Tourism Industry update - February 26

The Tourism Business Ambassador Scheme, funded by the UK Government Shared Prosperity Fund, is off to a strong start. Several local businesses have already signed up, integrating the Ambassador course into staff induction and training, and receiving bespoke one-to-one support from a leading industry supplier.

Businesses participating so far include:

• Gwili Railway (completed)
• National Botanic Garden of Wales (Completed)
• Ty Mawr Brechfa (Registered)
• National Wool Museum (Registered)
• Diod (Registered)
• The Cawdor (Awaiting registration)

With 10 spaces available in the pilot, 3 spots remain. Don’t miss this opportunity to strengthen your team, enhance visitor experiences, and showcase Carmarthenshire’s culture, heritage, and hospitality.

Organised by Carmarthenshire County Council’s Tourism Development team, the first Carmarthenshire Wedding Showcase, held at the National Botanic Garden of Wales, brought together more than 100 wedding professionals from across the county. Venues, accommodation providers, suppliers, registrars and celebrants took part, showcasing the strength, creativity and diversity of the local wedding sector.

Featuring over 35 exhibitors alongside inspiring presentations and practical digital workshops, the Showcase encouraged collaboration, sparked new partnerships, and shared fresh ideas for future growth. The event also coincided with the launch of Carmarthenshire’s new wedding directory and a campaign, promoting the county as “the most romantic place in Wales.” The targeted campaign, which went live before Christmas, runs over key romantic periods including Santes Dwynwen and Valentine’s Day, supporting local businesses and highlighting Carmarthenshire as a top wedding destination.

With February Half Term and St David’s Day just around the corner, now is the perfect time for tourism businesses to list your events and workshops on Discover Carmarthenshire. By adding your activities to the official county tourism platform, you can maximise publicity opportunities, increase visitor bookings, and gain social media coverage through Carmarthenshire County Council’s channels.

Whether it’s family-friendly workshops, guided tours or special experiences, every listing helps showcase the best of what Carmarthenshire has to offer and ensures your business reaches locals and visitors planning their half-term and St David’s Day activities.

Don’t miss out add your events today and make the most of these key promotional opportunities!

And for even greater reach, remember to add your event to VisitWales.com to benefit from additional national-level promotion.

The newly opened section of the Tywi Valley Path, from Llanarthne to Llandeilo, received glowing praise during a recent influencer visit. Travel bloggers This Girl Walks and Wales on My Doorstep explored the route, sharing their experience with their followers and reaching over 20,000 people.

Both influencers were hugely complimentary about the scenery, accessibility, and overall experience, with many followers already expressing excitement. The full section of the Tywi Valley Path is due to open later this year, and anticipation is building for visitors eager to explore this beautiful new route.

This visit highlights the growing profile of Carmarthenshire’s walking and outdoor experiences, showcasing the county’s landscapes to a wide audience of engaged walkers and travel enthusiasts.

Exciting news for tourism businesses: Visit Wales’ AI courses are now open for registration!

Designed to be practical and accessible, the “AI Made Practical: Simple Tools to Support Your Tourism Business” course will help you explore how AI can improve marketing, customer engagement, and operational efficiency.

Don’t miss this opportunity to future-proof your tourism business with the latest digital tools.