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With increasing numbers of people wanting to cruise Wales along with other UK ports, there is a strong possibility that Wales will before long emulate major European cruise ports as a destination for the big leisure cruise market. This is how the Welsh Affairs Select Committee of legislators in the House of Commons, the British Parliament, concluded their report. It points to strong growth in the UK cruise market over the last ten years or so, and urges the need to secure some growth in cruise ship visits to bolster the economies of Welsh port communities.

Any keen cruise travellers should note that before they make advanced bookings to cruise Wales there is currently a slight difficulty with providing adequate facilities for berthing and Welsh ports infrastructure to service the fast growing fleet of big ships cruising European waters needs to be upgraded. Meanwhile there is a campaign called the “Celtic Wave” led by Anglesey, which has a budget of around $2m and covers ports in Ireland and Wales, with the aim of attracting more cruise visitors to these ports and their wider regional economies.

In Cardiff the Welsh Assembly Government is urging the UK government to offer extra infrastructure investment to get ports like Holyhead on Anglesey, Swansea and Milford Haven up to a quality threshold demanded by the cruise line operators. There is a mega potential boost for local port economies, according to the conclusions of the House of Commons Welsh Affairs Committee, and their regional economies would benefit by making it easier for people to cruise Wales as part of the UK cruising vacation.

Over the longer term the prospects of Welsh ports catching up with Baltic ports is encouraging, an area where a popular cruise market already thrives. From Holyhead in the North West of Wales to Newport via Swansea and Milford Haven, ports in Wales can act as catalysts for economic regeneration when they attract visitors to cruise Wales. In 2009 the first cruise ship visited Newport, close to Celtic Manor which will host the Ryder Cup in 2010. The cruise visitors arriving in Newport had the opportunity to visit Cardiff sites such as the Millennium Centre and the castle.

Similarly, there are many attractions for cruise visitors when their ship arrives at Holyhead, Anglesey, including World Heritage Castles of Wales at Beaumaris and Caernarfon, South Stack Lighthouse and Llynnon Mill, along with the excellent island coastal path, as well as the Oriel Art Gallery and Seawatch centre at Moelfre.

The Welsh Assembly Government is offering financial support to strengthen the facilities for the expected rise in cruise ship visits to Holyhead, most notably to strengthen the jetty used by Anglesey Aluminium Metals (AAM), which offers an ideal anchorage and a perfect disembarkation berth for cruise ship passengers. When finished this improvement will mean this Holyhead Port outer harbour pier will be strong enough to take huge ships like the Westerdam, a 2,000 passengers carrying, 285 metre liner.

The future looks bright and exciting for visitors to the UK looking to cruise Wales as part of their overall experience, and Holyhead port will be ready to welcome them as they look to explore the many island attractions.

The author, David Phillips, comes from the magical island of Anglesey off North Wales, UK and runs an informative website focusing on local news and information. Find out more about preparing to cruise Wales here to help make your holiday more enjoyable.

When you’re searching for a holiday location in North Wales choosing somewhere with a great beach is very important and there’s no better place than Llandudno. The town has lots of Victorian charm with a long promenade lined with excellent hotels and guest houses and is close to the town centre. The promenade is framed beautifully between the two headlands called the Great Orme and Little Orme. The North Shore beach stretches for well over a mile as it follows the promenade and when the sea is out has acres of golden sand to explore.

Just a short walk from the North Shore takes you to the Great Orme, which is Llandudno’s most famous landmark. The Great Orme is a wonderful place to explore with great attractions like Happy Valley and The Great Orme Visitor Centre as well as adventure locations like Ski Llandudno. There are plenty of ways to walk to the summit if you’re feeling energetic and there are some great views to enjoy where you can see as far away as Anglesey and Rhyl.

If you prefer reaching to the summit in style then two of the nicest ways are the Great Orme Tramway and the Great Orme cable car. The Great Orme Tramway has been operating for over 100 years and takes you on a steep journey towards the summit and is located just five minutes from the beach. Alternatively for stunning views take a ride on the Great Orme cable car and see Llandudno from a truly unique perspective. A great option is to get the best of both rides by taking one to the summit and the other to descend.

If you want to stay closer to the beach then Llandudno Pier will surely tempt you as it stretches out towards the Irish Sea. The Victorian pier was constructed over 100 years ago and still retains much of its original charm. There are a range of small shops and kiosks that line the pier as you walk along it and make sure you turn around and have a camera ready for some great photographs of the beach and promenade. The pier has a large play area with bouncy castles and amusement arcades to keep the children entertained when you fancy a break and a Punch and Judy show will entertain younger children by the pier entrance.

After a fun day on Llandudno beach you’ll be looking for quality refreshments and there’s plenty of places to entertain you and grab something to eat. Mostyn Street, Llandudno’s main shopping street, is only two minutes from the North Shore and is lined with cafes and coffee houses. If you’re looking for something a little more formal there are plenty of local restaurants to choose from catering for all tastes from British Cuisine to Italian and Indian or why not clean up and have a night at the North Wales Theatre which is located on the promenade.

Whatever you’re requirements if a beautiful beach is essential then Llandudno fits the bill perfectly. The beach is never far from your accommodation and there’s more than enough to keep the children entertained. After a fun day on the beach it’s just a short walk back to your hotel and then onwards to enjoy Llandudno’s nightlife.