The economy and jobs

Statistics published by the Welsh Government and the Office for National Statistics. Each chart covers the years since the 2016 Senedd election, or as far back as the figures go, and marks each election since.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

How we show official statisticsFigures on this brief quoted in the Senedd (17)

The Programme for Government 2026 to 2030 belongs to the Seventh Senedd. Choose the Seventh Senedd to see how often each commitment has come up.

Source: Welsh Government, Programme for government 2026 to 2030: New ambition for Wales, first published on 10 September 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Mentions are found by matching the names of plans, bodies and schemes; a mention says nothing about progress.

The Welsh Government's latest press releases and Cabinet statements on this brief.

1. Press release, 27 October 2026

   Wales' cycling tourism gets a Grand Départ with £4.5 million investment

   Wales is gearing up for the Tour de France Grand Départ 2027, with £4.5 million in Welsh Government investment to boost cycling tourism, attract visitors and support local economies.

The latest headlines on this brief, linking to each outlet's story.

• Sunny summer boosts Welsh tourism as overseas visitors increase

  Nation.Cymru, 29 October 2026

• Stori Brymbo shortlisted for New Tourism Business of the Year award

  Leader Live, 27 October 2026

Statements, debates and legislation in Plenary on this brief, newest first. Oral question sessions are counted in the contributions below.

1. 3 March 2026Legislation

   Motion to vary the order of consideration of Stage 3 amendments to the Development of Tourism and Regulation of Visitor Accommodation (Wales) Bill

   Opened by Y Dirprwy Lywydd / The Deputy Presiding Officer9 contributions

2. 3 February 2026Legislation

   The Tax Collection and Management (Visitor Levy Costs) (Wales) Regulations 2026

   Opened by Y Dirprwy Lywydd / The Deputy Presiding Officer8 contributions

3. 13 January 2026Legislation

   & 12. The general principles of the Development of Tourism and Regulation of Visitor Accommodation (Wales) Bill and the financial resolution in respect of the Development of Tourism and Regulation of Visitor Accommodation (Wales) Bill

   Opened by Y Llywydd / The Llywydd38 contributions

4. 22 May 2024Debate

   Tourism

   Welsh Conservatives Debate

   Opened by Y Llywydd / The Llywydd68 contributions

5. 10 May 2023Debate

   Tourism

   Welsh Conservatives Debate

   Opened by Y Dirprwy Lywydd / The Deputy Presiding Officer36 contributions

6. 29 March 2023Legislation

   A Wales tourism Bill

   Debate on a Member's Legislative Proposal

   Opened by Y Dirprwy Lywydd / The Deputy Presiding Officer17 contributions

7. 9 November 2022Debate

   Securing the future of Hospitality, Tourism and Retail'

   Debate on the Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee Report—'Raising the Bar

   Opened by Y Dirprwy Lywydd / The Deputy Presiding Officer18 contributions

8. 20 September 2022Statement

   Visitor Levy Consultation

   Statement by the Minister for Finance and Local Government

   Opened by Y Dirprwy Lywydd / The Deputy Presiding Officer20 contributions

Votes are tagged from their own titles and the agenda item they were held under.

Ministers' meetings with outside organisations and their engagements on this brief, from the register the Welsh Government publishes every three months. 1 since the 2026 election:

1. 12 August 2026

   PASC-WTA Joint meeting with CMECE - discussion on 182 day threshold/visitor levy

   Meeting, Cabinet Minister for Finance

Source: Welsh Government, ministerial meetings and engagements. The register is published three months or more after the meetings it lists.

• 50% of Welsh adults said the UK economy would be very important to their vote.
• 46% of Welsh adults said jobs and wages would be very important to their vote.
• 37% of Welsh adults said shops and the local town centre or high street would be very important to their vote.

Ipsos asked 747 Welsh adults aged 16+ between 2 April 2026 and 8 April 2026, before the 2026 Senedd election. People could choose as many issues as they liked. More on public opinion.

127 written questions to the Welsh Government on this brief in the Sixth Senedd, 126 answered so far. The latest:

1. Rhys ab OwenIndependent20 March 2026

   What discussions has the Cabinet Secretary had with Visit Wales about promoting the Penrhys Pilgrimage Way to visitors?

   To the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning. Answered 27 March 2026

2. Janet Finch-SaundersConservative18 February 2026

   What consideration has the Cabinet Secretary given to risk that the visitor levy will result in an increase in wild camping?

   To the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning. Answered 20 February 2026

3. Janet Finch-SaundersConservative26 January 2026

   Will the Cabinet Secretary provide an update on how they are working with the Valuation Office to ensure that tourism and hospitality businesses have access to business rates relief?

   To the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Welsh Language. Answered 2 February 2026

4. Janet Finch-SaundersConservative13 January 2026

   What support is the Welsh Government providing tourism and hospitality businesses with the increases in the cost of a) energy, b) staffing and c) food and drink?

   To the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning. Answered 16 January 2026

5. Janet Finch-SaundersConservative12 January 2026

   Will the Cabinet Secretary provide an update on what business rates relief will be made available for small tourism and hospitality businesses?

   To the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Welsh Language. Answered 16 January 2026

All 127 written questions on this brief

2 petitions to the Senedd on this brief, open ones first, then by signatures:

1. North Wales needs a 50 metre swimming pool.

   Open

   555 signatures

2. Scrap Proposals for a Tourism Tax

   Closed

   813 signatures

Committee sessions where this brief was on the agenda, newest first.

1. 5 February 2026Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee

   Development of Tourism (Amendments 64, 65, 66, 67)

   Group 2

   13 contributions

   • Rejected, 3 for, 3 against, 0 abstainedAmendment 64
   • Rejected, 3 for, 3 against, 0 abstainedAmendment 65
   • Rejected, 3 for, 3 against, 0 abstainedAmendment 66
   • Rejected, 3 for, 3 against, 0 abstainedAmendment 67

2. 5 February 2026Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee

   Stage 2 proceedings

   Development of Tourism and Regulation of Visitor Accommodation (Wales) Bill

   3 contributions

3. 30 January 2025Finance Committee

   Evidence session 8

   Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy) Etc. (Wales) Bill

   165 contributions

4. 30 January 2025Finance Committee

   Evidence session 7

   Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy) Etc. (Wales) Bill

   92 contributions

5. 30 January 2025Finance Committee

   Evidence session 6

   Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy) Etc. (Wales) Bill

   188 contributions

6. 30 January 2025Finance Committee

   Evidence session 5

   Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy) Etc. (Wales) Bill

   131 contributions

7. 30 January 2025Finance Committee

   Evidence session 4

   Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy) Etc. (Wales) Bill

   114 contributions

8. 23 January 2025Finance Committee

   Evidence session 3

   Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy) Etc. (Wales) Bill

   87 contributions

Articles by Senedd Research, the Senedd's impartial research service, on this brief, published in the Sixth Senedd.

1. Development of Tourism and Regulation of Visitor Accommodation (Wales) Bill: resource page

   11 November 2025

   The Development of Tourism and Regulation of Visitor Accommodation (Wales) Bill was introduced into the Senedd on Monday 3 November 2025.

More from Senedd Research on this subject

Titles and summaries are Senedd Research's own, © Senedd Commission. How we match articles to briefs.

2,151 contributions in the Sixth Senedd, newest first.

1. Vaughan GethingLabour

   31 January 2023, Plenary

   Questions to the Minister for Economy

   …forward to a 2023 where we'll expect we'll see significant growth in visitor numbers to Wales to the tourism sector, but we also know there'll be challenges ahead. As we see the likely recession for most of the next year, people will make different choices about their discretionary spend, so we're…

   Tagged for: “tourism”Official Record

2. Tom GiffardConservative

   31 January 2023, Plenary

   Questions to the Minister for Economy

   I'm grateful to you, Minister, for your answer. As you know, when people come and visit Wales, they don't just visit one site; they like to come and visit a number of attractions to see a number of things that Wales has to offer. One of the things that has been lacking, though, is an all-Wales…

   Tagged for: “visit Wales”, “tourism”Official Record

3. Vaughan GethingLabour

   31 January 2023, Plenary

   Questions to the Minister for Economy

   Our strategy 'Welcome to Wales: Priorities for the visitor economy 2020-2025' sets out our vision and ambition for tourism. We support the sector through promoting Wales at home and abroad, through capital investment and our £50 million Wales tourism investment fund.

   Tagged for: “visitor economy”, “tourism”Official Record

4. Tom GiffardConservative

   31 January 2023, Plenary

   Questions to the Minister for Economy

   8. What support is the Welsh Government providing to the Welsh tourism sector? OQ59044

   Tagged for: “tourism”Official Record

5. Ben Cottam

   26 January 2023, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee

   Regenerating Town Centres: Roundtable Session 2

   …of the energy business relief scheme will hit, disproportionately, businesses like retail and tourism, and, therefore, will have an impact on our town-centre environments. So, in the short term, we are going to have to look for, at UK and Welsh Government level, things that can help shore those…

   Tagged for: “tourism”Official Record

6. Chris Jones

   26 January 2023, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee

   Regenerating Town Centres: Roundtable Session 2

   …role and function around arts and culture, and Redhouse Cymru; it's now looking at skiing, activity tourism, so it's all about that hierarchy of place, isn't it? And the Valleys have that rich industrial heritage, which is a real sort of key foundation to where it's come from, and there are things…

   Tagged for: “tourism”Official Record

7. Rhun ap IorwerthPlaid

   25 January 2023, Plenary

   Topical Questions

   …not accept the fate of Ynys Môn being just a holiday and retirement island. And that's not to knock tourism, which has a very important role to play, but a community totally reliant on that ceases to operate like a normal community. But, at the heart of this are the people, my constituents, facing…

   Tagged for: “tourism”Official Record

8. Katie Palmer

   19 January 2023, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee

   Food (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 2

   …economy, and it actually cuts across two of the other foundational economies as well, in terms of tourism and retail. So, it is really fundamental, and I think it absolutely justifies having its own piece of legislation to make sure that we have the food system that we need to look after our…

   Tagged for: “tourism”Official Record

9. Paul DaviesConservative

   19 January 2023, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee

   Food (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 1

   …as public health, communities, sustainability, the circular economy, decarbonisation, trade, skills and tourism. And, as you know, the Minister has made it quite clear that she doesn't believe that this Bill is required. Can you just explain to us why you believe this Bill is necessary?

   Tagged for: “tourism”Official Record

10. Llinos Medi

    19 January 2023, Finance Committee

    Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2023-24: Evidence session 7

    …between us as leaders of understanding the challenges that we face—and it is across borders. We're a tourism area, and there are industrial areas, aren't there? So, that's how we—. But we understand the challenges that we're facing, and we're looking much more strategically, with the support, as Jon…

    Tagged for: “tourism”Translated from WelshOfficial Record

11. Jason Thomas

    18 January 2023, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee

    Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2023-24: Evidence session with the Minister for Economy and Deputy Minister for Arts and Sport, and Chief Whip

    Bore da. I'm Jason Thomas, director of culture, sport and tourism in the Welsh Government.

    Tagged for: “tourism”Official Record

12. Vaughan GethingLabour

    12 January 2023, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee

    Welsh Government Draft Budget - Minister for Economy

    …from other areas, so not just to support our presence but what that then means in the return for the visitor economy as well. So, I've made choices within this financial year to reprioritise resources to help support the visitor economy and try to maximise the opportunities that come from the…

    Tagged for: “visitor economy”, “visitor levy”Official Record

13. Samuel KurtzConservative

    12 January 2023, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee

    Welsh Government Draft Budget - Minister for Economy

    Interesting that marketing was one element you mentioned there. That coincides with the potential tourism tax, which I think would double hit the economy. I know you and I disagree on this. But, seeing that if Welsh Gov is going to be marketing Wales less, adding on an additional tax at the end for…

    Tagged for: “tourism”, “tourists”Official Record

14. Vaughan GethingLabour

    12 January 2023, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee

    Welsh Government Draft Budget - Minister for Economy

    …on some of what we've done already. We're also going to have to look at what we do when it comes to the tourism investment fund. We're still maintaining that at the same size and scale, but there will be challenges. This is one example of the reality that if you have less money, then it means you…

    Tagged for: “tourism”Official Record

15. Samuel KurtzConservative

    12 January 2023, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee

    Welsh Government Draft Budget - Minister for Economy

    Thank you. With regard to the £10.6 million that is allocated to the tourism resource budget expenditure line for 2023-24, this is down £1.3 million, or 11 per cent in cash terms, compared to the final budget in 2022–23. What impact do you think this will have, this cut in funding, on the support…

    Tagged for: “tourism”Official Record

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