released today reveal a 7.5 per cent increase in international visitors in 2014. That is helping businesses on the Shropshire/Welsh border, who are benefiting from the worldwide interest in all things Welsh from the mountains to the history of the country.
One Shropshire man who runs a business on the World Heritage Site at the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct said he welcomes visitors from across the globe.
Overseas tourism figures for the summer of 2014 show 380,000 overnight visits were made to Wales by international visitors, a rise of 26,000, or 7.5 per cent over the year.
They spent £148 million, an increase of £9 million or 6.7 per cent on the comparable period in 2013.
Secretary of State for Wales Stephen Crabb said: "Today's tourism figures show that Wales is capitalising on its world-renowned heritage sites, fantastic food and drink, and warm welcome for visitors. This is great news for the economy and the thousands of hardworking people that are helping the Welsh tourist industry grow."
Peter Jones, from Ellesmere, runs the Jones the Boat business that takes visitors across the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct on the Llangollen Canal, a World Heritage Site.
His narrowboats are in daily use from Easter to October with both trips for the public and pre-booked journeys for coach loads of tourists.
He said: "Every Tuesday and Thursday we have parties of American tourists and on Wednesdays and Sundays it is Australian and New Zealand holiday trips. We also have lots of Japanese coach parties."
Mr Jones said the overseas visitors were always thrilled with the unique boat trip and the local countryside.
