WELSH Conservatives today published new evidence of the Labour-Plaid Assembly Government's failure to invest in the Welsh tourist industry.
Figures obtained by the party reveal that the coalition government is spending £5mn less on tourism marketing than the Wales Tourist Board did five years ago.
Shadow Heritage Minister Paul Davies AM described the news as "startling" and accused ministers of a "narrow-sighted approach" to investing in one of Wales' key industries.
According to the Assembly Government's own website tourists spend more than £8mn a day on trips to Wales, amounting to £3bn a year.
But figures obtained by South Wales Central AM Andrew Davies show the marketing spend on tourism in Wales has fallen from £17.7mn under the WTB in 2002 to £12.7mn in 2007/8 under the Assembly Government's Visit Wales arm.
The figures show Assembly Government marketing spend in the UK only rose by £400,000 last year despite more people wanting to holiday closer to home due to the credit crunch.
The overseas marketing budget has remained static over the last two years.
Earlier this year Welsh Conservatives revealed how visitor spend in Wales has fallen since 2000.
The number of tourists visiting Wales last year also fell by more than quarter of a million, according to figures published in May.
Commenting on news of the marketing spend fall, Shadow Heritage Minister and Preseli Pembrokeshire AM Paul Davies said:
"These figures highlight a narrow-sighted approach by the Welsh Assembly Government to tourism marketing.
"At a time when more people are looking to holiday closer to home because of the credit crunch ministers appear incapable of seeing the importance of promoting Wales to the UK market in particular.
"Tourism is a major part of the Welsh economy, but needs the support of government to ensure it thrives.
"That support appears to be sadly lacking from the Labour-Plaid Assembly Government.
"The tourism marketplace is increasingly competitive, both at home and abroad – a fact which underlines the need for properly funded initiatives to attract visitors to Wales.
"The figures we have uncovered demonstrate yet again the urgent need for the Assembly Government to re-examine its existing tourism strategies."
South Wales Central AM Andrew Davies, who obtained the figures, said:
"Welsh Conservatives are not advocating that the Assembly Government simply throws more money at the industry. Far from it.
"Ministers need to assess where policies are working, resolve those which are not, and co-operate with the industry to ensure maximum returns for their investment.
"Marketing can play a key role in attracting more people to Wales. At a time of growing economic uncertainty the domestic market is becoming increasingly important.
"The tourist industry in Wales could lose out to other parts of Britain unless the Assembly Government is prepared to invest and sell our country at home and abroad."
"At a time when more people are looking to holiday closer to home because of the credit crunch ministers appear incapable of seeing the importance of promoting Wales to the UK market in particular.
"Tourism is a major part of the Welsh economy, but needs the support of government to ensure it thrives.
"That support appears to be sadly lacking from the Labour-Plaid Assembly Government.
"The tourism marketplace is increasingly competitive, both at home and abroad – a fact which underlines the need for properly funded initiatives to attract visitors to Wales.
"The figures we have uncovered demonstrate yet again the urgent need for the Assembly Government to re-examine its existing tourism strategies."
South Wales Central AM Andrew Davies, who obtained the figures, said:
"Welsh Conservatives are not advocating that the Assembly Government simply throws more money at the industry. Far from it.
"Ministers need to assess where policies are working, resolve those which are not, and co-operate with the industry to ensure maximum returns for their investment.
"Marketing can play a key role in attracting more people to Wales. At a time of growing economic uncertainty the domestic market is becoming increasingly important.
"The tourist industry in Wales could lose out to other parts of Britain unless the Assembly Government is prepared to invest and sell our country at home and abroad."
