A £6m project to refurbish Harlech Castle has resulted in an increase of more than 35 per cent in visitors to the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The figures were revealed by Cabinet secretary for economy and infrastructure, Ken Skates, on a visit to the iconic site this week as he officially opened a new Education Resource Centre, completed as part of the project.

The improvement works were carried out by the Welsh Government’s historic environment service (Cadw) with funding from the Heritage Tourism Project (HTP), which has supported 40 historic sites across Wales since its launch in 2009.

The project, which focuses on enhancing visitor experiences and attracting new audiences to Welsh heritage sites, has delivered new displays and interpretation, better access, and collaborations with local arts organisations to bring the sites to life.

The increase in visitors has seen income rise by 69 per cent and the refurbished shop has welcomed a sales increase of 439 per cent.

Among the changes made to the castle was the instalment of a “floating” footbridge which allowed visitors to enter the site through the original entrance for the first time in more than 600 years.

Also benefitting from the investment was the former Harlech Castle hotel which saw the ground floor transformed into a modern visitor centre complete with a shop, café, toilets and interpretation area, while the first and second floors were refurbished into five-star apartments.

“The aim of this project was to better present the Castle’s history and improve its visitor offer to create a first-class heritage attraction to reflect its World Heritage Site status,” Mr Skates said.

“The redevelopment has established Harlech as a year-round, all-weather destination with the aim of extending the tourism season into the shoulder season.

“Across Wales, our historic environment supports more than 30,000 jobs and contributes over £840m to Wales’s economy each year, so it’s vital that we continue to invest in strengthening our heritage tourism offer to attract even more visitors.