Welsh Government thinks its 'step-by-step' plan should stop huge influx of tourists into Snowdonia

A "step-by-step" reopening of the tourism industry will help calm anxiety of a major influx of tourists on Monday, the Welsh Government hopes.

Guidance which prevents people from travelling outside their local area is to be removed on Monday in Wales, allowing people to travel across the country.

It means people can travel freely around Wales and England.

Addressing concerns that the reopening of the industry could see similar scenes to those just before the lockdown was put in place where thousands of people descended on Snowdonia, Mr Drakeford said the reopening was being done slowly.

Speaking at the Welsh Government's daily press briefing, he said: "Of course that has been a concern of ours which is why we have taken this gradual step by step approach.

"There are communities - particularly in the north west and south east of Wales - who have had very few cases indeed over the last few months and they have had understandable anxieties about reopening again.

"But that's why we want to see the tourism industry gradually build up."

From Monday people will be able to take day trips, before self -contained accommodation is allowed to reopen from the following week.

He added: "We need to build it up gradually, we need to make sure that we have facilities in place to give people good advice about the way they need to behave in responsibly using the facilities that are available."

Mr Drakeford said that they needed to ensure the community was with them as they began opening the tourism industry up more and more.