AROUND 50,000 extra day visitors travelled to Caerphilly county last year, taking the total for the year to just over two million.

This is a three per cent rise on 2010’s figure, with visitors spending five per cent more on accommodation during the year- in total, visitors to Caerphilly spent £43,590,000 in 2011.

Some of the major attractions include Cwmcarn Forest Drive, which now has more visitors than any other single attraction in Gwent.

Between January and December 2011, 192,243 people flocked there to walk, camp and cycle - which is nearly twice as many as the local authority’s traditional tourist heavyweight, Caerphilly Castle welcomed.

The recent 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic has also provided a big boost to tourism in the area.

Over the weekend of the anniversary, 1,000 people travelled to Gelligroes Mill in Pontllanfraith to learn about Artie Moore, a radio enthusiast who picked up a distress signal from the Titanic on his home-made kit.

After its success, an exhibition will now run all summer while a further 1,000 people visited an exhibition on Mr Moore at the Winding House, New Tredegar, during its first 10 days in April.

With the Olympic torch relay, BBC Proms in the Park and the Tour of Britain cycling heading to the area this year, the local authority’s officers are confident the figure can be increased again this year.