New guidance for tourist signs in Wales

New Welsh Government guidance has made the application for tourist destination traffic signs simpler and more transparent.

The new guidance was developed from the results of a public consultation exercise for tourist signs on motorway and trunk roads and will make the application process and cost implications clearer to both the public and businesses. Partial grant funding for tourist traffic signs is also now available through the Tourism Investment Support Scheme.

More businesses are now likely to be eligible for a tourist traffic sign as the guidelines take a more favourable account of visitor numbers and distance from the trunk road as well as taking account of seasonal variance in visitor numbers in the eligibility calculation.

For the first time there will be an opportunity for destinations that open on a seasonal basis to apply for tourist signing and golf courses will also be considered as a tourism attraction under the new guidelines.

Minister for the economy, science and transport, Edwina Hart said: “Tourism infrastructure, such as tourist traffic signs play an important part in a visitor’s experience. They can make a difference between a satisfied or alienated visitor and are an example of how we can work together to build successful tourism destinations.

“The new guidance for tourist traffic signs focuses on local needs and offer greater flexibility in dealing with tourist signing on the trunk road and motorway network in Wales.”

The new guidance provides partial grant funding up to 50% or £25,000 for signing schemes that satisfy Visit Wales’ criteria for tourism investment support.  All tourist destinations must participate in a quality assurance scheme recognised by Visit Wales. Tourist attractions must also be a member of the Visit Wales Quality Assurance scheme relevant to the attraction.