By Brychan Thomas, Simon Thomas and Lisa Powell
ABSTRACT
This paper considers the development of key characteristics of Welsh island culture and sustainable tourism
in Wales. In recent years tourism has become a significant industry within the Principality of Wales and has
been influenced by changing conditions and the need to attract visitors from the global market. To enable an
analysis of the importance of Welsh island culture a number of research methods have been used, including
consideration of secondary data, to assess the development of tourism, a case study analysis of a sample of
Welsh islands, and an investigation of cultural tourism. The research has been undertaken in three distinct
stages. The first stage assessed tourism in Wales and the role of cultural tourism and the islands off Wales. It
draws primarily on existing research and secondary data sources. The second stage considered the role of
Welsh island culture taking into consideration six case study islands (three with current populations and
three mainly unpopulated) and their physical characteristics, cultural aspects and tourism. The third stage
examined the nature and importance of island culture in terms of sustainable tourism in Wales. This has
involved both internal (island) and external (national and international) influences. From this a summary of
the salient issues from the findings has been made enabling direct analysis of the importance of island
culture to sustainable tourism in Wales.
