Part of 2. 1. Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure – in the Senedd at 1:59 pm on 21 June 2017.
And chapels, indeed—many more chapels than anywhere else. Look, I think we should just first of all recognise the success of the sector right now today. We’re seeing a record number of people visiting from overseas and we’re seeing a record number of people visiting for across the UK, spending a record amount. And in terms of the marketing budget, yes, it’s gone up by 38 per cent this year, but you can’t look at marketing in isolation from the other activity that drives up the value of the sector. Our investment goes way beyond—. You have to make sure that the marketing is aligned with the product and in turn you have to invest in the product, too. So, for example, we know that one of the primary reasons people come to Wales is to experience the historic environment. In turn, for that reason, we’ve been investing heavily in transformational projects at some of our best and most fantastic castles and places of worship. In terms of the marketing effort, it’s not just how much you spend, but also in what way you spend it—how smart you are.
The traditional view that you have to spend a huge amount of money on print and broadcast advertisements is becoming increasingly redundant. Yes, there is still a call for that, but increasing in significance is the role of social media. That is far more cost-effective. In order to capture the imagination and the attention of a global marketplace, you have to have a very strong product, and you have to have a very strong marketing exercise. I have to say, if I had a tattoo for every award that the Visit Wales team has won for the marketing programme, I’d have two full sleeves by now, because they have been doing an excellent job in promoting Wales, here in the UK and abroad, and it is borne out in the figures. The figures are astonishing, and I very much welcome any discussion with Members in terms of the ideas that they may have for promoting Wales still further, at home or abroad.