Tourism in Cardiff is up according to preliminary figures which show the city experienced a record number of visitors during 2017.

The information was taken from the STEAM report which measures the economic impact of tourism. Highlights include:

-           The total economic impact of tourism for 2017 is £1.30 billion, 7% on 2016 and 6% on 2015.

-           During 2017, 21.30 million people visited the city last year, 5% more than the year before.

-           2.06 million of those visitors stayed overnight, a 2% increase from 2016

-           19.24 million people visited for the day, an increase of 5% from 2016

This success comes as some of the region's leading members in the tourism and hospitality trade prepare to meet at Cardiff Tourism Summit. The event aims to bring together innovative thinkers and achievers in order to interact, engage and promote Cardiff's future as a visitor and business destination.

Now seen as Wales' most important tourism and visitor destination in terms of reputation, profile and impact, particularly for business and major events, Cardiff has excelled in developing its profile, status and appeal to visitors. 

The Leader of Cardiff Council, Cllr Huw Thomas said: "The tourism sector in Cardiff is hugely important, supporting more than 14,000 jobs in the city and injecting £1.3 billion into our economy. Working together with partners from all across the city has been vital in achieving this.

"The Cardiff Tourism Summit is about celebrating the work of the tourism industry. Cardiff has proven itself as a first class visitor destination and these latest figures highlight this, however this is an increasingly competitive market so it is essential that we continue work together with industry members to align our resources and focus our energies. This collective effort will help us to create something new and exciting here in Cardiff and the Cardiff Tourism Summit gives us the perfect platform to do so."

Cabinet Member for Investment and Development Cllr Russel Goodway said: " Tourism has played a critical role in the city's economic success in past decades. We are committed to continuing this success by working with partners in the sector to invest in projects such as the new Indoor Arena to attract more visitors to our city."

The National Tourism Awards 2018 has recently crowned Cardiff winners of the Best Event for the UEFA Champions League Final 2017. The city showed that with vital infrastructure in place, it could put on a mesmerizing show for a global audience of over 1 billion.

In just a couple of months' time the Volvo Ocean Race will take place in Cardiff and for the first time in its history, the leading sailing series will stop here from 27 May to 10 June 2018.    

Also returning after 10 years is the 2018 National Eisteddfod, Wales' largest cultural festival. The festival attracts around 150,000 visitors each year over the two week period and this year is the first year it will not have the traditional Maes and will be open for all across the city.

Plans for Cardiff to become the UK's first ‘Music City' are underway with hopes to elevate the city's status to the likes of Berlin and Barcelona in this sector.

Visit Cardiff is the official marketing, tourism and partnership organisation for the city promoting Cardiff as a destination to visit, meet and invest.

The Cardiff Tourism Summit takes place this Monday, 19 th March at Cardiff City Stadium. For more information got to www.visitcardiff/cardifftourismsummit2018

#cardifftourismsummit

how many tourists visit cardiff each year

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How Many Tourists Visit Cardiff Each Year?

– During 2017, 21.30 million people visited the city last year, 5% more than the year before. This success comes as some of the region’s leading members in the tourism and hospitality trade prepare to meet at Cardiff Tourism Summit.

How many tourists visit Cardiff per year?

Average visits by ownership for 2019 & 2020 1.38 The average number of visits per Cadw site decreased from 51,425 in 2019 to 10,386 in 2020 , an 80% decrease.

How many tourists visit Wales each year?

Over one million tourists come to Wales every year. The most popular origins of overseas visitors are from the Republic of Ireland, USA and Germany.

Is Cardiff a touristy?

There are some really great places for tourists to visit, both near the city centre and in Cardiff Bay . One of the most popular visitor destinations is Cardiff Castle, where you can discover 200 years of history in the heart of the city.

Why is tourism important in Cardiff?

Tourism is an important contributor to the city’s economy and a major driver of the city’s image and reputation . The market demand for city tourism for both leisure and business is in growth across Europe. Markets are changing and it is becoming increasingly competitive.

How many tourists visit Cardiff each year 2022?

More than 18 million people visit Cardiff each year, which makes it the 6th most popular alternative tourist destination according to National Geographic.

Is Cardiff the fastest growing city in the UK?

Cardiff is the fastest improving city in the UK according to the Demos-PwC Good Growth for Cities Index, which ranks 50 of the UK’s largest cities – plus the London boroughs as a whole – for performance against a series of 12 variables, weighted against their importance to the public.

Why is Wales so popular?

Wales is famous for its stunning scenery, ancient history, and charming language . Wales is known for Mount Snowdon, its tallest mountain, and the most castles per capita in Europe. There are also plenty of famous Welsh men and women, including Roald Dahl, Anthony Hopkins, and believe it or not, Jack Daniels.

What countries visit the UK the most?

The top 10 most visited countries by UK tourists in 2018

Why is Wales a popular tourist destination?

There is a lot to see and experience. Wales has over 600 castles, three national parks, 12 great little steam trains, and four UNESCO World Heritage Sites – North West Wales Slate Landscape; Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd; Blaenavon Industrial Landscape; and Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal.

Is Cardiff the best city in the UK?

Cardiff is the second most beautiful city in the UK to wake up in , according to new research from the Premier Inn hotel group.

Is Cardiff a rich city?

A new prosperity index has listed Cardiff as the 7th most affluent city in the UK . The index, produced by Barclays bank, has taken into account a number of factors including household wealth, exam results and charitable donations.

Is Cardiff expensive to live?

Cardiff has been named the most affordable of all the UK’s universities cities .

Is Cardiff a growing city?

In Cardiff, the population size has increased by 4.7%, from around 346,100 in 2011 to 362,400 in 2021 . This is higher than the overall increase for Wales (1.4%), where the population grew by 44,000 to 3,107,500.

What food is Cardiff famous for?

Some of the most famous dishes include tatws pum munud, Glamorgan sausages and cawl . But there’s more reasons as to why the food is so good in the city: local chefs and food outlets also strive for high standards when it comes to quality and flavour.

What was Cardiff originally called?

The Roman fort established by the River Taff, which gave its name to the city— Caerdydd, earlier Caerdyf, from caer (fort) and Taf —was built over an extensive settlement that had been established by the Silures in the 50s AD.

What is the most visited town in the UK?

London Top towns for ‘staying visits’ by inbound visitors

Is Cardiff bigger than Bristol?

A quick web survey from Census and other Demograpic material reveals that Bristol is bigger.

What is the population of Cardiff 2022?

485,000 The current metro area population of Cardiff in 2022 is 485,000 , a 0.83% increase from 2021. The metro area population of Cardiff in 2021 was 481,000, a 0.63% increase from 2020. The metro area population of Cardiff in 2020 was 478,000, a 0.84% increase from 2019.

Where do rich live in Cardiff?

Lisvane . As one of the most affluent areas in Cardiff, Lisvane is a highly sought-after suburb five miles north of the city centre. The area is popular among commuters both to Cardiff and other South Wales hotspots, offering superb access both to a local train station and the M4 motorway.

What is the richest area in Cardiff?

Cyncoed . Cyncoed can be found ten minutes northeast of Cardiff’s city centre. The district is known to be affluent with some of the highest property prices in Wales.

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The Visit Cardiff Network is a membership body made up businesses within Cardiff and the surrounding areas. Our members include conference venues, hotels, serviced apartments, tour operators, retail outlets, restaurants, sports teams and transport operators who have all joined together with the common goal of reaching a wider international audience.

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    Jump To Section: 1. Wales receives more than 67 million visits for tourism purposes each year. Each year there are more than 67 million visits in Wales for tourism or holidays. This includes Welsh people taking trips to other parts of Wales. This is made up of 62 million tourism day trips in Wales and 5.06 million overnight stays for holidays.

  2. PDF Visits to Tourist Attractions in Wales 2017

    Introduction. Visit Wales have been conducting the Survey of Visits to Tourist Attractions since 1973. The annual survey is designed to monitor trends in the tourist attraction sector in Wales. This report provides a summary of key data from the 2017 survey, which was conducted by Beaufort Research between May to early July 2018.

  3. PDF 300 pages viewed every hour

    Visit Cardiff Statistics • The only official Cardiff tourism site wholly operated by the city of Cardiff • 1 million unique visitors per year • 2.4 million page views last year • 300 pages viewed every hour • On the go, half of our visits are from mobiles and tablets • 1300+ events published per year

  4. Wales tourism performance: 2019

    The number of international trips to Wales during 2019 rose by 3.6% to 1,023,000. Visitor spending was £515 million, which was an 18.8% increase on the same time last year. (Please note that ONS have adjusted the figures from the International Passenger Survey for the period 2009 to 2019). There were just over 93 million trips taken abroad by ...

  5. Cardiff boasts record visitor numbers as industry experts prepare for

    Highlights include: - The total economic impact of tourism for 2017 is £1.30 billion, 7% on 2016 and 6% on 2015. - During 2017, 21.30 million people visited the city last year, 5% more than the year before. - 2.06 million of those visitors stayed overnight, a 2% increase from 2016. - 19.24 million people visited for the day, an increase of 5% ...

  6. Cardiff Quick Facts & Figures

    Cardiff attracts many visitors each year from the UK and internationally offering a range of historic, cultural and contemporary attractions. Cardiff Quick Facts. Population: 346,100. Region: South West Wales. Area total: 140.3 sq km. Languages: Welsh and English. Demonym: Cardiffian. Dialling Code: 029. Postcode Area CF.

  7. PDF Visits to Tourist Attractions in Wales 2018

    Tourist attractions A / A Adventure / activity attraction CP Country park, garden, other natural ... Each attraction responding to the survey received an average of 89,610 ... Free attractions saw an increase in visit numbers year on year, rising by 9.2% (8.7 million in 2017 to 9.5 million in 2018), while visits to paid ...

  8. Tourism in Wales

    Tourism in Wales makes up a significant portion of the Welsh economy and attracting millions of visitors each year. The tourism industry in Wales was worth around £5bn in 2017. ... Cardiff is the most popular area in Wales ... for industrial workers, allowed many people to enjoy an annual holiday for the first time. Many chose to visit seaside ...

  9. Research and Insights

    Main Findings: January to June 2019. The Wales Tourism Performance Summary reveals: There were increases in GB overnight visits to Wales in the first 6 months of 2019 compared with 2018 with 4.8 m trips. In the first 6 months of 2019, there were 37.7 million day visits to destinations in Wales, down 19 per cent on the first half of 2018. The ...

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    Cumulative Visitor Figures: 2019-2020. Number of People Cumulative Figures for 2019-2020: Amgueddfa Cymru - Museum Wales Actual Target Cardiff St Fagans Roman Wool Slate Big Pit Waterfront 0 100k 200k 300k 400k 500k 600k 700k 800k. Museum. Actual. 2019-.

  11. Wales as a global tourist destination

    1 Introduction. 1. Tourism makes a significant contribution to the Welsh economy. Prior to the pandemic, the Welsh tourism sector was estimated to directly contribute £2.4 billion to Wales' GDP (about 5% of the total) and provided an estimated 161,000 jobs (12.1% of all employment in Wales). 1.

  12. Tourism market demand reports: June 2022

    Each year Visit Wales conducts research amongst its priority markets. For June 2022 the reports cover the UK and Ireland. ... As the Welsh Government's tourism team, Visit Wales is responsible for deploying tourism campaigns in the UK and internationally to promote Wales as a holiday destination. As part of this, each year Visit Wales ...

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    Fun Cardiff Facts Tips for Tourists Cardiff in Film & TV Discover the Region Talkin' Tidy - Basic Welsh Words Visit Cardiff is the official tourism body for Cardiff. We have written this guide in partnership with our stakeholders from across the city. Our department is part of Cardiff Council. 04 05 06-07 08-09 10-11 12-13 14-15 16-17 18-21 ...

  14. How Many Tourists Visit Cardiff Each Year?

    How many tourists visit Cardiff per year? Average visits by ownership for 2019 & 2020. 1.38 The average number of visits per Cadw site decreased from 51,425 in 2019 to 10,386 in 2020, an 80% decrease.

  15. The Best Time to Visit Cardiff (A Local's Guide)

    When is the Best Time to Visit Cardiff. Cardiff is an all-year destination with different things on offer in each season. But the best time to visit Cardiff is in the Spring (March-May). ... Cardiff is generally a wet and windy city, with an average of around 153 days of rainfall per year. The warmest time of the year is June - August. July ...

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    Most of the larger shops in Cardiff city centre are open Monday-Friday 9am-8pm, Saturday 9am-7pm and Sunday 11am-5pm. Smaller shops and those outside the centre will have shorter opening hours. Many convenience food stores are open 7am-11pm every day. CARRIER BAG LEVY. All Cardiff retailers must charge at least 5p (£0.05) for new carrier bags ...

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  19. Tourism Statistics

    Tourism Statistics. Get the latest and most up-to-date tourism statistics for all the countries and regions around the world. Data on inbound, domestic and outbound tourism is available, as well as on tourism industries, employment and complementary indicators. All statistical tables available are displayed and can be accessed individually ...

  20. VISIT CARDIFF NETWORK • Visit Cardiff

    Visit Cardiff is the official tourism organisation of the city. The network's aim is simple, to maximise travel and tourism opportunities through promoting the dynamic image of Cardiff to residents and to the world. ... Visit Cardiff (£400 per year) A premium listing on our website with a full description, web and social links and an image ...

  21. Wales Visitor Economy Profile: 2021

    Whilst tourism accounted for 11.3% of employment in Wales in 2020, it accounted for almost 1 in 5 (18.4%) of part time employees (78,000 employees). The number of part time tourism employees fell by approximately 10,000 between 2019 and 2020, compared to full time tourism employee levels which fell by around 2,000.

  22. Visitor Figures

    Public and Products Liability Insurance Volunteers Liability Insurance Minutes of Meetings of the Board of Trustees Freedom of Information Visitor Figures.

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    Expenditure on tourism visits in North Wales accounted for 24 per cent of tourism expenditure in Wales. The annual average for tourism expenditure in North Wales fell by 10 per cent from £1.64 billion in 2016-2018 to £1.47 billion in 2017-2019. In comparison, related tourism expenditure for Wales fell by 2 per cent to £6.21 billion.