TOURISM IN WALES

Tourism plays a major role in the Welsh economy.With its mix of heritage,culture and countryside Wales is an emerging tourist destination, with 8,078, 00 !isitors to "ational Trust and Welsh Tourist #oard destinations in $00$.%&' The industry has (een estimated to ha!e an annual turno!er of )*.+ (illion. %$' ,n $00+ tourism contri(uted to the economy of Wales supporting o!er &00,000 ser!ice-sector jo(s, more than 8. of the country/s wor0force. The most popular acti!ities underta0en (y tourists in Wales were wal0ing, shopping, hi0ing in the mountains and !isiting historic attractions, museums and galleries. 1!er &.& million trips were made to Wales (y o!erseas tourists in $002 The main countries of origin of o!erseas !isitors were the 3epu(lic of ,reland, the 4nited 5tates and 6ermany. The majority of tourism howe!er, is from other parts of the 47 8predominantly 9ngland.%*' The capital, :ardiff is the most popular area in Wales for tourists, with &;.2 million !isitors in $00 ,%;' which pro!ides $2,*00 jo(s in the sector. ,n $00;, tourists spent the most money in 6wynedd, followed (y :onwy and :ardiff.%+' Wales/ history and culture attract tourists. The <useum of Welsh =ife, which focuses largely on the industrial past of Wales, is currently the most popular tourist attraction in Wales, attracting o!er 200,000 !isitors annually. The scars of the industrial re!olution and Wales/ industrial heritage can still (e seen on parts of the Welsh landscape today. <any other places of historical interest attract large num(ers of tourists> for example the many castles, such as :aernarfon :astle and :aerphilly :astle ? most of them (uilt to ena(le or to consolidate the 9nglish con@uest of Wales, during the reign of the 9nglish 0ing 9dward ,. The !aried landscape of Wales also attracts tourism. There are three national par0s> the #recon #eacons "ational Aar0, the 5nowdonia "ational Aar0 and the Aem(ro0eshire :oast "ational Aar0. Aopular acti!ities in the national par0s include hill wal0ing, hi0ing, canoeing, mountain (i0ing, 0aya0ing and clim(ing. Wales is also (ecoming increasingly popular for /extreme/ sports, such as surfing, hang gliding and downhill cycling 8in which Wales hosts the /Bragon Bownhill 5eries/C. The terrain of Wales has also attracted the World 3ally

:hampionship 8W3:C. TheWales 3ally 6# is held annually. The $00+ Wales 3ally 6# saw the first W3: stage to (e set indoors, at the<illennium 5tadium. ,n :ardiff, the regenerated :ardiff #ay area is one of the most popular destinations. Dnother increasingly popular reason for !isiting Wales, as with the rest of the 47 ? especially for those from"orth Dmerica ? is genealogy, with many !isitors coming to Wales to explore their family and ancestral roots. &.8 million 4nited 5tates citiEens are estimated to ha!e Welsh ancestral roots, including former presidents, D(raham =incoln and Thomas Fefferson.%2' <any towns and cities in Wales are popular with tourists, including>

:ardiff is the capital and largest city. The city has three major performing arts !enues> the Wales <illennium :entre, 5t Ba!id/s Gall and"ew Theatre. 1ther tourist attractions include :ardiff :astle, <illennium 5tadium, 5WD=9: 5tadium, "ational <useum :ardiff, <useum of Welsh =ife, =landaff :athedral, :astell :och, 5t. Ba!id/s and in :ardiff #ay, Techni@uest, :ardiff ,nternational Aool, :ardiff ,nternational White Water, the 5enedd and the Aierhead #uilding. 5wansea is the second-largest city. Dttractions here include the "ational Waterfront <useum, Bylan Thomas :entre, Alantasia,1ystermouth :astle, <um(les Aier and the (each and promenade along 5wansea #ay and the adjoining 6ower Aeninsula. The 5wansea Halley, which runs north towards #recon is home to the "ational 5howca!es for Wales, Wales Dpe and <on0ey 5anctuaryand :raig-y-"os :astle. "ewport is the third-largest city in Wales. Dn influx of !isitors occurred in $0&0 when the city hosted golf/s 3yder :up at the :eltic <anor 3esort. Dttractions include Tredegar Gouse and 6ardens, the Transporter #ridge, the ancient 3oman fortress at :aerleon, and 5t. Woolos :athedral. The #ig Ait "ational :oal <useum is at #laena!on, &+ miles to the north. <erthyr Tydfil was the location for the world/s first locomoti!e-hauled railway journey, on $& Ie(ruary &80; on the tramway of theAenydarren ,ronwor0s. <erthyr Tydfil is set among forests and hills. 5t Ba!id/s in Aem(ro0eshire is argua(ly the 47/s smallest cityJ it is the resting place of 5t Ba!id and a gateway to the Aem(ro0eshire :oast "ational Aar0 and Aem(ro0eshire :oast Aath which also runs through the seaside towns of Ten(y and 5aundersfoot. #angor is (etween the mountains of 5nowdonia and the <enai 5trait and close to Dnglesey. #angor lies at the western end of the "orth Wales Aath, a 20 mile long-distance coastal wal0ing route, and is close to the <enai 5uspension #ridge, one of the first modern suspension (ridges in the world. #arry is a seaside town miles 5W of :ardiff. ,ts seaside resort, #arry ,sland, is 0nown for its (each and #arry ,sland Aleasure Aar0.

Gay on Wye, the Ktown of (oo0sK famed for its numerous second hand (oo0shops and its Iesti!al. D(erystwyth, a seaside uni!ersity town, 0nown as the cultural capital of Wales. Gome of the "ational =i(rary of Wales, D(erystwyth Drts :entre, D(erystwyth 4ni!ersity andHale of 3heidol 3ailway.

<any features of the Welsh landscape that are popular with !isitors, include>

5nowdon in 5nowdonia is the highest mountain in Wales and a popular mountaineering destination. Aen y Ian is the highest pea0 in the #recon #eacons in 5outh Wales. Wye Halley D1"# includes Tintern D((ey and :hepstow :astle. 1ffa/s By0e Aath is a long distance footpath on the 9nglish (order in the historic Welsh <arches. Taff Trail is a foot and cycle path running along the 3i!er Taff through the city and countryside, from :ardiff #ay to #recon. 6lyndLr/s Way is a long-distance trail (etween 7nighton and Welshpool in Aowys. The 6ower Aeninsula was the first area in the 4nited 7ingdom to (e designated as an Drea of 1utstanding "atural #eauty, in & +2. 6ower has a num(er of castles and sandy (eaches. The Hale of "eath stretching from the town of "eath to the foothills of the #recon #eacons "ational Aar0 has se!eral waterfall attractions along the length of the !alley and contains the historic "eath :anal. The Wales :oast Aath, an 870 mile long-distance footpath which follows the whole of the coastline of Wales.

There are se!eral independent attractions that are popular with !isitors>

1a0wood Theme Aar0, Aem(ro0eshire "ational #otanic 6arden of Wales, :armarthenshire 6reat =ittle Trains of Wales Iolly Iarm Dd!enture Aar0 and Moo #recon <ountain 3ailway

DIFFRYN GARDEN,Vale of Glamourang

FOLLY FARM ADVENTURE PARK AN OO,near Ten!"

#AERNAFORN #ASTEL,Nor$% Wale&