More than a quarter of hotel and bed and breakfast operators in Wales admit to still being unable to take online bookings, according to a survey.

The finding comes as tourist accommodation in Wales gears up to receive the annual flood of visitors to the country during the main school holiday period.

Conducted among clients of professional advisors Broomfield & Alexander, which has a base in Newport, and MHA, the national association of chartered accountants and business advisors, the annual Travel & Tourism Survey records 26 per cent of B&B operators reporting that guests have to phone or email to check availability and costs before booking.

But the three-quarters of respondents who are online are stealing a march.

Half the respondents reported a year-on-year increase in online bookings, and overall, the survey revealed a 16 per cent increase in the ability to take online bookings direct.

“This growth in direct transactions is good to see, especially as online booking agents have been increasingly dominating the UK hotel and bed and breakfast sector,” said Matthew Thomas, of Broomfield & Alexander.

“This trend should lead to a greater online presence and more competitive offerings.

“The survey results for 2015 point strongly towards growing business confidence and are encouraging for the development of the hospitality industry. Indeed, 64 per cent of respondents reported an increase in profits over the past 12 months, representing a rising trend in domestic trading conditions, with 59 per cent saying that they expect to see an increase over the next 12 months.”