Sunny outlook for tourism in Pembrokeshire (From Western Telegraph)

Pembrokeshire Tourism predicts a good season

2:10pm Saturday 13th June 2009 in News

Pembrokeshire’s tourism industry is keeping its fingers crossed that the predicted ‘barbecue summer’ will serve up record visitor numbers.

The two sizzling weekends at either end of half-term week, following on from a successful Easter, brought a huge confidence boost to the county in the wake of the winter’s economic downturn.

A combination of the fall in the euro leading to increasing numbers of visitors deciding to make the UK their holiday destination; massive publicity for Pembrokeshire through its location in both the Harry Potter and Robin Hood films and weather forecasted to rival the Med have all stacked the odds in favour of a booming season.

“Thank goodness for sunshine and Hollywood,” said Pembrokeshire Tourism’s chief executive, Alison Belton. “It’s been fantastic for the tourism trade to experience two bumper periods.

“By keeping abreast of changes in visitor patterns and being on the ball with online marketing and late booking facilities, a great percentage of our members saw a late upsurge in their bookings.

“It will be interesting to see if the weather continues to play its part in keeping bookings at significant levels until the main summer season kicks in.”

Visitor numbers were up by over 40% at Folly Farm and 30% at Oakwood, with many self-catering and caravan sites reporting full occupancy.

New holiday lodges at Herons Brook Retreat on the outskirts of Narberth were all full for their first Whitsun, and Celtic Haven at Lydstep had been fully-booked for the week since the start of the year, and has already put up the ‘no vacancies’ sign for the summer.

According to the Met Office, a repeat of the wet summers of 2007 and 2008 is unlikely, although the high temperatures could be joined by some heavy downpours.

Chief meteorologist Ewen McCallum said: “After two wet summers, the signs are more promising this year.

“We can expect times when temperatures will be above 30C.”

Tenby hotelier Chris Osborne, vice-chairman of Pembrokeshire Tourism, added: “It just goes to show, if we could rely on sun, our visitors would come in droves.”

Visit Wales is currently promoting the country through its Holidays Unpackaged TV campaign, fronted by comedian Rhod Gilbert.

And the organisation will not be resting on its laurels after the successful start to the season, said heritage minister Alun Ffred Jones.

“Visit Wales has adjusted its budget to provide the marketing team with resources to extend its current UK campaigns,” he said.