Delays are killing t tourism industry

ALL A Welsh tourist attractions a are facing the prospect p of “three winters” with no prospect of any reopening date, or p potential income from tourism.

Dan Yr Ogof – The National Showcaves Centre for Wales is one of Wales’ oldest attractions and is the largest showcave complex in northern Europe.

We are having to find more than £80,000 just to mothball the caves during the present pandemic.

This money is needed to maintain and preserve all the electrical and emergency underground lighting, along with pumps, ventilation fans, massive diesels and hydro-electric plants that provide the electricity for the three caves.

Since 1912 our family has managed to keep the showcaves open despite suffering two foot-andmouth epidemics, numerous depressions and financial collapses, but Covid-19 is the most serious risk to the showcaves so far.

We are fast approaching the point where our money is running out, and the outlook for our economic survival is at best less than 50/50. The caves, when operating at the height of the season in July and August, employ 62 people.

The reluctance of the First Minister for Wales to announce a proposed reopening date for Welsh tourism means there is now a real prospect Wales will miss out on the vital tourism income obtained from visitors in July and August. It is a crazy situation where England and Scotland have already announced their reopening dates for tourism based on the same scientific advice Wales uses.

We also have selfcatering units at the caves, but the information we are being given by the Welsh Government is truly bizarre. The First Minister is minded to look at reopening self-contained units. However, when tourists come into Wales and arrive at their selfcatering cottage, they can at present then only legally drive within a five-mile radius of their cottage during their holiday. Some holiday to remember.

Only our Welsh Government could devise such an idiotic, nonsensical scheme.

We have a PPE strategy in place, risk assessments have been finalised, our staff want to return, and our phone is ringing constantly with tourists asking when we are reopening.

The First Minister is rightly concerned about the health issues Covid-19 brings to Wales.

However, from what leading scientists are saying we are going to have to live with this virus for at least a year.

Does he intend to keep the people of Wales locked up for this length of time? If so, Welsh people will have been protected, but in many rural areas there will be no jobs for them to return to, as businesses are already near to the point of collapse.

The Welsh Government’s stance that “Wales is shut, so don’t come, and don’t plan on coming” is destroying Wales’ second-largest industry. The situation is a tragedy for tourism.