Visit Wales Industry
Roadshows 2018 – book now
Visit Wales will be on
the road in September for the latest series of tourism industry roadshows to
explore how you can work with us on the Year of Discovery in
2019. You can learn about the latest plans for our 2019 marketing theme
and we'll give you a flavour of the campaign creative and content calendar for
the year. We'll also share news of how we're moving towards a greater
digital integration of our tourism and business facing websites through the
new and exciting Wales Digital Gateway project. Come and find out how you
can get involved!
Guest
speakers will include a travel writer, offering
suggestions on the kind of information the media need for travel
articles, and a local tourism industry speaker who will share their experience
of working with Visit Wales. We will
have a showcase of Welsh food and drink on display throughout the day and free
business advice will also be available during the breaks and at
lunchtime.
The events
will start at 9:30 am and finish at approx. 4:00 pm -
-
South East Region, 11 September
2018 Venue
- The Parkway Hotel & Spa,
-
South West Region, 13 September
2018 Venue
- Folly Farm,
-
North Region (session A), 20
September 2018 Venue - Tre-Ysgawen Hall,
-
Mid Region, 21 September 2018
Venue
- TyGlyn,
-
North Region (session B), 25
October 2018 Venue
- Tŷ Pawb,
Find out more information here and book
now to avoid disappointment as places are limited due to
venue capacity.
Representative for Welsh Government on Visit Britain Board – new
appointment
Welsh Government is currently seeking a confident individual to
represent Welsh Government and contribute effectively to the overall work of the Visit
Britain Board.
As
a Visit Britain Board member, chief responsibilities will be to
- Provide effective
contribution to the Board and support to the Chair of the board as necessary.
- Assist the Chair
to ensure that the policies and strategy of Visit Britain reflect and drive
forward the UK Government’s strategy for tourism through the Tourism Action
Plan, and deliver on the Management Agreement between DCMS and Visit Britain.
- Champion Britain
overseas as a visitor destination and support effectiveness of Visit Britain’s
network of 20 overseas offices.
- Ensure that Visit
Britain works transparently and closely with Visit Wales.
- Ensure that Visit
Britain maximises investment in tourism and the promotion of Britain (including
promotional activities on behalf of Wales) overseas through partner engagement
and commercial activity, ensuring such activity remains within the parameters
of public sector spending.
- Achieve alignment
and coordination across an extensive network of key stakeholders, particularly
the national tourist boards, Destination Management Organisations, local
government and Local Enterprise Partnerships (local authorities and businesses
working together) tourism industry leaders and industry representative
organisations.
The
successful candidate will have the ability to demonstrate experience at
senior/board level in international or domestic tourism or a related arena and
as required, will attend
the Welsh Government’s ‘Tourism Management Board’ meetings and provide feedback
from the Visit Britain Board meetings.
Find out more about the
required criteria and apply here.
Closing date: 10 September 2018, 4pm.
Year of the Sea: ‘Coasts Alive’
Our Year
of the Sea in-Wales summer campaign ‘Coasts Alive’ has started!
The
campaign aims to drive engagement amongst Welsh consumers and encourage them to
experience the events and festivals taking place along our coast, and entice people to take more day trips and
short-breaks.
The events
listed are just some of those taking place, with lots more listed on
Visitwales.com events page. To get your
event listed contact: vw-steward@nvg.net
The
campaign will include a partnership with Media Wales including a pull –out
calendar in the Western Mail and Daily Post,
a radio campaign with Heart FM , Coasts Alive collateral including
posters and leaflets in high footfall areas, ITV outdoor broadcasts from events
and travel offers with Arriva trains.
You can
find out more at www.visitwales.com/coastsalive
New Golf Tourism Stakeholder Group
Whilst the golf tourism strategy for Wales came to an
end in 2017 Visit Wales continues to recognise the importance of golf to the
overall Wales tourism offer. In that
context many leading industry stakeholders have made clear they do not wish to
lose the momentum generated and want to consider potential ways forward for
golf tourism promotion in Wales.
Key golf stakeholders and Visit Wales are therefore
inviting the golf industry to attend a meeting, to discuss the formation of a
golf stakeholder group. Should there be sufficient buy in and commitment from
the sector, the group will help develop, influence and deliver marketing
priorities for golf in Wales going forward.
Emails have been sent inviting the golf industry to
attend the 2 regional events listed below.
If you have not received your invite and wish to attend please let us
know using the contacts below by August 1st.
South and Mid - Friday 10th August 2018 at
Celtic Manor Resort 10am- 12pm. Contact Pamela.Davies@gov.wales
North and Mid - Wednesday 5th September at Conwy Golf Club 2-4pm. Contact carol.beard@nwt.co.uk
Not
quite ready for full grading inspection? Take advantage of our Advisory Visits
If you are an accommodation provider
Visit Wales advisory visits are available where you will receive face-to-face
advice on achieving a specific star grade. The advice given offers an insight
into your visitor’s experience and expectation and highlights the strengths and
weaknesses within your business so that you can enhance
customer satisfaction.
If you are new to grading, the advice is invaluable if
you are trying to achieve a specific grade. It could also save you money, as
you will know what is required before your official grading visit. Find
out more information and book a visit here.
How well does your business tell the story of Welsh food and drink
to visitors/customers?
Can you say
yes to any of the following?
- My
food offering provides visitors with a distinctively Welsh/local experience
- I
use local/Welsh food and drink producers
- I
describe dishes on my menu to reflect Welsh/local sourcing
- I
use the Welsh language on my menu and I and my front of house staff are able to
welcome customers in Welsh
- My
front of house staff know about our local suppliers and tell customers about
our homemade items and regional specialities
- I
use my website/social media to promote Welsh/local food on my menu
If you can
say yes to all six, get in touch by emailing
us here to show us what you are doing and you could be featured in our next
newsletter.
For
information on how important it is to your business to offer Welsh food and
drink, menu ideas and other tips and hints, take a look at our Food
Tourism Toolkit.
Don’t forget to Be
Adventure Smart!
Launched during Year of the
Sea and with assistance from the Visit Wales Tourism Product Innovation Fund
and others, the Adventure Smart Wales campaign asks visitors
to take a little time to plan their day to help ensure that they’ll be safe and
comfortable whilst enjoying our beautiful coast and countryside. Whatever their
activity, adventuresmartwales.com provides practical
information such as what gear to wear, the weather forecast and tides/sunset
times. Take a look at the toolkit for tourism businesses to help spread
the word and get your customers out enjoying great Welsh adventures!
Adventure hub to celebrate the best of
Valleys natural resources and heritage
A
£4 million project to transform the Monmouthshire and Brecon canal into an
adventure hub has had the green light for EU funding. Tourism Minister, Lord Elis-Thomas this month visited
Pontymoile canal basin, Pontypool to meet with project partners and see the
plans for the area and said: “Projects such
this one are at the heart of our ambition to help Valleys communities
celebrate and make the most of their natural resources and heritage. Our aim
through the Tourism Attractor Destination programme is to focus efforts
and investment on key projects in each region so we have a real impact on
Wales’ profile in this globally competitive market. This development will give people compelling
reasons to visit the area and I look forward to plans which I have seen coming
to fruition.” Read
more.
New chapter for Llechwen Hall as owners embark on
major extension and refurbishment plan
Tourism Minister, Lord
Elis-Thomas, has announced that the Welsh Government through the Micro &
Small Business Fund will provide funding of £409,000 for the refurbishment of
the historical Llechwen Hall near Pontypridd.
This project will further improve the performance and strengthen
the tourism offer within the region. Read
more.
Creative Wales to build on successes of Cadw and
Visit Wales
Creative Wales – the body
being established to champion and drive further growth in Wales’ thriving
creative industries sector – will emulate the working model of other Welsh
Government bodies like Visit Wales and Cadw, Culture Minister, Lord Elis-Thomas
has said.
Speaking at the recent Culture, Welsh
Language and Communications Committee, Lord Elis-Thomas outlined his plans for
the body, which will sit within Welsh Government but have the autonomy to make
its own commercial decisions based on an expert understanding of the industry
and its needs. Read
more.
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