Tourists visiting Pembrokeshire contribute a whopping £590m to the local economy, according to a survey published by Visit Pembrokeshire today.

The recently-commissioned report on the economic volume and value of tourism in Pembrokeshire from 2017-2019 also reveals that seven million tourists visit the county each year.

Tourism is a key employment driver in the area, too, with 12,000 people directly employed in the industry, accounting for over a fifth (21 per cent) of the local workforce and Visit Pembrokeshire is actively planning how to grow tourism over the next five years.

It has developed a destination management plan for 2020-2025 reflecting the ongoing benefits of investment to the area, while also protecting the local environment.

The survey reveals that leisure travel accounts for 86 per cent of all trips and that the majority – 96 per cent - stay in paid-for accommodation, with the average length of stay just over four nights.

The average spend is £32 per trip for day visitors and £55 per night for overnight visitors, with June to September confirmed as the busiest dates and August being the peak month.

“This recent report illustrates the significance of tourism to Pembrokeshire’s local economy. As we emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic, we know we are set for an exceptionally busy summer that presents great opportunity for our beautiful county but also brings with it some challenges, said Emma Thornton, chief executive of Visit Pembrokeshire.

"Visit Pembrokeshire’s role, working with partners across the county, will be to ensure our visitors have the best possible experience, to support business recovery, and to lead the development of a new type of regenerative tourism that seeks to balance the economics with the well-being of our natural resources and our local communities.”

Cllr Paul Miller, cabinet member for economy, tourism, leisure and culture added: “The report underlines once again the vital importance of tourism to the Pembrokeshire economy. The county council continues to invest significantly in this area, providing many core services that visitors rely on, such as beach management, public toilets and coastal bus services, in addition to supporting Visit Pembrokeshire.

"The economic impact demonstrated by this report certainly justifies this investment, which is even more important in light of the enormous impact the pandemic has had on the industry,” while Cllr Di Clements, vice-chairman of Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority said: “These figures, dated back to pre-pandemic, show a positive increase in visitor numbers, which we are confident will increase further as more people choose Pembrokeshire as their staycation destination of choice.

“The National Park is the foundation of Pembrokeshire’s tourism economy. We strive to keep the park special so that it can be enjoyed now and by future generations, and we’re encouraging everyone who visits to support this work by making a commitment to tread lightly and leave no trace.”

For further details, please visit visitpembrokeshire.com