Wales 'old fashioned' says study

Beaches and the countryside are the big draws for current visitors to Wales

Wales is "slightly old-fashioned" and the Welsh are "not friendly" in the minds of some potential visitors to the country, research has found.

A report commissioned by the Arts Council and Visit Wales also found some visitors from England felt excluded by the Welsh language.

Cardiff, while known for the Millennium Stadium, was "just a city..like any other" and at worst "a bit rough".

Visit Wales said people who came to Wales were generally happy with it.

The research questioned focus groups from the north, middle and south of England, north and south Wales and Ireland involving people aged from 20 to 70 and for those from outside Wales was targeted at people who had either never visited or did not know much about the country.

Have your say

I think the fact that Wales is slightly old-fashioned is one of its most endearing charms. It's a throwback to a simpler life with strong family values. I've been going to Wales every year for 15 years and have always found the Welsh people to be wonderfully warm and welcoming.

Irma, West Palm Beach, Florida

It found Wales was well-known for its industrial heritage and history, as well as rugby and choirs, and was seen as a place for both active and relaxing breaks in the countryside or by the beach.

However, it was not seen as a place for city breaks, with most people not able to imagine why they would want to spend time in Cardiff or Swansea.

Some of the comments made included, "I'm struggling to think of things that are there", "it's more nature that would draw me in rather than (culture) … like I said before there aren't any big cities or towns really that you know", "I think Wales is almost like Birmingham's playground in a way, you can go mountain biking, beaches, you've got the walking".

One family said in Wales they would "not know what to expect".

There are a small number of miserable people in any part of any country in the world Jonathan Jones, Visit Wales

Figures from popular culture including Tom Jones, Catherine Zeta Jones and Katherine Jenkins were well-known, with others mentioning Shirley Bassey, Charlotte Church and groups such as Stereophonics and Manic Street Preachers.

Younger people also mentioned the comedy show Gavin and Stacey, and Big Brother contestant Glynn Wise.

In relation to the Welsh language, Irish visitors respected the use of the language and liked to hear it, but some English people felt excluded by it and had a more mixed reaction.

Younger people identified with Gavin And Stacey, set in Barry Island

When Visit Wales had done research on people who have visited, the reaction to the country was always more favourable, the agency said.

Jonathan Jones of Visit Wales said this research was for a strategy on cultural tourism being developed and had targeted people who did not know much about Wales.

He said: "Unfortunately, these stereotypes are still out there. We have got to try to address these stereotypes but make sure once people are here these stereotypes are really addressed and people go away feeling that there is a tremendous welcome and that this is a modern and vibrant country.

"There are a small number of miserable people in any part of any country in the world.

"What we have got to make sure is when tourists come here they are treated properly."