3. Statement by the Minister for Culture, Tourism and Sport: The Future of Cadw

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 3:01 pm on 21 November 2017.

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Photo of Darren Millar Darren Millar Conservative 3:01, 21 November 2017

Can I also congratulate the new Minister on his post? We've had an excellent working relationship in all sorts of different capacities over the years, and I'm sure that he'll do an excellent job in his new role. As the new Minister will know, I take a keen interest in Wales's heritage and, in particular, its spiritual heritage and faith heritage, and I was really struck by the increase that you referenced in visitor numbers and the commercial success of Cadw in recent years. I wonder to what extent that might be linked to the campaigns that Visit Wales has had on the Sacred Wales theme in recent years.

He will know that one of the fast-growing areas of the tourism market is faith-related tourism, particularly in terms of some of the pilgrim trails that we've got here in Wales, many of which call through and at a number of important Cadw sites. I wonder whether you can tell us whether that is something that you expect Cadw to be able to take advantage of from a commercial perspective in the future?

Can I also just ask about the Cadw annual membership fees? Obviously, there are some reciprocal arrangements that take place with other heritage organisations across the UK, both in England and elsewhere in the United Kingdom, and these give advantages to people who become Cadw members, but I think perhaps one of the great commercially successful organisations that's involved with heritage is, of course, the National Trust, which also has many buildings that it is responsible for here in Wales. I wonder what links the Minister might expect Cadw to develop with the National Trust as a potential partner, so that people can enjoy perhaps shared membership of both organisations in return for their membership fee in order to promote more spending at Cadw sites and to assist in making the organisation more commercially viable.