How We Added Nearly £1bn to the Welsh Economy

Zip World has added almost £1 billion to the Welsh economy in the past 10 years ago.

An independent report from North Wales Tourism revealed that the attraction has contributed £941 million.

The assessment analyses commercial data, survey insights, and research findings to explore Zip World’s visitor influences, staffing levels and economic contribution to its local communities.

Andrew Hudson, Chief Executive Officer at Zip World, said the ‘huge number’ was a culmination of visitor spend across the attraction itself, accommodation and other facilities and amenities in the area including pubs and shops.

Offering a first-class experience and ‘upselling’ the local area to guests before they arrive is important to make sure visitors don’t just stay for one activity, he said.

“We thrive off domestic tourism so when we offer something that's really differentiating the market, we draw people from greater distances,” said Andrew. 

“They stay for up to four to five nights on average and therefore they spend in the wider economy and everyone in tourism and hospitality benefits. It's really important that we work with local businesses.”

Andrew told Business News Wales that recruiting the right people holds the key to unlocking a great experience for visitors:

Zip World currently has eight sites across Wales and England featuring 33 different adventures. The business has already expanded into offering accommodation, and Andrew said the focus for the next five years will be to build their sites into short-stay destinations as well as continuing to invest in innovative experiences for customers.

More sites are on the horizon, with a new site in the Lake District and another in the London area. In North Wales a Responsible Adventure project will see the creation of a cable car experience as well as an electric bus network.