The 'Cinderella counties' where tourism is flourishing

TOURISM is flourishing in the Cinderella counties of North Wales, figures show.

- By ANDREW FORGRAVE Countryside and Tourism Editor

Rising visitor numbers indicate Wrexham and Flintshire are stepping out from the shadows cast by tourism powerhouses further west.

The two counties still have some way to go to match Anglesey, Gwynedd, Conwy and Denbighshire.

But an improving tourism offer sprinkled with Hollywood stardust has led to strong growth in recent years.

Wrexham has led the way with 90% sector growth over the last decade, the biggest in Wales. New STEAM data measuring tourism impacts show Flintshire is also enjoying a boom: last year, the county's visitor economy generated £402.26m and attracted more than four million visitors.

Visitor spending in 2024 was up 5.8% compared with 2023, with growth was driven mainly by day visitors, up 2.8%. However there was a 0.8% dip in the number of overnighters, who typically spend more on hospitality.

Overall, visitors spent a total of 7.04m days in the county - up 0.8% on the previous year.

Flintshire Council said the figures demonstrated the strength of the county's tourism appeal, which includes attractions like Moel Famau and Flint Castle.