THOUSANDS of visitors flocked to Harlech and Caernarfon castles during the summer months following the arrival of the now-iconic Cadw Dragon, boosting visitor figures by 86 per cent on the previous year.
The visitor figures revealed by the Welsh Government show that 135,000 families explored Cadw sites between July and September, contributing to a total figure of more than 60 thousand the highest number ever recorded for this quarter.
During the dragon’s tour of north Wales from July to September, 97,574 visited Caernarfon Castle and 53,201 visited Harlech Castle which was an increase of up to 86 per cent compared to 2015.
The figures have been welcomed by Ken Skates, Cabinet secretary for economy and infrastructure in Wales, which includes culture, tourism and heritage.
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He said: “This quarter has brought with it a hoard of impressive achievements for Cadw sites across Wales.
“Old records have been broken and new ones set as castles, abbeys and other historic monuments welcomed the largest number of July to September visitors in Cadw’s history.
“It shows that innovative ideas like the Cadw Dragon help to spark a renewed interest in our heritage, which not only has a positive impact on our historic environment, but also on Wales’ wider economy."
A one-day stop in Caernarfon town square led to the town’s castle seeing a 30 per cent increase in visitors that same day, while neighbouring site Harlech Castle, where the dragon spent the remainder of September, attracted 36 per cent more visitors.