Wales Coastal Path Celebrates First Birthday With Further £1.15m Cash Injection

Undoubtedly one of the success stories for British tourism is the completion of the Wales Coastal Path, now celebrating its first birthday.  It appears to be doing everything that it says on the tin, with up to 2.8 million people having walked various stretches of the path, resulting in an estimated boost of about £16 million to the Welsh economy.

Figures also suggest that a considerable number of visitors to the path also stayed the night in one of the many guesthouses, b&bs and hotels located along the way.

Now further good news that the Welsh Government is investing a further  £1.15 million in 2013/14 to ensure the Wales Coast Path remains of a consistently high quality. Development of the path is managed on behalf of the Welsh Government by Natural Resources Wales.

Since 2007, the Welsh Government has invested up to £2m a year into the creation of the path that has been supplemented by £4m from the European Regional Development Fund over four years.
The Minister for Culture and Sport, John Griffiths, recently walked part of the path at Kidwelly in West Wales and said, “We are blessed with wonderful coastline and the development of the Wales Coast Path, which is the first of its kind in the world, has brought significant benefits to Wales.  The path is already providing a boost to local economies around our coastline and is attracting thousands of visitors to Wales.

“I’m confident that new technology, such as the Real Food Wales app, will  encourage more people to experience what the Wales Coast Path has to offer which will in turn provide a welcome boost to the local economy. Walking parts of the path is a free and enjoyable way of increasing physical activity and maintaining a healthier lifestyle.

“ I’d like to wish the Wales Coast Path a very happy first birthday and would urge everybody to get out and explore their local coastline and take advantage of what’s on our doorstep!”

In 2012 the Lonely Planet recommended the Welsh coastline as the no.1 region in the world to visit

http://www.walescoastpath.gov.uk/default.aspx