Lights, Camera, Wales! How Set-Jetting is Boosting Welsh Tourism

Following the success over Christmas of the now most-watched episode of TV in the last century, and with 2024 having also showcased countless on-screen Welsh locations to a global audience, the positive effects of this phenomenon on Welsh tourism are growing.

Gavin and Stacey’s influence on tourism has spanned 17 years, but the first week of January 2025 saw tens of thousands of fans heading to the Visit Wales website for information on visiting the area or join the infamous Dave Coaches’ tour.
The immensely popular Game of Thrones prequel, House of the Dragon, showcased a variety of stunning north Wales locations in season two – from Gwynedd to Anglesey and over to Conwy – these picturesque coastlines, islands and landscapes have furthermore highlighted north Wales as a must-visit destination.

These successes come as VisitBritain today [Tuesday 28 January] launches ‘Starring GREAT Britain’, a global screen tourism campaign to boost inbound tourism, using the hook of films and TV shows to attract international visitors and drive their spending across the nations, boosting local economies.

Visit Wales has partnered with VisitBritain to support the launch of this major international campaign which will feature House of the Dragon’s epic locations at its fore. It’ll be promoted around the world, including to the USA, Germany, France and Australia.

Tens of millions of people from around the world visit the UK every year for leisure, with an estimated £32.5billion visitor spend last year alone.

Set-jetting continues to play a big part in that, and with Wales’ creative sector going from strength-to-strength, the visitor economy reflects that – which naturally VisitBritain, Visit Wales and others are keen to showcase.

For those wanting to take a ‘location vacation’ in Wales, there’s plenty on offer too, such as:

• Pontcysyllte’s awe-inspiring aqueduct, from Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl
• Various already-iconic Welsh locations, including St Fagans National Museum of History and University of South Wales’ Caerleon campus as seen on Netflix’s teen smash-hit Sex Education
• Mythical TV series His Dark Materials – starring Hollywood starlet Lin-Manuel Miranda – includes Caldicot’s Dewstow Gardens and St Govan’s Chapel, Pembrokeshire

VisitBritain’s research reveals that more than 9 out of 10 potential visitors to the UK are eager to include TV and film locations in their itineraries. Additionally, nearly 20% of UK-based holidaymakers expressed interest in visiting destinations in Wales featured in movies, TV, or literature.

Marco Zeraschi, owner of the now-famous Marco’s café, said:

“Gavin and Stacey has been instrumental in transforming Barry Island into a nationally recognised cultural destination and the boost to tourism has been incredible. Visitors from across the UK and beyond are coming to Barry Island now looking to experience the warm and friendly atmosphere in real life and for us as a business it’s been phenomenal.”

“Marco’s Café is one of the iconic spots for fans to visit and the increase in footfall has meant I’ve been able to employ more staff. The final episode and all the media attention around it opened up Barry Island to a whole new generation of fans and I look forward to giving them all a warm welcome this year.”

The Cabinet Secretary for tourism, Rebecca Evans, said:

“Set-jetting is a fantastic way to showcase the rich diversity of our exceptional destinations, from iconic landmarks to hidden gems featured in beloved Welsh and British films and TV series’. There’s no question that a location or destination from a beloved film or television series can have a special place in the hearts of viewers and fans.”

“Wales has a unique charm that’s capturing the imagination of travellers worldwide, and it is particularly apt that 2025 is our Year of Croeso and the start of our ‘Hwyl’ campaign, promoting our nation’s distinctly unique experiences and destinations to visitors from across the globe.”