TOURISM’S annual value to the Swansea Bay economy has topped the £500m mark for the first time.
New figures show visitors spent £510.76m throughout 2022 in the Swansea, Mumbles and Gower area.
The STEAM figures (Scarborough Tourism Economic Activity Monitor) prepared for Swansea Council also show that visitor numbers increased to more than 4.2m last year with the tourism industry supporting 5,190 jobs in the area.
Hotel room occupancy rates are encouraging, with some months this year seeing 80% of rooms occupied according to industry data platform Smith Travel Research. That’s higher than the most recent comparable years.
A council survey showed that 67% of local tourism businesses rated their overall 2022 performance as “excellent or good” and 88% of accommodation businesses had nearly or fully returned to pre-Covid norms.
Swansea Bay, as a visitor destination, offers a diverse range of indoor and outdoor attractions and events all year-round.
The council’s tourism marketing activity successfully promotes the area. Cabinet member Robert Francis-Davies said: “We’re determined to keep on giving people more reasons to visit and to maintain this momentum.”
Council tourism marketing activity includes national media coverage and targeted social media output. An outdoor media campaign targeted the London Tube and key transport locations along the M4 corridor. A UK TV campaign saw advertising in key target areas.
The council – with support from local tourism businesses – is developing new video content to support its campaigns.
Swanseas ongoing regeneration will continue to boost visitor numbers. The recent opening of a Penderyn base at Landore will boost confidence.
