First Minister visits Milford Haven ahead of summer tourist season

First Minister Mark Drakeford will visit Milford Haven as Wales gears up for another busy summer tourist season.

The First Minister will visit Tŷ Hotel Milford Waterfront to hear about the preparation work that is underway for the summer.

Celebrating its first anniversary in April, the 100 bedroom hotel is a venture between Celtic Collection and the Port of Milford Haven that employs over 60 people.

Tŷ Hotel Milford Waterfront has exceeded expectations through its first year of trading, successfully attracting a mix of visitors and corporate travellers.

With three Bank Holidays and a half term on the horizon, there are plenty of opportunities for people to visit Wales over the next few weeks.  

A survey undertaken on January 2023 by Visit Wales, of people living in the UK who had previously contacted VW, shows those who visited in 2022 felt positive about their experiences in Wales.

They were the most satisfied with the ‘quality of the natural environment’ in Wales (83% very satisfied), followed by ‘feeling of safety’ (80%), ‘cleanliness of beaches’ (77%), ‘the welcome you received’ (76%) and ‘places to visit (75%).

On the experience of a holiday in Wales, 78% of overnight visitors rated their experience in Wales as ‘excellent’, a notable rise on 2021 ratings.

The aim of the Welsh Government tourism strategy is to spread tourism benefits throughout Wales, encouraging increased spend in our economy and tackling seasonality by promoting Wales as a nation you can visit all year round. 

First Minister Mark Drakeford said:

“We are ambitious for Wales as a tourist destination, and it is clear from the research work that our visitors highly rate their time here.

“We look forward to welcoming visitors from all parts of the globe to Wales to experience the breadth of what we have on offer.

“There’s so much to do and to see, and so many wonderful places to visit across Wales.

“I’d also encourage the people of Wales to go out and discover parts of the country they may have never visited before.

“I know how hard the industry works to ensure that everyone who visits Wales returns home with great memories.

“We will continue to work with communities, visitors and businesses to achieve sustainable growth for tourism across Wales.”

Celtic Collection Chief Executive Ian Edwards said:

“We have been delighted by the enthusiastic response we have received from both the local community in Milford Haven and the thousands of guests who have enjoyed staying in the new Tŷ Hotel during its first year of opening.

“Pembrokeshire is world-renowned as a tourist destination thanks to its spectacular coastline and landscape, as well as its welcoming people, and the hotel is the perfect place to explore all the many attractions that West Wales has to offer.

“With almost all of the guest bedrooms enjoying views of the marina and the working harbour, the hotel also showcases the incredible redevelopment that has taken place at Milford Waterfront.

“As well as welcoming new visitors to Pembrokeshire from all over the world, the local team recruited at Tŷ Hotel has also been delighted to immerse itself in the community, championing the amazing local produce in Dulse restaurant and sponsoring a number of sports teams and events in the surrounding area.”