Business Benefits of The Wales Way
A new handbook is available, outlining the tourism business benefits of being associated with The Wales Way initiative to help them make the most of the opportunities linked to the routes. A print version will be launched at October's Visit Wales Roadshows and also available to view and download online.
The Wales Way, which was launched in 2017, is a family of three routes (The Cambrian Way; The Coastal Way and The North Wales Way), which encourages visitors to discover more of Wales. The routes offer great opportunities to target the higher spending international visitor market as well as adding to Wales’s appeal within the competitive domestic markets.
Visit Wales has launched the Wales Way industry handbook to assist businesses in Wales to make the most of this exciting and developing initiative. The businesses along the routes play a key role in ensuring that Wales’ visitors have the best experience whilst they are here – and encourage them to explore off the beaten track – or to go ’igam ogam’ as they travel across Wales.
Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism, Lord Elis-Thomas, said: “The Wales Way is an exciting initiative and this new handbook will further encourage the industry to get involved in order for our visitors to discover the best of Wales and to have a seamless Wales Way experience.
“We know that national routes work, because they’ve been tried and tested in many other countries. Iconic National Routes such as Route 66 in the US and the Great Ocean Road in Australia to the Norwegian Scenic Routes and Wild Atlantic Way in Ireland – all have something in common – they inspire and encourage visitors, offering blueprints for taking in the best of what each destination has to offer.”
The Wales Way is much more than just a driving route. It promotes enhanced connections to multiple modes of transport: rail, bus, bicycle, walking and riding trails. Read more here.
Chair of Wales Tourism and Hospitality Skills Partnership
A vacancy exists for a Chair for the new Wales Tourism & Hospitality Skills Partnership which is being established to identify issues relating to the training, development and retention of staff in the Tourism and Hospitality sectors in Wales and to promote solutions to the relevant agencies.
Tourism and Hospitality is a key sector in the Welsh economy and accounts for 6 per cent of the country’s GVA and employs 127,300 people. The Welsh Government is determined that visitor numbers continue to grow and recognises that a compelling and attractive employment proposition is central to this aim.
The Chair will represent the interests of the sector at the UK Tourism and Hospitality Skills Board which has been established as part of the UK Tourism Sector Deal.
The Wales Tourism and Hospitality Skills Partnership brings together industry leaders and representatives from all parts of the Education sector and Careers Service. It will enable a comprehensive strategy for learning, qualifications and apprenticeship standards to be developed and enable the sector to offer rewarding and attractive careers to potential staff of all ages and backgrounds in the years to come.
It is envisaged that the Partnership will meet quarterly, numbering about 12-15 people. Visit Wales will sit on the Partnership and will provide the Secretariat function.
The ideal candidate will bring proven leadership experience in a customer facing environment and understand the central importance of staff development and retention. Experience of the Education and Careers service would be highly desirable, together with an insight into effective partnership working in Wales. This is an important strategic appointment for the sector and the Chair will have a clear opportunity to help the Tourism and Hospitality sector in Wales grow and develop its skills base in the coming years.
The role of Chair is unremunerated although reasonable travelling expenses will be reimbursed. The appointment will be for a three year period and is renewable.
Interested candidates should write enclosing a CV to David Chapman, Executive Director of Hospitality Cymru at: dchapman@ukhospitality.org.uk - to arrive no later than 5pm, Friday 25th October 2019. It is envisaged that interviews will be held in the week commencing Monday 4th November 2019.
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