2015 was an exceptional year for tourism in Monmouthshire according to the county’s most recent STEAM (Scarborough Tourism Economic Activity Monitor) report.

The county welcomed 2.19 million visitors, a 4.4 per cent increase on the previous year and a 6.7 per cent increase on 2013. These visitors generated 2.95 million visitor days within the county, an increase of 5.2 per cent between 2014 and 2015. Day visitor days increased by 3.8 per cent between 2014 and 2015. The total of 1.7 million day visits is the highest number for Monmouthshire since STEAM began monitoring tourism in the county seventeen years ago.

Tourism visits to Monmouthshire were estimated to have generated a total of £187 million for the local economy. Staying visitors accounted for £133.79 million of the total amount generated by tourism in 2015 with an average stay of 2.5 nights.

Tourism visits to Monmouthshire last year were estimated to have supported 2,744 full-time equivalent jobs.  Tourism spend supports the most employment in the accommodation (879 jobs) and food and drink (675 FTEs) sectors. In addition, a significant number of self-employed people in Monmouthshire earned a living from tourism.

County Councillor Bob Greenland, cabinet member with responsibility for tourism said: “As we look forward to welcoming more than 150,000 visitors to Monmouthshire’s Eisteddfod this summer, this is no time to rest on our laurels.  Tourism is a fiercely competitive marketplace and while major and high profile events attract visitors from far and wide, the visitor experience – from the welcome they receive at the event itself to where they sleep, eat, drink and shop – can have a real impact on whether they visit the area again or recommend it as a destination to friends and family.  As social media and user review sites increase in importance for determining destination choice, the quality of welcome and visitor experience become ever more important.”