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Tourism grant cash has helped create and support 400 jobs in North Wales since 2014 - with major investments including Zip World, Dylan’s and the Erskine Arms in Conwy.

The Welsh Government revealed the impact that multi-million pound funding has had on the sector - adding ground-breaking attractions and improving the eating out offering.

Major awards over the last 12 months include £320,000 to Zip World Fforest in Betws-y-Coed, £190,000 to Dylan’s new restaurant in Llandudno and £170,000 to Sport Wales at the Plas Menai centre.

Economy Secretary Ken Skates said: “The Tourism Investment Support Scheme helps the industry to invest in better quality facilities and accommodation which is necessary to improve the tourism experience in Wales and grow the sector even further.

“Visitors are prepared to pay more for a higher quality experience and investment supports higher performance and drives profitability.

“Recent investment in North Wales has been key in delivering iconic, reputation changing attractions such as Zip World and Surf Snowdonia.

“Lonely Planet’s listing of North Wales as number four in their ten best places in the world to visit in 2017 was an excellent start to the year, especially as they mentioned the way the former industrial landscape has been reinvented and repurposed to create a series of truly world class attractions.

“This recognition is testimony to the commitment and partnership working between the public and private sector to deliver a world class visitor experience.

“Welsh Government investment has also been used to support long established family businesses such as Greenwood and Plas yn Dre to refresh their product and be a step ahead of customer demand.”

In the last three years TISS support has created 349 jobs in north Wales, safeguarded a further 54 and has induced investment in the region’s tourism sector of £10.4m,

Zip World Commercial Director Sean Taylor said the investment in companies like theirs was more than paid back in additional tax revenues.

He said: “We have never been dependent on grant support but the money has helped push forward developments more quickly.

“I think there has been criticism in the past about money spent on white elephants so the criteria is strict on where and how the money is spent.

“With Zip World we have always delivered on the support we have been given, surpassing the targets set for job creation.

“We have then paid this money back in corporation tax, additional income tax from the jobs created, and VAT.

“We now have a track record of delivering on our projects.”

A study last November showed that Zip World had helped pump £121m into the North Wales economy.

At that point they had created 218 roles and more jobs have been added since then.

Here is a full list of the grants that have been offered over the last three years:

2016/2017

■ Zip World Ltd & Zip World Fforest Ltd (Signage) Bethesda & Betws Y Coed, Gwynedd £11,500

■ Erskine Arms, Conwy, £140,000

■ Conwy Adventure Leisure Ltd (Signage) Dolgarrog, Conwy £7,947

■ Furnace Farm Ltd, Bodnant Welsh Food Centre (Signage) Tal y Cafn Conwy £3,489

■ National Beekeeping Centre CIC (Signage)Tal y Cafn, Conwy, £1,676

■ Zip World Forest Ltd, Betws Y Coed, Conwy, £320,000

■ Sport Wales, Plas Menai National Outdoor Centre Caernarfon, £170,000

■ Ty Glyndwr, Caernarfon, £25,000

■ Plas Yn Dre, Bala £72,000

■ Dylans Restaurant, Llandudno £190,000

■ Pontcysyllte Tea Rooms Llangollen £30,000

2015/2016

Catch 22 Brasserie Limited Valley Anglesey £65,000 Trecks

Bunkhouse Llan Ffestiniog Gwynedd £5,000

Greenwood Forest Park Y Felinheli Gwynedd £250,000

The Crown Hotel Barmouth Gwynedd £85,400

Enoteca Y Felinheli Gwynedd £30,000

Kinmel Arms Abergele Conwy £7,257

Iscoyd Park LLP Whitchurch Wrexham £35,000

Venu Bar Company Ltd Pwllheli Gwynedd £38,250

The Trotting Mare Caravan Park Ltd Overton Wrexham £5,000

2014/2015