The Economy of the Swansea Bay City Region

Part of 1. Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Transport – in the Senedd at 1:37 pm on 6 June 2018.

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Photo of Ken Skates Ken Skates Labour 1:37, 6 June 2018

I'm very, very keen to see both the regional plans that are being drawn together at this moment in time and the enabling plans for the foundation sectors, of which tourism is one, to ensure that we identify all communities and all of the assets that can drive the visitor economy. Those particular destinations, which the member has just identified, are clearly opportunities. Yes, they may be viewed during an age of austerity as being something of a burden on the local authority, but, in the longer term, I'm confident that historic assets—heritage sites that have struggled in recent times—can become a more important feature of the visitor offer that we develop, and so I can assure the Member that, as the regional plans are developed and as the enabling plans are developed for the foundation sectors, we're going to look at how we can use tourism, food and drink, retail and care to share prosperity more equally across the regions of Wales.