Pembrokeshire holiday park celebrates surge in winter staycations
Bluestone National Park Resort has seen a 15 per cent year-on-year increase in bookings for 2025 since Christmas Day.
The park said this is a sign of a staycation boom in 2025.
The majority of bookings are from guests choosing to stay longer and coming from further afield.
Demand within Wales has seen a significant rise, with nights booked increasing by 35 per cent.
The park said this shows Pembrokeshire's rising popularity as a natural alternative to crowded tourist hotspots across the UK.
This trend is reflected in recent Mintel data (2024), which shows that 86 per cent of UK staycationers in 2025 are seeking quieter, more peaceful destinations.
Significant growth compared to 2024 has come from guests outside Wales, alongside a rise in additional nights booked by visitors from England, with bookings from Bristol and Bath alone growing by 10 per cent.
Ireland is also contributing to the resort's growth, with bookings up 10 per cent year-on-year, particularly from Wexford, Dublin, and Cork.
Nestled in the Pembrokeshire countryside, Bluestone offers a blend of outdoor adventures, luxury lodges, and proximity to award-winning towns and beaches.
William McNamara, CEO of Bluestone, said: "These strong bookings show that more families than ever are choosing Bluestone and west Wales for their UK holiday, and it's fantastic to see such strong demand at what is traditionally a quieter time of year.
"Pembrokeshire is becoming a real alternative to busier UK holiday hotspots like Devon and Cornwall, offering some of the country's best beaches, fantastic food and drink, and a wealth of activities for all ages.
"It's great to see more visitors travelling from further afield and staying longer to enjoy everything the region has to offer.
"At the same time, we're proud that so many of our Welsh guests continue to return year after year, with demand in Wales rising significantly, including a 35 per cent increase in nights booked."
In 2024, Bluestone's repeat guest booking rate held strongly at 39 per cent.
With demand at an all-time high, guests are encouraged to book early to avoid disappointment.
Bluestone also offers Mini Adventurer Breaks for families with young children who are able to visit midweek.
These include a number of complementary activities, making them the perfect choice for those who can take advantage of off-peak bookings.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Faked news articles appear online promoting cryptocurrency schemes
Fake news articles are appearing online which promote cryptocurrency schemes - some of which are designed to look like genuine WalesOnline articles and featuring phony BBC footage. Links for the articles have surfaced on Facebook to readers with headlines such as 'Online platforms allow investing in stocks and cryptocurrencies' and 'Now anyone can become an investor'. One article, made to look like a genuine WalesOnline article but with the url ending with even had a picture of First Minister Eluned Morgan and a made-up 'interview' between her and journalists. READ MORE: We loved meeting at our village pub so much we took it over READ MORE: The staggering Whatsapp messages sent to the new Archbishop of Wales by her colleagues The quote 'this is a special investment system, supported by the state and designed for the earnings of ordinary Welsh citizens' is attributed to her, but the First Minister has not said this and the interview is fake. Another fake article made to look like it was published on WalesOnline, complete with the website's usual logo at the top of the page, had the headline 'Welsh Government launches state investment platform', inviting people to 'safely invest and multiply their capital threshold'. This is categorically a fake advertisement and people who see such items or articles on Facebook or on any other social media platform are advised not to click on the link, and certainly not to sign up to any investments offered within it. A spokesman for the Welsh Government said: 'This is a fake advert. We notified the Advertising Standards Authority last month and they had it taken down immediately. "We would never ask people to invest money, and we ask anyone who spots similar fake adverts to report them to us or the Advertising Standards Authority.' WalesOnline Editor David James said: 'There are fake articles circulating which appear to be news pieces encouraging people to invest in cryptocurrency schemes. "One of these articles has been designed to look as if it is on WalesOnline. It is being promoted on Facebook and claims that the scheme is backed by the Welsh Government. 'We would urge readers to look at the url of an article if they are concerned about its legitimacy. These articles appear to be hosted on All genuine walesonline articles are hosted on Fact-checkers Full Fact give the following tips for spotting fake news: A trusted source is your safest option. Look for the little clues: phony URLs, bad spelling, or awkward layouts. On social media, check their handle to verify the name matches. Read the whole story and watch out for images, numbers, and quotes that don't have sources or that might have been taken out of context. If it looks too good to be true, it probably is. If you spot what you believe to be a fake WalesOnlines story, send the URL and where you saw it to newsdesk@ and we can report it. Meta has removed stories reported on Facebook but new stories have re-surfaced. WalesOnline approached Meta for a comment. Get daily breaking news updates on your phone by joining our WhatsApp community here. We occasionally treat members to special offers, promotions and ads from us and our partners. See our Privacy Notice.
Forbes
a day ago
- Forbes
Rock Band Cardinal Black Recommends Welsh Travel Sites
Welsh rock band Cardinal Black poses triumphantly after their first concert in New York City at a sold-out Gramercy Theatre. Cedric Perrier Most American travelers are unfamiliar with the riches of South Wales Valleys in Wales. They are very familiar, though, to the members of Cardinal Black, a Welsh rock band that performed a stellar debut concert in New York this month before a sold-out audience at the Gramercy Theatre and then embarked on a U.S. and Canadian tour that ends Aug. 30. 'It's a picturesque part of the world with a strong national identity and an abundance of character, history and heart,' says Chris Buck, Cardinal Black's super-talented guitarist who, like all the band members, hails from the region. 'There'll be a welcome (for Americans) in the hillsides.' There are several can't-miss sites in South Wales Valleys, Buck says. The region, located north of the English border and Welsh cities Cardiff and Swansea, extends about 60 miles from Carmarthenshire in the west to Monmouthshire in the east. 'Even though I've been there innumerable times,' Buck says, Big Pit, our national coal museum in Blaenavon, always has a profound impact to see the dangerous, claustrophobic conditions that my grandfather and great grandfather worked in for most of their lives. There's also the Roman fortress in Caerleon, one of the best-preserved examples of a Roman amphitheater in the United Kingdom.' The South Wales Valleys, according to the Welsh tourism website offer 'big green spaces that are perfect for walking and mountain biking.' The website suggests a visit to Aberdare, a town dubbed 'Queen of the Hills' that sits 'at the base of a wide and grand valley.' The town has quaint cafes, restaurants, pubs and bars and is 'the cradle of the British film industry,' where filmmaker William Haggard produced more than 30 films. Members of the Welsh rock band Cardinal Black take in the sights at Newgale Beach in Pembrokeshire, West Wales. Lewys Mann About 23 miles south of Aberdare and just south of South Wales Valleys, Buck recommends a visit to St. Fagan's National Museum of History in Cardiff, Wales' capital and largest city. The museum is located four miles west of the city center. 'It has dozens of meticulously relocated historic Welsh buildings,' he says, 'including a cenotaph commemorating, amongst others, my great uncle who was shot down and killed over Berlin (in World War II) in 1945.' Cardiff Castle is 'a notable part of Cardiff's history and skyline, reportedly first commissioned by William the Conqueror and with remains from the Norman and Victorian eras,' Buck says. 'It's also a pretty epic place for a first gig, as we found out in late 2021! Maybe we should go back!' Caerphilly Castle, about a 20-minute drive north of Cardiff Castle, is the biggest Welsh castle and worth a visit, Buck says. It also was a good place for a high school prom, he adds. Buck and his wife had their wedding reception at The Skirrid Inn in the Brecon Beacons mountain range adjacent to South Wales Valleys. 'At nearly a thousand years old, it is Wales' oldest pub and one of my favorite places in the world,' he says. 'It has a slightly macabre history, having been frequented by the infamous Hanging Judge Jeffreys, who presided over the execution of seemingly every petty criminal in Wales in the 17th Century. The subsequent rope burns are still visible on the wooden beam in the pub's stairwell, and, perhaps not surprisingly, it's reported that the pub is prodigiously haunted. Granted, it's not your typical tourist destination, but it's fairly indicative of Wales' varied and sometimes dark history.' Brecon Beacons National Park includes four mountain ranges, according to and is 'full of grassy moorlands, heather-clad escarpments and old red sandstone peaks, softened by weather and time.' The park has more than 2,000 miles of footpaths and is a favorite of mountain bikers. Outside his home region, Buck has other recommendations for travelers to Wales. 'West Wales, particularly Pembrokeshire, has always been a firm favorite for family holidays, not just my own, but pretty much every family east of Swansea!' he exclaims. 'Joking aside, it's an extremely beautiful part of the world and home to St. David's, the U.K's smallest, quaintest city.' Members of Cardinal Black (left to right), vocalist Tom Hollister, guitarist Chris Buck and drummer Adam Roberts, stand behind the Welsh flag in West Wales. Lewys Mann Since starting his own family, Buck has a newfound appreciation of Tenby, a town known for its harbor and beaches about a tw0-hour drive west of Cardiff. 'Although fairly touristy, it's a quirky, incredibly pretty little seaside town,' he says. 'Further north (more than a three-hour drive from Tenby), Snowdonia National Park is stunningly beautiful and home to Wales' highest peak. The Wye Valley on the Wales-England border is also incredibly scenic and home to Tintern Abbey. For all its beauty, Tintern Abbey will always make me think of overhearing someone in an adjacent pub inform children that the Luftwaffe was responsible for its state of disrepair, despite Henry VIII having beaten them to it by some 400 years.' Laugharne, about a 90-minute drive northwest of Cardiff, was the home of poet Dylan Thomas, and visitors can see the Boathouse where he worked. 'I'm convinced that, at some point on the drive into Laugharne, you pass through a portal that takes you back into 1950,' Buck says. 'You're transported to a simpler, bygone era replete with charming cafes, bookshops, pubs and Dylan's Boathouse and writing shed. Browns Hotel may not be the dingy, smoke-filled boozer of Dylan's era, but Laugharne still has a character and charm uniquely its own.' Browns Hotel was Thomas's favorite local pub. When he lived in New York, he loved the White Horse Tavern, which apparently reminded him of the Laugharne pub. Cardinal Black's visit to New York was brief—the band headed to Toronto a day after its sold-out New York concert—but Buck noticed some similarities between the Big Apple and Cardiff. 'Obviously, they're world's apart in terms of scale,' he explains. 'New York's a global metropolis; Cardiff's a small capital city of a country with half the population of New York City. I only had a few days in New York City, but I got a feel for a similar sense of local pride in its identity. 'I spoke to no end of New Yorkers excited to tell me about their city and offer advice on where to visit,' Buck continues. 'You'll encounter a similar enthusiasm for their city from someone from Cardiff, especially around (soccer) match days or gigs in the stadium. Oasis recently opened their comeback tour at Cardiff's Principality Stadium, and the atmosphere in Cardiff around that show was electric. There was definitely a vibrancy and energy around Cardiff that I sensed, however fleetingly, in New York.' Cardinal Black concludes its North American tour Aug. 30 in Camino, California, and, heading back to the United Kingdom, Buck will have fond memories of New York City. 'I fell head over heels in love with it,' he says. 'Admittedly, a truly memorable sold-out show at the Gramercy Theatre probably predisposed me to like the place a little more, but there's something so impactful about rounding a corner and being confronted with buildings and places that you've only ever seen in films. It's truly iconic and awe-inspiring. I'm looking forward to going back when we have a little more time to actually soak in the city and not run around collecting backline (equipment needed for a live show). First dates of a tour are always a little hectic, and it's a shame those dates fell while in a city that I'm so desperate to see.'
New York Post
2 days ago
- New York Post
Son of VA bowling billionaire wins bid to seal bitter divorce case after wife said he cheated with nanny, dumped her on Christmas Day
The son of a Virginia bowling billionaire embroiled in a bitter divorce worth tens of millions won a bid to seal his divorce case ahead of a courthouse showdown next week with his estranged psychologist wife. Race car-loving scion Peter Goodwin was granted his request by an Albermarle County Circuit Court judge Monday to have the entire divorce case sealed, stretching back to when he first filed to split from wife and mother of his four children Cara Goodwin in January, court records show. 5 Peter Goodwin has won a bid to seal the divorce case he filed against his estranged wife Cara Goodwin. Advertisement The sealing order means that all of the court papers in the case will no longer be publicly accessible, including Cara's accusations that Peter dumped her on Christmas Day 2023 as she held their 4-month-old baby and his papers admitting to having an affair with their former nanny Annette Lombard. The estranged couple, both 40, are slated to face each other in court in Charlottesville on Aug. 27 in a hearing that is currently slated to be open to the public, court records show. 5 Cara accused Peter of having an affair with their former nanny Annette Lombard (pictured). Facebook / Annette Lombard Advertisement Peter, whose dad is uber-successful entrepreneur William Goodwin, proceeded to spend the months after he announcement cavorting with Lombard, 27, and engaging 'in adulterous acts' with her at fancy hotels like the Four Seasons in Surfside, Fla. and at a ski resort in Jackson Hole, Wyo, court papers alleged. Lombard initially began working for the couple around 2019 when she was 21 and an undergrad at the University of Virginia — which William sat on the board of four years after being appointed by former Gov. George Allen and again by ex-Gov. Bob McDonnell. By 2020, Lombard started working at Peter's office and was eventually promoted to vice president of the company, Cara alleged in court papers. 5 A race car-loving Peter is the son of Virginia billionaire William Goodwin. Advertisement One text exchange revealed the extent of hostilities between the separated duo, according to a report by the Daily Mail. 'Did your family find out what really happened and that you were lying to them too?' Cara wrote. 'I offered you $45 million and a lot of custody for years of marriage,' Peter replied. 'You trounce around your palace with 2 housekeepers and nanny and still think I owe you more. You can't even engage in conversation unless it's 100% what you want.' 5 Peter and Cara share four children. Advertisement 'I am far from perfect and have surely made some mistakes,' Peter continued. 'I felt I didn't like the way you treated me or made me feel. People get divorced because of anger and resentment, not for some one-time thrill.' 'You have no idea how to coparent… instead you threaten me about the schedule. Disparage me. Restrict my time with the kids… stomp on my boundaries,' Peter said. 5 Cara accused Peter of breaking up with her on Christmas day 2023 as she held their 4-month-old daughter. Instagram/parentingtranslator William Goodwin had his hand in a slew of businesses including co-owning the AMF Bowling chain and running investment entities CCA Industries and the Riverstone Group — which has interests in everything from Kiawah Island Golf Resort in South Carolina to the tony Jefferson Hotel in Richmond, Va. William has donated tens of millions of dollars to help fund education and cancer research. A rep for Peter declined to comment. Cara's lawyer didn't immediately return a request for comment.
