, 1794 The
Wye Valley witnessed the birth of British
tourism in the 18th century. The area became widely known after
Observations on the River Wye by the Reverend
William Gilpin was published in 1782. The first illustrated tour guide to be published in Britain, it helped travellers locate and enjoy the most
picturesque places, such as
Tintern Abbey. A particular attraction of the Wye Valley was its river scenery, and the many guidebooks, engravings and paintings encouraged a continuing steady stream of visitors which grew after the building of a new
turnpike road up the valley in 1822 and the opening of a rail line in 1865. However, when
George Borrow wrote
Wild Wales in 1862 it is clear from his descriptions that the notion of tourism in more mountainous parts of Wales hardly existed except for the most intrepid traveller. Indeed, he records that many locals regarded the mountainous and wild landscapes as monstrous and ugly rather than romantic or picturesque. However, later in the 19th century the concept of mountains and valleys as both interesting and visually pleasing landscapes developed; and
North Wales in particular benefited, as towns and villages such as
Betws-y-Coed developed to accommodate the increasing numbers of visitors. The changing face of industrialisation in the
North West of
England and in the
Midlands, with increasing pay rates and the provision of
paid time off for industrial workers, allowed many people to enjoy an annual holiday for the first time. Many chose to visit
seaside resorts such as
Llandudno,
Prestatyn and
Rhyl in
North Wales,
Aberystwyth and
Barmouth in
Mid Wales and
Barry,
Tenby,
Swansea and
Penarth in
South Wales, which among others were developed to respond to this trend. ==Infrastructure==