One of the UK’s top tourist destinations has surveyed the travel trade to ask them about bringing groups and coaches to their area. The survey took place over two weeks in February 2021 and the initial findings show that this year could, after all, be a bumper year for domestic tourism – with over 90% of respondents stating a clear intention to focus on domestic tourism.  

Southern Wales Tourism conducted a nationwide questionnaire of coach and tour operators and group travel organisers to gauge their feelings with regards to a resumption of coach trips and tours. Arranged in conjunction with group travel specialist company Steve Reed Tourism Ltd, the survey succeeded in gaining almost 200 responses.

The findings of the survey are available on the Southern Wales website.

Southern Wales has, for several years, targeted coaches and groups in a concerted effort to bring bookings to their tourism partners. A series of ‘meet the tour buyer’ events coupled with familiarisation visits to attractions around southern Wales has helped put the area firmly onto the group travel map.

Vicky Jones, Project Officer for Southern Wales Tourism, says: ‘With the advent of the COVID pandemic and its impact on the travel and tourism industries, we decided to take an instant snapshot of how the UK’s travel trade feel about bringing their groups of spending visitors back to Southern Wales.

‘The response has been very reassuring with a great many past and potential tour planners stating quite clearly that they will indeed resume bringing groups as soon as it is safe to do so,‘ explains Vicky.

Tour planners responding to the survey will be invited to apply for future Southern Wales Showcase and Workshop events.

Find out more at www.southernwales.com