New £1m fund to weather-proof tourism businesses

Daniel Bevan - Senior Journalist

A new £1 million funding initiative has been unveiled by the Welsh Government to help ensure tourism attractions across Wales can welcome visitors—whatever the weather.

The Year of Croeso Weather-Proofing Fund is being launched as part of Visit Wales’ campaign celebrating “the unique welcome that can only be found in Wales,” which contributes to the high number of repeat visitors.

The move follows new data from Visit Wales showing that poor weather was the most commonly cited reason for reduced business in 2024—outranking even the cost of living crisis. According to the Domestic Sentiment Tracker survey, 55% of businesses blamed poor weather for a drop in visitors last summer, with UK weather identified as the top deterrent for domestic travel.

The fund will offer grants between £5,000 and £20,000 to eligible tourism businesses to implement weather-proofing improvements. These may include features such as canopies, sustainable drainage, covered seating areas, visitor shelters, or upgraded pathways and car park surfaces.

Tourism contributes £3.8 billion to the Welsh economy annually, making year-round accessibility a key priority.

Announcing the fund, the Cabinet Secretary with responsibility for Tourism, Rebecca Evans MS, said: “Naturally, Wales has an incredibly strong offer when it comes to tourism and our visitors can always be guaranteed a warm croeso.

“But as the weather, which has carved out our impressive landscapes throughout history, becomes more-and-more unpredictable, it has been identified as the single biggest factor affecting visitor numbers to Welsh attractions.

“Poor weather can stop them operating as normal, impact on the experience and has the potential to discourage visits in the first place.

“That’s why we have listened to the concerns of people working in the tourism attraction sector and launched this fund, helping them prepare for increasingly variable weather patterns.”

The funding aligns with the Welsh Government’s tourism strategy, Welcome to Wales: Priorities for the Visitor Economy 2020–25, which highlights the importance of tackling seasonality and promoting Wales as an all-year-round destination.

Rebecca Evans MS added: “All visitors, wherever they come from, will discover a destination delivering a great experience and we are always helping build on and improve the offer in Wales.

“These grants will help our tourism attractions become more resilient, extend their season and improve the visitor experience, supporting both the businesses and the wider Welsh economy.”