INTERNATIONAL tourists spent £97 million visiting Wiltshire last year, up 17 per cent from 2013, while 287,000 visits were made to the county in 2014, also up 17 per cent from 2013, new figures show.
Tourism Minister Tracey Crouch welcomed the latest figures and has pledged to work closely with the industry to help further strengthen tourism across the country.
She said: “Competition for global travellers has never been higher, which is why we must not be complacent and continue to invest and support the UK’s tourism offer.”
The Government has announced a £5 million fund for the South West to position the area as a must-see destination, generating an additional £60 million in additional visitor spending, creating up to 1,000 jobs and “incentivising”
local partners to work together on improving the experience for visitors to the region.
It will also be used to promote the South West in the USA.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here