Tourism Industry Update
“Llwybrau. Wales, by Trails.”; New research shows majority think tourists should contribute to costs of maintaining destinations; MeetInWales Business Events Industry Roadshow - 18-20 April 2023; Event Wales webinar; Event Wales funded events - 2023 Wheelchair Rugby European Championships / FOCUS Wales 2023; New powers for local authorities to address impact of second and empty homes come into force; Coronation of King Charles III; Visit Wales Consumer Re-contact Reports; Ceredigion Coast Path celebrates 15th birthday; Parking for Yr Wyddfa; Plastic Free Yr Wyddfa launch event 24 April 2023; Have your say on new hospitality and catering qualifications in Wales - help us spread the word; Energy advice for Welsh businesses; Energy bills discount scheme; REMINDER: Electronic Travel Authorisation; Cyber check-up tools for SMEs; Welsh Women in Business Awards 2023; New ‘Help to Grow’ website for businesses; Place Net Zero toolkit; GWR extra Carmarthen services; New route between Cardiff Airport and Paris-Orly with Air France/Eastern Airways; Licence to play live or recorded music.
“Llwybrau. Wales, by Trails.”
Our “Llwybrau. Wales, by Trails” campaign continues into spring and early summer and it’s great to see so many partners and businesses using the Llwybrau logo and sharing content on social – thank you and keep it going over Easter.
Here are three easy ways you and your business can be involved in the campaign:
- Make sure you are graded and/or accredited – once graded, every accommodation, activity provider and attraction can have its product listed on visitwales.com. If you’re already graded make sure your product page is up to date, includes new and refreshed images, videos and everything a potential visitor needs to know about your business.
- Keep in touch with us. We’re in constant contact with journalists, magazine editors and media; if you have any special offers or special events taking place in May or June, let us know by emailing productnews@gov.wales and we’ll share with our media contacts. Please also tell us if you offer something different or new that would appeal to visitors, which we could use as a hook for positive PR stories for Wales.
- Read our ‘Llwybrau. Wales, by Trails’ industry guide for tips and ideas of how to get on board with the Trails theme. You can download the logo for use on your own marketing materials and we also have lots of high quality images for use – free of charge for businesses who are promoting Wales. These are available on our “Llwybrau. Wales, by Trails toolkit”. Be sure to also tag your social posts #Llwybrau #WalesbyTrails so that we can help share your content.
New research shows majority think tourists should contribute to costs of maintaining destinations
New consumer research has found a majority of people supporting the principle that tourists should contribute towards the costs of maintaining and investing in the destinations they stay in.
Read the announcement in full on Gov.Wales.
MeetInWales Business Events Industry Roadshow - 18-20 April 2023
Are you:
- Looking to grow business and increase revenue for your venue or tourism business?
- Wanting to reduce the effects of seasonality?
- Already working in the business events sector and want to learn how to grow you market share, hone skills and capitalise on support and partnerships from MeetInWales and your local Destination Management Organisation?
If you have answered yes to any of these questions, then our informative and interactive workshops taking place throughout Wales in April are just for you.
Attendance is free of charge and open to all businesses in Wales with an interest in business events.
To register please click on your preferred location below:
- Cardiff, 18 April 2023, 1000-1300, The Parkgate Hotel Cardiff
- Aberystwyth, 19 April 2023, 1300-1600, National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth
- Llandudno, 20 April 2023, 1000-1300, Dylans, Llandudno
MeetInWales is the official business events programme, promoting Wales as a destination for meetings, incentives, teambuilding, events, and conferences. The MeetInWales programme is run by Event Wales, the team within the Welsh Government responsible for the development and promotion of the events and supply chain, which also supports the visitor economy in Wales.
Event Wales webinar - 19 April 2023
We would like to invite you to our online webinar at 11.00am - 12.00pm on Wednesday 19 April when we will provide an update on the work we have been doing, in partnership with the events industry, to implement the new National Events Strategy for Wales since it was launched by the Minister for Economy in July 2022.
This will also be an opportunity to be among the first to hear exciting news about our new funding streams, the Sector Development Fund and the Sustainability Innovation Fund, launching in April 2023, to help address some of the key issues facing the sector.
To register your interest to attend please email eventwales@gov.wales and we will then send you the Microsoft Teams link to join on the day.
Event Wales funded events:
Wheelchair Rugby European Championships 3-7 May 2023 at Principality Stadium
From 3-7 May, Cardiff’s iconic Principality Stadium will host the 2023 Wheelchair Rugby European Championship. Get ready for five days of enthralling action as Europe’s top eight teams do battle for gold and the chance to qualify for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. Competing nations include France, Great Britain, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland, Netherlands, Israel and Czech Republic.
Find out more details on the 2023 Wheelchair Rugby European Championship website.
FOCUS Wales 2023 - 4-6 May, Wrexham
FOCUS Wales is an international multi-venue showcase festival which places the music industry spotlight firmly on the emerging talent that Wales has to offer the world, alongside a selection of the best new acts from across the globe. Taking place from 4-6 May, it will welcome 20,000 attendees and see over 250+ acts from Wales and around the world descend upon Wrexham.
Find out more on FOCUS Wales 2023.
New powers for local authorities to address impact of second and empty homes come into force
Welsh communities will be better supported to address high levels of second home ownership and empty properties as new local tax rules came into force on 1 April 2023.
It marks another milestone in the implementation of a series of measures being introduced as part of the Welsh Government’s Co-operation Agreement commitment with Plaid Cymru to address the impact of second homes and empty homes on communities across the nation.
Read the announcement in full on Gov.Wales
Coronation of King Charles III
Are you organising an event across the bank holiday weekend for the coronation of King Charles III, 6-8 May?
Let us know so that we can help share details and add them to the website. Email us on product.database@gov.wales.
Visit Wales Consumer Re-contact Reports
The Visit Wales Consumer Re-contact Reports (19 January to 3 February 2023) have now been published. The reports cover the UK and Ireland, Germany, and the USA. They are based on fieldwork conducted during the period 19 January to 3 February 2023, among Visit Wales enquirers.
61% of Visit Wales enquirers from the UK and Ireland took a holiday or short break in Wales in 2022. 22% of these stated that Visit Wales communications influenced their decision to take their holiday or short break in Wales.
Findings on trips taken to Wales during 2022 by enquirers from Germany and the USA are available in the reports.
The reports also contain findings on the characteristics of trips taken to Wales in 2022, the experiences of enquirers who visited Wales in 2022, intentions to visit Wales in 2023, and the impact of Visit Wales marketing.
Ceredigion Coast Path celebrates 15th birthday
The Ceredigion Coast Path is celebrating 15 years since it’s official opening. It became only the second long distance coast path when it opened in 2008 and now forms an integral part of the All Wales Coast Path that skirts 871 miles around the stunning Welsh coastline.
To celebrate this anniversary, Ceredigion County Council has created a series of 26 circular walks, each taking in a section of Coast Path but returning to the start point using inland routes.
Launching in April until October, a new walk will be published each week on the council’s social media platforms; Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
E-leaflets will be available to download or print from the website, together with other useful information such as a Coast Path mileage chart to help you plan your walks.
For more information, please contact pressoffice@ceredigion.gov.uk.
Parking for Yr Wyddfa
From 1 April 2023, visitors will need to pre-book a parking space at Pen y Pass car park.
More information is available at:
Plastic Free Yr Wyddfa launch event 24 April 2023
Eryri National Park Authority will be launching the ‘Plastic Free Yr Wyddfa’ Business Scheme at the Royal Victoria Hotel, Llanberis on 24 April (2:00pm-4:00pm).
Businesses attending will have the opportunity to engage with the Authority to develop the vision of reducing single-use plastics and attend a mini trade fair with local suppliers exhibiting plastic-free alternatives.
For more information, go to: Launch: Plastic-Free Yr Wyddfa Business Scheme | Snowdonia National Park (gov.wales)
Have your say on new hospitality and catering qualifications in Wales - help us spread the word
Over the last two years, Qualifications Wales has completed an extensive sector review of qualifications in the Travel, Tourism, Hospitality and Catering sector.
The review identified some issues with the hospitality and catering qualifications that are currently offered in Wales. Therefore, we’ve Qualifications Wales has created proposals for new Hospitality and Catering qualifications for post-16 learners in Wales, and they want to know what you think about them.
The consultation will close at midnight on 2 June 2023. For more details visit Hospitality and Catering | Have your say - Qualifications Wales
Energy advice for Welsh businesses
With energy prices increasing the whole issue of energy efficiency is in the spotlight. Business Wales, the North Wales Business Council, Ambition North Wales, in collaboration with the Welsh Government Energy Service, has summarised some ‘low and no cost’ energy efficiency solutions, to help businesses and individuals mitigate against rising energy costs this year.
Visit the Business Wales website for more details.
Energy bills discount scheme
Find out about the Energy Bills Discount Scheme (EBDS) for non-domestic customers.
The Energy Bills Discount Scheme will run for 12 months from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024. This scheme replaces the Energy Bill Relief Scheme which supported businesses and organisations between 1 October 2022 and 31 March 2023.
Visit the Business Wales website for more details.
REMINDER: Electronic Travel Authorisation
A United Kingdom Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) is a British entry permit document that will soon be available online.
It will allow travellers from eligible nations to visit Great Britain for a number of different purposes without acquiring a visa.
The UK ETA will be available in the next few years. From this point, all foreign visitors, including those from visa-exempt countries, will need permission to enter the UK.
Cyber check-up tools for SMEs
The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has launched two new security tools aimed at small businesses, microbusinesses, organisations and sole traders that lack the resources to address cyber issues. The National Cyber Security Centre – a part of Government Communications Headquarters – unveiled the services to coincide with the latest phase of its Cyber Aware campaign.
Visit the Business Wales website for more details.
Welsh Women in Business Awards 2023
The Welsh Women in Business Awards 2023, or #LlaisAwards, is open to any woman running a business here in Wales. Nominations are open until 5pm on 19 April 2023. Visit the Business Wales website for more details.
New ‘Help to Grow’ website for businesses
The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) has unveiled a new centralised website, targeted at helping the UK’s 5.5 million businesses. The new ‘Help to Grow’ site from DBT is aimed at upskilling both big and small businesses across the country by helping them to:
- learn new skills
- reach more customers
- boost business profits
Visit the Business Wales website for more details.
Place Net Zero toolkit
Energy Systems Catapult has developed a Place-based Net Zero toolkit for local authorities, energy networks, businesses, communities and innovators to accelerate zero carbon solutions.
Each local place is unique and the right decarbonisation strategy will depend on the geography, building types, energy infrastructure, energy demand, resources, urban growth plans and low carbon ambitions of the local community. Visit the Business Wales website for more details.
GWR extra Carmarthen services
From 21 May 2023 GWR will increase direct services on the South Wales Mainline from London - Carmarthen. These are made up of Swansea services that are extended to Llanelli and Carmarthen.
At present GWR runs one direct train a day, this will increase to six direct services a day Monday-Saturday (remains three services per day Sunday) direct from London to Llanelli, Pembrey & Burry Port and Carmarthen (and vice versa) also calling at Reading, Swindon, Bristol Parkway, Newport, Cardiff Central, Bridgend, Port Talbot Parkway, Neath & Swansea.
In addition, GWR’s Summer Saturday London - Pembroke Dock service will resume for the first time since summer 2019 pre-covid. There will be one direct service on a Saturday only serving Carmarthenshire into Pembrokeshire, also calling at Tenby. This service will only run from 27 May until 9 September 2023.
Visit GWR website for details: Trains to Carmarthenshire | Cheap Carmarthenshire Train Tickets | Great Western Railway (gwr.com)
New route between Cardiff Airport and Paris-Orly with Air France/Eastern Airways
From 21 April 2023, Air France will reinstate daily flights between the Welsh and French capitals, delivering further growth at Cardiff Airport between key business destinations and continuing the Airport’s revival in-line with its the five-year recovery plan. Operated by UK airline Eastern Airways, passengers will be able to book via the Air France website – or alternatively using Eastern Airways.
Licence to play live or recorded music
Businesses that play music in public or at their premises, including live music and background music on a CD, radio or music channel, are required to obtain a licence called ‘TheMusicLicence’.
More information, including where licences are needed, can be found on the Business Wales website.
Stay up to date with tourism industry news
Take a look at our latest Visit Wales industry newsletters and bulletins: Tourism Newsletter/Bulletin | Business Wales (gov.wales).
These include the latest tourism industry news from Wales and information for the industry on Coronavirus (COVID-19).
For specific support and advice about dealing with coronavirus, from financial and supply chain planning to advice on staffing issues, we would advise tourism businesses and stakeholders in Wales to visit the Business Wales website or call Business Wales helpline on 03000 6 03000. You should regularly visit the Public Health Wales website for up-to-date public health information for you, your staff and your visitors.
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