Local Assembly Member Paul Davies recently attended a Community Engagement Forum, with fellow Welsh Conservative colleagues Andrew RT Davies, Suzy Davies and MP for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire, Simon Hart. The event, held in Haverfordwest Leisure Centre, brought together delegates from Pembroke Castle, the Wales Association of Self-Catering Organisations, the Institute of Hospitality, Pembrokeshire Tourism, the National Farmers' Union and the Federation of Small Businesses. The forum discussed the key barriers to tourism growth in West Wales, how support in marketing and web presence could be improved by the Welsh Government and what steps could be taken to help small business growth.
Paul Davies said, "I was delighted to attend the Welsh Conservatives' latest Community Engagement Forum – and to welcome my colleagues to Pembrokeshire to meet key representatives of the local tourism industry. Here in Pembrokeshire, the tourist industry accounts for nearly one in five jobs, while tourism more widely contributes £6.2billion to the Welsh economy. Therefore, it is essential that discussions are had with the key players in Pembrokeshire's tourism economy to discuss the challenges facing the sector and ways in which the Welsh Government can improve their prospects. As opposition party politicians, it's also a fantastic opportunity to hear the concerns of the local industry, so that we can, in turn, raise these points at an Assembly level and hold the Welsh Government to account. The event was very well attended, and I look forward to continuing the dialogue with Pembrokeshire's tourism industry at a local level in the future."