Wales Tourism Week 2025

Visitors are attracted by our castles, festivals, coastal villages, and local traditions helping to keep Pembrokeshire’s unique Welsh identity alive and appreciated. And as the only UK National Park primarily designated for its coastal landscape, our stunning natural beauty and diverse landscape has earnt us justifiable global recognition.

Tourism in Pembrokeshire is incredibly diverse; those involved range from accommodation providers, attractions, experience and activity providers, artists and makers, retail and hospitality, gardens and nature, artisan producers, museums, galleries and heritage, alongside the myriad suppliers that support this important ecosystem.

It is a hub of entrepreneurialism and has a wonderfully vibrant creative community. However, it’s also worthy of note that 99% of these businesses are micro businesses ,which given our rural hinterland can feel isolated and alone at times.

The past 5 years have been challenging for our tourism businesses, and we are incredibly fortunate that this vibrant visitor economy is supported by our very own Visit Pembrokeshire, the official Destination Management Organisation ( DMO) for Pembrokeshire. Visit Pembrokeshire is a business led public private sector partnership, launched in November 2020, and the first of its kind in Wales. Its primary focus is on developing year-round tourism sustainably, promoting value not volume and encouraging visitors to explore and experience the whole of the county, taking the pressure off the more well known and popular areas. We continue to work hard to mitigate any negative impacts from tourism on our local communities and to promote regenerative tourism, which aims to deliver a net benefit to the quality of life for those that live and work in our beautiful county.

“We support and connect businesses and organisations involved in tourism with each other and our mantra is ‘stronger together’. We coordinate delivery of Pembrokeshire’s 2024-28 Destination Management Plan, a shared plan delivered in partnership. Partnership working is at the core of everything we do. There are so many organisations whose activities touch on or are involved in tourism in Pembrokeshire and we like to say that Visit Pembrokeshire is the glue that brings people together.”

Emma Thornton | Chief Executive, Visit Pembrokeshire

“Tourism is the lifeblood of Pembrokeshire – it supports thousands of livelihoods, sustains our rural communities, and showcases the very best of Welsh culture and our extraordinary land and seascapes to the world.

It’s value goes far beyond visitor spend.It fuels and binds our local supply chains, sustains hospitality and creative businesses, and keeps vital services working in rural areas.

As we mark Welsh Tourism week, it's time to recognise not only the economic value of our visitors, but the way tourism enriches lives, preserves our natural and cultural heritage, and strengthens our sense of place and belonging.Visit Pembrokeshire plays a crucial role in this ecosystem – championing our destination, supporting businesses, and ensuring the sustainable growth of tourism that respects place and people.Investing in sustainable, high-quality tourism, really is investing in the future of Pembrokeshire and the wellbeing of our communities.

I am so proud to live and work here and be part of this collective effort to improve our county for both our community and visitors.”

Neil Kedward | Chief Executive, Seren Collection