Some attractions did well despite the bad weather

More than 200 were asked how business had been over the summer months for the Welsh Assembly Government survey.

Two-thirds said their turnover had been the same - or better - than the previous year.

However, 40% said the number of visitors was down with the vast majority blaming the bad weather.

This summer appears to have been Britain's wettest since rainfall records began in 1914, according to provisional data from the UK's Met Office.

If you minus a couple of hundred people who are normally around to buy drinks and food then that is going to make a difference to the whole area Jayne Wainwright

Although the record rainfall was driven by conditions in England, parts of Powys and the Vale of Glamorgan were among areas of Wales hit by flooding.

One Llandudno hotelier said the bad weather had ruined what should have been a good year.

Margaret Longmire Bounds, who runs the Waverley Hotel said: "Unless we get a really good September to make up for a very, very bad July, it will not be a good season at all."

Jayne Wainwright, the director of the Tyn y Coed Inn in Capel Curig said business had been "up and down" through the season, "mostly due to the bad weather".

"Out-door people in general are fairly robust and tend to go on holiday whatever the weather's like, so we've probably done a lot better than the seaside areas," Ms Wainwright said.

However, on a couple of occasions local campsites had been "underwater", she said.

The seaside resort of Barry was hit by flash floods

"If you minus a couple of hundred people who are normally around to buy drinks and food then that is going to make a difference to the whole area."

But despite the weather, 59% of respondents to the Visit Wales survey said they had had the same number - or more - visitors than the previous year.

The National Botanic Garden of Wales in Carmarthenshire said visitors had increased by 9% on the previous July - and 12% on those in August 2006.

Head of operations Ray Butt, said it had been a "very busy and excellent season".

Heritage Minister Rhodri Glyn Thomas said: "Given the appalling weather of June and July, I don't think that anyone is surprised that there has been a dip in the fortunes of some tourism operators."

'More resilient'

Mr Thomas added he was "heartened" by the level of confidence the industry had shown at prospects for the autumn.

The minister said he was not worried 2007's wet summer would keep visitors away.

"Most people will see that the law of averages probably tells us that next year will be a lot better than this year.

"If they enjoyed their visit to Wales and the weather wasn't too good, hopefully they'll come back and have far better weather next year."

Julian Burrell, chairman of the Wales Tourism Alliance, said the industry had changed over the last five years and was not so reliant on the weather.

"I think we are a lot more confident industry now, we've got a lot less of the rollercoaster peaks and troughs of business.

"The wettest summer on record is bound to have some effect, bound to have some effect on people in coastal industries especially so we can't get over that.

"But, as I say, the industry is a lot more resilient than it used to be."

Mr Burrell added the foot-an-mouth outbreak in Surrey in August had "a very small impact" on Welsh tourism as all agencies had reacted very quickly.