Tourism is a fragmented industry largely made up of many small businesses.
This is particularly true in Wales where the rural nature of much of the country has given rise to many small accommodation and attraction providers. For this reason government has seen fit to intervene with assistance for the industry through national and regional tourism organisations. Additionally, most local authorities also support their tourism economies through their leisure and economic development functions. Its grant in aid is currently some 15m per annum, and appointments to the Board itself are made in accordance with NAfW public appointments procedures. They inherited the consultative, membership and representative functions of the Regional Tourism Councils and the marketing and executive functions of the WTB's former regional offices.