Growing tourism industry in Carmarthenshire a major contributor to local economy
A view from the village of Llansteffan, Wales across the river Towy towards Ferryside in the summertime
A whopping £596.51 million was generated by Carmarthenshire’s tourism industry last year for the local economy.
New independent economic figures, put together for Carmarthenshire County Council, reveal that in 2022, over 3.46million people visited Carmarthenshire to enjoy its unique blend of countryside and coast. Broken down further, this equated to over 7.19 million tourist days spent within the county with 1.17 million people staying overnight in one of the 1,250 establishments in Sir Gâr (Carmarthenshire).
Carmarthenshire’s tourism industry now employs 6,652 people and its economic impact has grown 66% since 2011, from £358.89 million to £596.5 million in 2022.
Reflecting the importance of the tourism industry for our county, two Carmarthenshire projects have won a share of the Welsh Government’s £5m Brilliant Basics Fund to help deliver a first-class holiday experience.
- Llansteffan Car Park – £224,000 of funding, on a total project investment worth £280,000, has been awarded to Carmarthenshire County Council to further develop the car parking facilities and visitor enhancements at one of the county’s most visited and photogenic villages.
- Carmarthenshire Museum – £264,000, on a total project investment worth £330,000, has been secured to carry out the second phase of improvements at the historic facility in Abergwili, on the outskirts of Carmarthen. The Museum is currently exhibiting the masterpiece painting, Tobias and the Angel by Andrea del Verrocchio. The funding will be invested in the car park and visitor enhancements, to improve capacity and accessibility.
Carmarthenshire County Council has been working with local tourism and hospitality providers, including hotels, bed and breakfasts, tourist attractions, activity providers, restaurants, pubs, businesses and retailers, to provide the perfect welcome for guests and encourage them to return.
Cllr. Hazel Evans, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Leisure, Culture and Tourism for Carmarthenshire County Council said: “There is a great deal of hard work taking place across our county to not only attract visitors to this unique and wonderful part of Wales but also to make them want to return here on future holidays.
“Carmarthenshire’s tourism industry provides jobs for local people and supports local businesses; therefore I’m delighted that the County Council has secured Welsh Government funding to enhance the visitor attractions at Llansteffan and Carmarthenshire Museum.”
Deputy Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, Dawn Bowden said:
“The projects supported through the Welsh Government’s Brilliant Basics fund make a real difference. Local tourism amenities have a big part to play in making a trip a memorable one. These facilities often go unnoticed, but they are an important part of a visitor’s experience and also benefit those who live in the area.”