Caerphilly County Borough attracted more than two million in 2011 – a rise of 3%, latest tourism figures show.
Between January and December last year, visitors in total spent £43,590,000 visiting places such as Cwmcarn Forest Drive and New Tredegar’s Winding House Museum.
Events such as the annual Big Cheese festival, the Tour of Britain and the BBC Proms in the Park helped to swell visitor numbers.
The 3% increase on 2010’s figures equates to approximately 60,000 extra visitors.
Jennifer Taylor, proprietor of The Rock Inn, Blackwood and Chair of Caerphilly Tourism Association, said she had seen a rise in visitor numbers over the past year.
She said: “The steady increase in visitor numbers albeit small, to our beautiful verdant Sirhowy Valley gives us reason to be cheerful. This encouraging increase helps us to look forward with optimism in these difficult times.
“We are confident that in these challenging times our hidden gem of the County Borough of Caerphilly will become the visitor destination it rightly deserves.”
Between January and December 2011, Cwmcarn Forest attracted 192,243 – nearly twice as many as Caerphilly Castle.
The Winding House’s recent exhibition about Artie Moore and his role in receiving the Titanic’s SOS signal attracted over 1,000 visitors in the first ten days of opening at the beginning of April.
Well done, another achievment by the previous Plaid run Authority,it won’t be long though before Labour lay claim for Plaids achievment,I notice on the Olympic Flame,Garden Festival and Food Fair Article comments that a new Labour Councillor is Stating ” it just shows what we can do”, shouldn’t that read ” it just shows what Plaid could do during their administration, don’t forget these events were planned well before Labour won the election.