I ask the question because last week Visit Britain published provisional 2011 figures for international tourism to the UK. It showed that Wales received just 880,000 visitors which is roughly what it was the year before.
So what was the effect of the Ryder Cup being held in Wales?

At New Tredegar in the valleys of South Wales lies the Elliot Winding House.The recently reopened museum has an exhibition about the Titanic that has generated worldwide interest. The story of Artie Moore.

Packed with more than 250 events Pembrokeshire Fish Week, Saturday 23 June – Sunday 1 July, will be a celebration of the county’s fantastic seafood, spectacular coastline, wonderful beaches and maritime heritage

Dr. Jill Nash, owner of independent guidebook publishing company ‘Luxury Backpackers’, on Canada, Cornwall and the Lake District’s best kept secrets

At the New York Times Travel Show last weekend, Visit Britain, in the shape of Karen Clarkson, was asked what people should see in Britain this year. Apart from the Olympics and the Jubilee of course which, as she pointed out, last only a short period of time.

For those with smart phones and i-pads, comes the “Show me Wales” ap. Instead of a guide book you can use the ap to provide information about what’s nearby to visit, what events are on and where to eat and stay.

On the occasion of St David’s Day, here are five things you really ought to know about the Welsh festival

Come St David’s Day this Thursday, the Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust wants you. In particular, sixty of you. And the more, the merrier!
Why?

I have been in Los Angeles to see the LA Times Travel Show, one of the largest in the US. I expected to see stalls promoting parts of California, the Caribbean and Asia but Wales?

With just under 200 days to go until the Paralympics event, the countdown for the London Olympic Games is well and truly underway. But what if you missed out on tickets? Happily there are still plenty of ways to enjoy the spirit of the games – from afar or for free. Cheapflights.co.uk has the insider guide

A Welsh village is hoping to woo cash rich Chinese tourists by building a £50 million purpose built holiday resort, where signs will be in Mandarin and staff will be familiar with Chinese customs.

Coastal Wales might be wet, but it’s also wonderful. Your guide to the award winning region, starts here…

Forget for a minute that Wales actually lost in the semi-final against France yesterday. In another way they have won given the coverage they have received over the last month or so and in the after match reports.
How?

On Friday I visited the new Turner Contemporary Art Gallery in Margate. It has recently opened at a cost of over £17 million. In Llanfrynach, in Powys, their new gallery opened in a £1 old red phone box. Two extremes, but should I compare one with the other?

Tomorrow is the start of one of the biggest tourist attractions in wales,- the fish week in Pembrokeshire. Over the coming days there will be 250 events throughout the county making it one of the most successful that a single county has ever tried to organise.

Around 1.4 million visitors come to Wrexham each year to enjoy the town and the surrounding attractions.
Why?
One reason they might come this year is because it is the Wrexham Year of Culture and has a whole year of events planned. Included in that is the fact that this year in August the National Eisteddfod [...]

In Cardiff Bay, not far from the Millennium Centre is what you might consider an oddity, a church. What’s so strange about that you might say, Wales is full of churches and chapels. The difference is that this is a Norwegian church which tells a story about Cardiff that many people don’t know. And today, Norway’s national day, it re-opens after seven months spent on refurbishment.

[ May 7, 2011; ]
four different walks all startnig at the Leisure Centre in Bala, Mid Wales
see website for times

For seven years, the Cross Foxes near Dolgellau had been derelict. Maybe even the foxes shunned the place as well regardless of their temper. (sorry, couldn’t resist the bad puns) But Dewi and Nicol Gwynne saw something in the building and decided it was for them. Two years later they opened; two months after that and they achieved the highest accolade restaurant and accommodation can achieve. 5 stars.

Unless you know of Gregynog, chances are you’ll never just happen across it because it is tucked away in mid Wales. Yet the Gregynog estate, all 750 acres of it, has been described by CADW as one of the one of the most important gardens in Wales. Now as Gregynog prepares for the spring, it is a useful time to remind people that it exists – or introduce it to a wider public.

The county is on a bit of a roll at the moment. Last year it was named by National Geographic Magazine as having the second best coastline. Not in Wales, not in Britain, not even in Europe. No, the magazine said in the whole world. Which must have buoyed the 570 members that make up a group called Pembrokeshire Tourism. Especially since the county had done so well in the National Tourism Awards as well.

[ April 10, 2011; 10:00 am to 5:30 pm. ]
Bute Park, Cardiff Castle, Cardiff
Members: In advance £7, on the day £10
Non members: In advance £8; on the day £10

CD Traveller tells you what’s hot and what’s not in the travel world. This month the future looks red hot for Virgin’s cabin crew but gap years could be on their last leg…

Next Tuesday is the day when Welsh across the world will celebrate their Welshness maybe not with the same marketing skills that has seen St Patrick’s Day take over the world on the 17th of the month but with the same fervour at least. David has been a saint, as recognized by the Roman Catholic Church, for 991 years and March 1st seems to be the date when he died 1,422 years ago

In the US holidays of a week are common. Here the week or fortnight is more like the norm. In winter some seniors go away for a couple of months. But how do you fancy a year long holiday? All in the one place.
One of Sydney’s Sunday newspapers, The Sun-Herald, has reported today that a couple, Chris and Sally Allison, from the Sydney suburb of Mosman liked the place so much that they have booked accommodation for a whole year at a B&B in Rhyl in North Wales.

One of the earliest of gardening events on the calendar happens this weekend in the west Wales town of Landysul. Having attracted so many people from quite a distance, Llanysul will probably become a firm early season fixture for people anxious to get out and do something in their gardens but handicapped by the weather we have had.

Last year, severe weather took its toll on the coastal area around Colwyn Bay in North Wales. This popular holiday seaside destination needs to shore up its coastal protection so it has announced a £8 million improvement project to safeguard homes and the prom. New defences will also provide a breakwater and a new beach for visitors and residents alike to enjoy. Apparently, the old coastal defences are over 100 years old so some improvements are justified. This week, the plans will be available for the public to see, consider and comment on.

As I said yesterday, one of the interesting features of the Visit Britain report is the amount of money that is spent in different places. The figures will be an estimate of course, but they are as good a guide as we are likely to get. And what they show is intriguing. Take London for example. You would expect an overseas visitor to pay more there because it is a more expensive place. Hotels, public transport and restaurant bills will all be more expensive but the difference on how much is spent there compared to elsewhere in our countries is quite wide.