A letter from Robert Rhodes, Swansea

Dear Editor

Following a recent TV interview with a business spokesperson discussing his concerns regarding attracting more visitors to West Wales in the "shoulder" season, I would like to comment as follows:

My wife and I, pensioners, absolutely love our UK holidays and, in nearly 50 years of marriage, have enjoyed at least one short break every year somewhere in West Wales.

We always travel between October 1 and June 30 when the crowds have gone.

We absolutely love spending money in our twilight years but hate being ripped off.

The cost of accommodation, food and drink has now risen to silly levels and a London break would now be better value for money than say Tenby.

Sadly, for that reason, 2023/24 was the first year in our time together that we have opted not to visit West Wales.

Businesses claim that high prices are necessary to cover themselves for the visitor drop off in the low season, but why should loyal repeat off-season travellers be penalised with the same high prices when the clouds are gathering, temperatures are dropping and some businesses have closed for winter?

Today's technology allows for easy adjustments to tills etc,. so it would be a good idea to adopt a sliding scale system of pricing in order to maintain a higher level visitor in the medium to low season and bring some life back to struggling resorts.

Regards

Robert Rhodes, Swansea.