Tourism body Visit Wales needs culture shift, Tories say

The promotion of tourism in Wales should be taken out of government hands and run by the industry itself, the Welsh Conservatives have said.

The party wants the Welsh government's Visit Wales arm to be an independent body led by tourism experts.

Shadow Tourism Minister Suzy Davies said it was "a huge mistake" to close the Wales Tourist Board in 2006.

But deputy culture minister Ken Skates said the current set-up had delivered "record-breaking success".

The Wales Tourist Board was one of several organisations abolished in 2006 by then First Minister Rhodri Morgan in a so-called "bonfire of the quangos".

'Crippled'

The Welsh Conservatives said only one in four of the 142 tourism businesses they surveyed wanted Visit Wales to remain an arm of government.

"Whilst there is undoubtedly talent in Visit Wales, as part of a government department, it is crippled by its risk-averse nature," said Ms Davies.

An arms-length body would oversee a “shift in culture” for Welsh tourism, the party says

She said recent improvements were due to the appointment of a panel of tourism experts, who she said should be given the job of "running it for themselves".

Welsh Tory leader Andrew RT Davies added: "Ultimately, Welsh tourism needs a shift in culture, with the industry itself taking the lead."

But Mr Skates said the Tories were "woefully out of touch with the tourism sector", and claimed scrapping Visit Wales would cause "chaos".

"Instead of wishing to tear up a structure that has led to record-breaking success, the Tories should be looking to reduce VAT on tourism - a proposal they've arrogantly rejected out of hand," he said.

Meanwhile, Pembrokeshire hotelier Chris Osborne, chairman of the Wales Tourism Alliance representing businesses, said there was a case for change.

"Tourism probably gets more attention from government, more respect," he said, referring to the current in-house arrangements.

"But a case could be made to return to the old model - the industry could benefit from being freed from the bureaucracy of the Welsh government."

In May, Wales Office Minister Lord Bourne said the cutting of VAT for the tourism industry was a "non-runner" due to the size of the budget deficit.