Blaenau Ffestiniog is a historical mining community in Wales, in the historical county of Merionethshire, although currently part of the unitary authority of Gwynedd. The population of the area of Ffestiniog was 4,875 according to the 2011 demographics, consisting of the nearby town of Llan Ffestiniog, which makes it the 4th most heavily populated neighborhood in Gwynedd, after Bangor, Caernarfon, and Llandeiniolen. Llan Ffestiniog's population of 864 places the population of Blaenau itself at around 4,000. Blaenau Ffestiniog went to one time the 2nd biggest community in North Wales, behind only Wrexham. After reaching 12,000 at the peak growth of the slate industry, the population fell with the decrease in the need for its slate. Today the town relies heavily on visitors, who come for tourist attractions that include the close-by Ffestiniog Railway and Llechwedd Slate Caverns. As the slate market declined, the population of Blaenau Ffestiniog has also decreased, to 4,875 in 2011. At the same time the tourist industry has actually ended up being the town's biggest employer. The restored Ffestiniog Railway and also the Llechwedd Slate Caverns are popular traveler destinations, as is the Antur Stiniog downhill hill cycling centre. Recent attractions consist of the Zip World Titan zip-line site, which likewise currently includes the Bounce Below slate mine task centre.