Welsh Conservatives are calling for an immediate response to the crisis facing the tourism sector in Wales caused by the Coronavirus lockdown.
The visitor economy is estimated to be worth some £3.1 billion to the Welsh economy annually, employing more than 100,000 people, but Labour’s First Minister has said that Wales would remain largely closed to tourists all Summer, and that he could not make any promises as to when tourism and hospitality sector businesses would open.
Industry insiders have warned that some businesses may never re-open.
Shadow Minister for Covid Recovery Darren Millar MS said:
“These are astonishing comments from the First Minister given the importance of the visitor economy to Wales.
“If the First Minister wants to keep tourism attractions and businesses closed for longer than is absolutely necessary then the Welsh Government needs to compensate them for their losses.
“Instead of erecting ‘Wales is closed’ signs along our border the First Minister needs to adopt a safe and sensible approach to lifting the lockdown on tourism businesses with a phased reopening that reflects different levels or risk across the sector.”