Tourism Industry Update
Nadolig Llawen - Season’s greetings from Visit Wales
National Tourism Awards finalists!
We are delighted to announce that the National Tourism Awards for Wales (NTAW) ceremony will be held at Venue Cymru, Llandudno on Thursday 27 March. This is the first time the awards are to be held since 2018 and they provide an opportunity to recognise and champion some of the very best of the Welsh Tourism, hospitality and events industry.
We have worked in partnership with the regions and for the first time the 2024 Regional Tourism Award winners will go forward to the National Tourism Awards 2025. A list of the finalists is available on walestourismawards.co.uk.
For further information on the event, including sponsorship opportunities please email info@walestourismawards.co.uk.
Croeso ’25 – how to get involved
January 2025 will see the launch of the Croeso 25, the next in our series of themed years and our flagship marketing campaign for Wales, Hwyl (the Welsh word for fun) – which will focus on the feelings of fun and joy that you can experience "Only in Wales".
Our toolkit for the Year of Croeso is now available to help stakeholders work closely with us once again, as we shout even more loudly to the world about our unique Welsh Croeso (welcome) and celebrate our iconic experiences, products, destinations and culture, that can be found only in Wales; must do experiences that we want to invite visitors to feel, taste and see.
The toolkit includes our new Working with Us guide, the Croeso 25 logo and high-quality imagery for industry to download and use in related marketing activity. Find out more about downloading the toolkit, how to get involved in our hwyl campaign and featuring in our wall of hwyl on Themed year campaigns | Get Involved | Industry Visit Wales. We will also be providing some key messaging for use in your material – be sure to check back.
Consultation: Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy) Etc. (Wales) Bill
The Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy) Etc. (Wales) Bill has been referred to the Finance Committee for Stage 1 scrutiny of the general principles of the Bill.
To inform its scrutiny, the Committee has issued an open call for evidence on the Bill and is inviting people to submit written evidence on the Bill to aid in its consideration.
If you would like to submit your views, please complete the consultation document available on: Consultation: Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy) Etc. (Wales) Bill.
The closing date for submission to this consultation is 16.00 on Friday 10 January 2025.
A budget to build a brighter future for Wales
An extra £1.5 billion to strengthen public services, support small businesses and drive economic growth is at the heart of the Welsh Government’s Draft Budget 2025-2026.
To support Welsh businesses, the non-domestic rates multiplier will be capped at 1% for 2025-2026 and retail, leisure and hospitality businesses will continue to receive 40% relief towards their bills. In total £335 million will be spent on non-domestic rates support in 2025-2026.
Full details are available on A budget to build a brighter future for Wales | GOV.WALES.
Opportunities to Exhibit at Global Business Event Exhibitions 2025
Event Wales, Meet In Wales team are exhibiting with a Wales branded stand at four leading global events for Business Events in 2025:
- IMEX, Frankfurt 20-22 May 2025
- The Meetings Show ExCel, London 25-26 June 2025
- IMEX America, Las Vegas 7-9 October 2025
- IBTM World, Fira, Barcelona 18-20 November 2025
Welsh business event suppliers can apply for up to 10 spaces at each exhibition. Applications close at 4pm on January 10, 2025, subject to sufficient partner interest. Successful applicants will be notified by January 23, 2025.
To state your interest, please complete this Meet in Wales booking request form or to find out more contact us on MeetInWales@gov.wales.
Britain & Ireland Marketplace: 24 January 2025 - InterContinental London, the O2
Britain & Ireland Marketplace returns to London on Friday 24 January 2025. This event brings together the networks of ETOA, UKinbound and VisitBritain, as well as national and regional destinations across the UK and Ireland. Connect with 200+ international buyers in a series of one-to-one appointments - from bespoke small tour operators to group operators, all ready to contract the best of British and Irish tourism products.
The cost for a ‘primary supplier’ to attend is £1,299.00 + VAT and you can find out more information Britain & Ireland Marketplace (BIM) 2025.
Enhance your listing on visitwales.com
Products on visitwales.com between them get hundreds of thousands of views and tens of thousands of web referrals every month.
Website users often rely on photos when choosing a place to stay or visit. To give the best impression, check your listing is maximising the use of your photography to showcase your offering. Adding images is straight forward, simply log into the product listing tool, go to the ‘Images and Videos’ section, click on + Images and upload your photos.
You can also enhance the search results you appear in by utilising the filter options. If you offer things like E-Bike Hire, E-charging or Pets Accepted, simply tick the relevant options in the ‘Facilities’ section in the product listing tool.
If you need any help our Data Stewards are on hand, email Visit Wales Data Steward
vw-steward@nvg.net or call 0330 808 9410 and they will be happy to assist.
Cardiff’s Refill Return Cup scheme shows strong support
As part of Refill Wales' campaign, Cardiff is showing strong support. Their Refill Return Cup scheme, launched on October 4th, has already seen impressive results. With over 2,500 cups borrowed and a 97% return rate in just one month, the scheme has saved an estimated 43kg of CO2. Supported by FOR Cardiff and City to Sea, and funded by the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund, the initiative aims to prevent up to 30,000 single-use cups from entering Cardiff’s waste stream by March 2025.
For more information, visit www.forcardiff.com.
Be a “Wales Ambassador” and discover the iconic walking trails in Wales
The Wales Coast Path and National Trails (Glyndwr's Way, Offa's Dyke Path, and Pembrokeshire Coast Path) offer unique walking experiences highlighting Wales' landscape, wildlife, language, heritage, and culture. Learn more through the free Wales Ambassador Scheme online courses, which cover wildlife hotspots, Britain's smallest city, the UK village with the longest name, a rebellious historical figure, and a historic monument separating England and Wales.
The Wales Ambassador scheme offers free online modules about regions in Wales, featuring diverse content. Anyone can join and become a Wales Ambassador. It's great for businesses along the trails to share local knowledge with visitors.
Sign up for free on the Wales Ambassador scheme website. Complete modules at your own pace and take a quiz to become an ambassador. Share your knowledge or learn more about Wales.
For more information, visit Wales Coast Path / We're a part of the Wales Ambassador scheme.
Natural Resources Wales visitor centres
Natural Resources Wales (NRW) has confirmed that its visitor centres in mid Wales will stay open for walking, biking, and other amenities. Retail and catering services will continue until 31 March, with interim measures starting in April.
NRW is seeking local partners for long-term management of the centres, and is holding information drop in session throughout January. NRW has also launched a public engagement hub, which provides details on how groups can register their interest in using the space at Ynyslas Visitor Centre.
Proposals for Nant yr Arian and Coed y Brenin are being developed, with the formal procurement process set to open on 1 April 2025. More information can be found on the NRW website.
Strong roots give further growth for National Forest
The Deputy First Minister with responsibility for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, Huw Irranca-Davies, has announced that a further 18 sites have been given National Forest for Wales status through the latest Status Scheme round.
UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) Information Events December 2024 - March 2025
The UK Government has announced dates for the next phases of the ETA rollout for eligible nationals. Travellers to the UK should note that changes are imminent.
Information events for January-March 2025 are available on MS Teams Webinar, free of charge.
Contact ETAengagement@homeoffice.gov.uk for full details.
Preventing sexual harassment at work: checklist and action plan
Our toolkit for the hospitality sector on preventing sexual harassment at work to bring it in line with the new Worker Protection Act 2023. The guide provides a checklist and action plan for employers about how to prevent sexual harassment specifically in the hospitality industry, but it can be adapted to other workplaces too. Read the toolkit on Preventing sexual harassment at work: checklist and action plan for employers | EHRC.
Child Exploitation #LookCloser: guidance for tourism businesses
Accommodation providers, including Camping, caravan parks, self-catering accommodation, hotels and Bed and Breakfasts, can sadly be used as a place to exploit and abuse children and young people.
It is the responsibility of licence holders of premises, and their managers, to ensure appropriate measures are in place at their venues to protect children from harm.
Learn how to spot the signs of child exploitation, and how to report it, with free #LookCloser resources specific to tourism businesses: Stop Child Exploitation – guidance for tourism businesses | Business Wales (gov.wales)
Welsh Government Consultations
Welsh Government consultations can be found on Consultations | GOV.WALES.
Business Wales news updates
Make sure you never miss the latest news and blogs from Business Wales - go to: News and Blogs | Business Wales (gov.wales). Some of the latest articles include:
Please subscribe to the Business Wales newsletter at Welsh Government (govdelivery.com) – once signed up, you can sign in and manage all your Welsh Government subscriptions in one place.
Stay up to date with tourism industry news
View previously published Visit Wales industry newsletters and bulletins: Tourism Newsletter/Bulletin | Business Wales (gov.wales).
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