Wales_Tourism_05_ENG

Landmark Year ForTourism In Wales

“Let’s Work Together!” Unity Vital in Year ofChange – BHA

New WTA Campaign

WTA Conference2005 SpecialA Manifesto For Tourism In Wales

WTA Conference2005 SpecialA Manifesto For Tourism In Wales

Edition 3 • November 2005 CynghrairTwristiaeth Cymru

WalesTourism Alliance

tourism_05_pages_english_e 24/10/05 10:41 PM

When you buy branded Welsh Lamb and Welsh Beef you can be surethat you are buying a high quality product that was born and rearedin Wales with strict quality standards.

Welsh Lamb, along with Welsh Beef, has been awarded the designation of theprestigious Protected Geographic Indication (PGI) status in recognition of this highquality and its special regional identity. This status ensures that only beef which hasbeen born and reared in Wales can be marketed as “Welsh” within the EU.

Welsh Lamb and Welsh Beef are delicious and versatile and can make any meal special.Red meat plays an important part in a healthy balanced diet and is an excellent source ofiron and protein.

When purchasing branded Welsh Lamb and Welsh Beef you can do so safe in theknowledge that it is produced in accordance with strict rules governing environmental,safety and animal welfare standards, which are independently set and monitored.

For further information about Hybu Cig Cymru / Meat Promotion Wales contact us at:

PO Box 176, Aberystwyth, SY23 2YATel: +44 (0)1970 625050 Fax: +44 (0)1970 615148Email: [email protected] www.hccmpw.org.uk

Welsh Meat – The Sign of Quality


“We must worktogether to raisethe status of theindustry in Waleseven further, toaddress skills

shortages and toencourage a

workingpartnership ofWTA, industry

and WelshAssembly

Government”

WTA CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE

A WARM WELCOME to the Wales Tourism Alliance’s fourth annualconference at the Metropole Hotel, Llandrindod Wells.

This famous landmark is a suitable setting for this year’s WTA conference. The hotel hasgrown and developed – and continues to ambitiously plan to raise standards and quality –and so has moved a long way from its original market that tapped into the highly successfulspa town holidays of a different era.

If you would like further informationabout the Wales Tourism Allianceplease contact us at the addressbelow:Wales Tourism Alliance,Floor One, Dominions House North,Queen Street,Cardiff. CF10 2ARTEL: 029 2038 4440FAX: 029 2039 9392EMAIL: [email protected]

3

Landmark Year ForTourism In WalesBy Julian Burrell, Wales Tourism Alliance Chairman

industry’s needs and wishes andto guide the political processtowards effective implementationwhenever possible.

The Assembly is positivelydeveloping and so must the WTA.We must work together to raise thestatus of the industry in Wales evenfurther, to address skills shortagesand to encourage a workingpartnership of WTA, industry andWelsh Assembly Government toimprove quality and to increasevisitors to Wales.

There are a number of issues thatwe have to get right along the way.WTA Conference 2005 will seek toraise some of these importantmember concerns.

Higher costs, skill shortages,business rates, grading, no-smoking policy, public facilities,business grants, marketingWales… there is plenty for us totalk over and resolve.

Conference 2005 is a platform todevelop the working partnershipswith the Welsh AssemblyGovernment and local governmentin Wales. To get across our viewsand to help produce reasonablepolitical solutions.

To produce a manifesto for theTourism Industry in Wales in 2006– one that we need to deliver ifwe are to truly grow and developour industry.

We all have to raise standards,improve quality, to grow and topositively develop – and in 2005that applies not only to the tourismindustry in Wales but also to theWTA and the Welsh AssemblyGovernment.

Nearly seven years ago, the WTAwas a fledgling trade associationwith a central objective ofconvincing the Assembly thatTourism was an important enoughindustry to warrant inclusion in thenew Economic Developmentportfolio.

That goal was achieved – andtoday WTA stands as the “Voice ofthe Industry” in Wales, working inpartnership with the WelshAssembly Government’s EconomicDevelopment and TransportMinister Andrew Davies and hisdepartment. The Minister regularlyemphasises the crucial importanceof our industry to Wales and of theWTA to the political process.

I am delighted that he will be withus to deliver the keynote speech todelegates at our fourth industrydinner on Sunday, November 6th.

Next April, when the WalesTourist Board has formallymerged with the Assembly, weare aware that WTA must furtherdevelop to represent the

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MINISTER’S ADDRESS

Next April,Wales Tourist Board will cease to exist and the Welsh AssemblyGovernment will administer tourism support services. Here Economic Developmentand Transport Minister Andrew Davies explains his vision of a “more cohesiveapproach in developing the tourism industry in Wales.”

Collaboration Key ToNew Commercial FocusTHE TOURISM SECTOR generatesaround £2.5 billion a year to the Welsheconomy. As with all sectors of our economy,the Welsh Assembly Government iscommitted to the continual improvement ofquality in all aspects of the industry.

With visitors to Wales becoming ever morediscerning and increased globalcompetition in the tourism industry, we haveto continue to raise our game and improvethe quality of what we can offer the growingnumber of visitors to Wales.

The merger of the Wales Tourist Board withthe Welsh Assembly Government provides aplatform for the development of a morecohesive approach in developing thetourism industry in Wales and maximisesthe impact of the industry on our economy.

This collaborative approach is essential ifwe are to continue to improve and developthe tourism industry in Wales.

We cannot be complacent or ignorant of thecompetitive pressures we face in marketingWales on the international tourism market.We have to adapt, and adopt new processes,listen to the industry and deliver a moreeffective, joined-up and targeted approach.

As a Government, we have recognised theimportance of the Welsh tourism industry,reflected in part by the record level ofinvestment we have allocated to the WalesTourist Board over the last few years.

The effectiveness of the tourism marketingcampaigns run by the WTB have gainedinternational recognition. Future marketing

campaigns will continue to be promotedeffectively and vigorously, and will reflectthe need to tailor promotions to thecustomer in the market place as well as theneeds of businesses in Wales.

The new merged organisation will provide asharpened commercial focus between theAssembly Government and the sector, withincreased transparency and levels ofconsultation with the industry.

With more than 7,000 members, the WalesTourism Alliance is the key organisation forthe tourist industry in Wales. The WTA hasplayed a pivotal role in the development ofthe industry and I have always valued thesometimes challenging, but alwaysconstructive contributions from the Allianceand its members.

These are very exciting times for the Welshtourism industry. Across the world, Wales isseen as an attractive destination forbusiness and leisure. I look forward tocontinuing the close working relationshipwith the WTA and to building on thesuccesses of the past to maximise the manyopportunities available to us.

“The new merged

organisation will provide a

sharpened commercial focus

between the Assembly

Government and the sector,

with increased transparency

and levels of consultation with

the industry.”


5

WTA LOOKING BACK

ON SUNDAY,OCTOBER 31 andMonday, November1, the Wales TourismAlliance staged itsthird annualconference at theCeltic Manor Resort,Newport.

More than 150 delegates attended to hearEconomic Development and TransportMinister Andrew Davies tell us he wantedWTA to play the central role in assisting withthe introduction and implementation of thenew WAG arrangements that will result inWales Tourist Board – with Elwa and WDA –linking into the Assembly’s EDT departmentby April 2006.

Concern was expressed that some northWales resort operators were faced withdemands to register their premises, atconsiderable cost, as a “House in MultipleOccupation” under the Housing Act 1985.

CHAIRMAN JULIANBURRELL and theWTA team set aboutimplementing aneight-point planagreed by memberson the WAG/WTBmerger, attending amerger meeting

involving other leading tradeorganisations. Two days later Julian againmet Andrew Davies for ninety-minutes oftalks. “It enabled the WTA to fully air themajor concerns voiced by the industry andlook at positive ways forward with theMinister,” said Julian Burrell.

Trade consultation began relating to theproposed common grading system forserviced accommodation in the UK.

A survey of British Hospitality Associationmembers revealed that future increases inthe National Minimum Wage could threatenjobs and hours worked in the industry.

WTA Executive member David Williams, ofthe Ambassador Hotel, Llandudno, wasappointed 2005 Chairman of the BritishHospitality Association’s National Executive,in succession to Andrew Guy.

The WTB’s new UK marketing campaignwas launched at the Millennium Centre,Cardiff, on 15 December. WTA Newsletterreported: “The adverts convey the sense ofplace, the landscape and the welcome in acalm, laid back and humorous manner…undoubtedly, the new campaign will proveto be as equally popular as “The BigCountry” – if not more so.”

The WTB launched the new harmonised self-catering scheme at the WASCO AGM on 1December following extensive consultationwith the trade.

THE CONSULTATIONPROCESS on WelshAssemblyGovernmentproposals to mergewith Wales TouristBoard, WDA andElwa, was underway.

On 21 January, WTA stressed to WTB theneed for immediate action to convertinterest stimulated by excellent WTBmarketing into actual visitors. WTAsuccessfully requested VisitWales should berestructured allowing each tourism sector itsown links.

The Tourist Boards’ grading schemes forself-catering accommodation were nowharmonised across England, Scotland andWales. WTB was expected to announcedetails of harmonised schemes for servicedand hostel-type accommodation by the endof April 2005.

Lord Marshall, the new VisitBritainchairman, spoke at the British TourismDevelopment Committee meeting in Londonon 26 January. VB continued to discuss animplementation date for an “inspectedonly” policy.

The WTA’s Small Serviced Sector Forum meton 28 January. The Forum, supported by WTB,was proving a very useful voice for B&B, smallhotel and guest accommodation operators.

That Was (nearly) 2005… That Was…

Another Busy Year InThe Life Of WTA

2004

NOV

Esther Roberts (WTA Executive and North WalesTourism RTC) dealt with Houses of Multiple Occupation.

WTA and Welsh Assembly Government in unison

2004

DEC

2005

JAN


6

WTA LOOKING BACK

WTB SENIOREXECUTIVES metwith WTA’s GeneralMembers on the 2ndfor talks on theWAG/WTB merger –probably the firsttime thatrepresentatives from

all of the tourism industry and WTB’sdirectors had met together.

On 22 February, WTA chair introduced thefirst meeting of the SE Wales TourismIndustry Forum. The Forum, backed byCapital Region Tourism, was to link the SEindustry with the WTA.

THE QUALITYREVIEW Groupconcluded much ofits work on GradingCommon Standardsat its 1 Marchmeeting.

At the British TravelTrade Fair, WTA chair warned the UKTourism Minister about the consequences ofthe new liquor licensing fees for smalloperators.

The first UK Tourism Conference was held atthe QE II Centre in London.

AFTER MONTHS OFdiscussions anddebate, the WTAdelivered a 48-pageresponse to the WelshAssemblyGovernment’sconsultation on themerger proposals.

Britain’s Blue Flag Beaches included no lessthan 109 in Wales (out of a total of 373 forthe whole of the UK) ranging fromAberdaron on the Lleyn to Wiseman’sBridge in Pembrokeshire.

The National Caravan Council reported that2004 was a record year for the industry.

WTA PRODUCED ITSown General ElectionTourism Manifestofor distribution to allcandidates of themain political partiesin Wales.

Wales Tourism Alliance launched a six-month campaign to fight crippling rises inBusiness Rates experienced by members inparts of Wales. “It really is unacceptablethat some members have seen theirbusiness rates nearly double byrevaluation,” said Julian Burrell.

The WTA issued a press release calling forlower fuel costs but urging protesters not toblockade refineries.

Statutory Registration in Wales was aheadline policy within the Queen’s Speechon 17 May.

WALES TOURISMALLIANCE launchedattacks on themounting costs ofrunning tourismbusinesses in Waleswith a mediacampaign to

highlight swingeing increases imposed bynew licensing fees and business rates.

The Assembly looked set to introduce a banon smoking in enclosed workplaces andenclosed public places within two or threeyears, after pressing the UK Government forthe enabling powers.

WTB commences consultation with theindustry on Statutory Registration minimumstandards criteria.

The Welsh Assembly Government publishedthe 125 merger consultation responses –including WTA’s – that had been received byWAG.

Kevin Jones and his wife Dianne, ofAberconwy Web Solutions Ltd, won theprestigious Western Mail Business AwardsEcommerce Award. The couple runAberconwy House in Snowdonia.

2005

MAR

2005

FEB

That Was (nearly) 2005… That Was…

Another Busy Year In The Life Of WTA

Smoking in public placeswas high on the political agenda

2005

APR

2005

MAY

2005

JUNAberdaron: A Blue Flag Beach

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7

WTA LOOKING BACK

LONDON WON THE2012 Olympics andthe industry in Waleswas “delighted”, saidJulian Burrell. “I amsure this will have amajor impact on thewhole of the industryacross the United

Kingdom”, said Mr. Burrell.

The British Hospitality Association’s annuallunch on 7 July went ahead with only afraction of its planned guests attendingbecause of the London bombings whichoccurred earlier that day.

A provisional timetable for StatutoryRegistration indicated frameworklegislation, which would not includecriteria or operational details, would bethrough Parliament by the end of 2006.The scheme would then be introduced ineither 2008 or 2009.

WTA congratulatedWTB Chair PhilipEvans, made a CBE inthe Queen’s BirthdayHonours List, and RosPritchard, DirectorGeneral of the BH &HPA who received anOBE. An MBE wasawarded to tour guidePat Hughes.

At UK level, licensingfees discussions wereunderway with UK

Tourism Minister James Purnell – but itseemed that little progress was being made.

A WTB survey of visitor attractions showedthat in 2004, paid admission attractionsrecorded a slight decrease of 1.6% visitorscompared to 2003 – whilst free admissionoperators saw an increase of 3.3%.

THE WTAANNOUNCED itwould hold aParliamentaryReception for thetourism industry inWales at the House ofCommons on theevening of Monday,

14 November, 2005.

WTA officers were to work with WTB’sCultural Tourism Officer Julie Russell tobuild the industry into plans to developvisitor hotspots around cultural attractions.

BHA GAVE EVIDENCEon the futurestructure of liquorlicense fees, pointingout the discrepancybetween ministerialclaims that industrywill save money and

the very high entry costs.

Latest research following the 7 and 21 Julybombing incidents in London concludedboth the capital’s and UK’s visitoreconomies were still expected to see overalllong-term growth – but there was evidenceof dispersal of visitors from London to therest of the UK.

WTA members’ feedback on the season, at ameeting on 7 September, produced a mixedresponse regarding the year as a whole, butmost representatives were optimistic for avery good Autumn.

A new points-based system for controllingimmigration into the UK from outside theEEA, whether that be for employment,training, study or cultural exchange mayhave detrimental consequences for theTourism Industry

A further meeting of the Quality ReviewGroup was held in London on 30 Septemberto review progress on Common Standardsimplementation.

2005

JUL2005

SEP

2005

AUG

Honours for Philip and Ros

A patchy season was reported by almost all sectors

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8

WTA ENVIRONMENTAL LEGISLATION

FEWER THAN ONE in ten small and medium-sized enterprises(SMEs) think their activities could harm the environment, accordingto new figures published by NetRegs (www.netregs.gov.uk) – awebsite dedicated to helping small firms understand theirenvironmental responsibilities.

The UK-wide survey (SME-nvironment 2005)that included over 1,200 SMEs from Wales,was conducted to assess the level ofenvironmental awareness and complianceamongst SMEs. It found that only 7% ofbusinesses surveyed thought they undertookactivities that could cause harm to theenvironment. Although this represents a 2%increase on the figure for 2003, this lowfigure shows that many small businesses arestill in the dark about the impact of theiractivities on the environment.

The findings weren’t all discouraging though. Nearly a third (31%) ofSMEs surveyed said they have introduced practical measures toreduce environmental harm in the last two years.

SMEs could be risking heavy fines if they do not comply withenvironmental legislation. Information and advice for smallbusinesses is available on NetRegs – a joint initiative between the

Environment Agency Wales, the Environment and Heritage Servicein Northern Ireland and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.It provides clear and concise guidance on how to comply with theenvironmental legislation governing business activities in over 100business sectors, and provides advice that can help businesses savemoney and become more competitive. The site is free to use andanonymous – there is no need to register.

To protect your business and the environment, log on to NetRegstoday, at www.netregs.gov.uk

NetRegs – Making Green Advice“Black And White” For Businesses

“SMEs couldbe risking

heavy fines ifthey do notcomply with

environmentallegislation”


9

WTA TRAINING

“EDUCATION, EDUCATION,EDUCATION” – as someone oncesaid – is key to the success of thenation, but even more so to the future ofWales’ tourism industry.

With record levels of visitors to Welshresorts and facilities, the TourismTraining Forum for Wales (TTFW) isdetermined to help businesses ensurethat people enjoy their experience andwant to return.

“It’s great that people want to eithervisit or stay in Wales for their holidays,but if they’re going to return we have tocompete with the best,” saidCommunications Manager Huw Evans.

“We have long extolled the virtues ofskills and knowledge development, andindeed more and more businessesacross Wales are taking up thechallenge and concentrating oncapitalising on those opportunitieswhich exist.

“We are now looking to highlight thosetrainers and providers who can delivercourses and projects which benefitbusinesses most.”

At the 2005 Wales Tourism AwardsTTFW will sponsor the Best Practice –Learning to Succeed Award, which willbe presented to the trainer or trainingorganisation which most meets theindustry’s needs.

TTFW will be concentrating oninnovative practices where trainingproviders are listening and reacting tothe needs of businesses.

Already, 14 innovative Exemplarprojects have been celebrated atregional events around the country, atYnys Môn, Aberystwyth, Aberafan andCardiff. They are being championed asbest practice examples for othersworking in Wales.

In 2003 TTFW highlighted the work ofWales’ Exemplar businesses whosucceeded most in developing theirbusiness through skills and knowledgetraining, innovative practices and team

development. This project is the secondphase, that aims to demonstrate tobusinesses the opportunities they toohave to improve the quality of theirproducts.

The Forum is continuing to work withbusinesses throughout Wales and hasstarted on a programme of mentoringwhere successful business people willbe able to support others in thedevelopment of their businesses.

The drive is on to compete with the best as…

Tourism Training ReachesNew Heights

Whodoiask in Welsh?Try gofynibwy.com!TTFW’S UNIQUE TOURISM business support website, www.whodoiask.comis already hosting around 65,000 hits a month and now, to meet the needs ofthose who prefer to conduct their business through Welsh, it has a sister siteunder construction, www.gofynibwy.com!

Both will provide tourism business operators witheverything they need to establish, run anddevelop their business – includinglinks to other useful sites – and all forfree. Neither site will requireregistration, passwords or any otherforms to fill in – just one click andyou’re there!

Membership – anoffer you cannotafford to miss!

WTA members and affiliates are beingoffered a one-off opportunity to joinTTFW and be entered into a prize drawfor two people, dinner bed & breakfastfor two nights at an hotelof their choice, up to thevalue of £500 – forFREE!

Details will be found inall delegate packs atthe November WTAconference andmembers shouldhave alreadyreceived a mailbackform.

Members willreceive information and supportpackages for free, and have anopportunity to join in the debate andhelp give direction to the Forum’s workin Wales.

So why delay? Join today!

Details are available from:Tourism Training Forum for WalesUnit 16 Frazer Buildings126 Bute StreetCardiffCF10 5LE

Tel: 029 2049 5174E-mail: [email protected]: www.ttfw.org.uk

CYSTADLEUAETHRHAD ACAM DDIMGALLECH ENNILL2 NOSON I DDAUO BOBL,cinio, gwely abrecwast amddwy nosonmewn gwesty o’chdewis, sydd werthhyd at £500.


10

WTA NEW CAMPAIGN

WE ALL KNOW that tourism in theUK is big business. It represents morethan £74 billion and supports 2.2million jobs. It delivers improvementsin social and environmental conditionsand improves cultural and educationalaccess to both visitors and localpopulation. Many Local Authoritiesmanage key facilities and attractionsthemselves and understand theimportance to the local economy.

It is also a market which has changedsubstantially over recent years. Peoplehave more leisure time and we haveseen the growth of short breaks andniche markets.

So it is vital to understand theimportance and strategic direction oftourism in order to allow LocalAuthorities to co-ordinate theiractivities with the Wales Tourist Board,its successor within the AssemblyGovernment and local tourismproviders themselves.

What matters to visitors, however, is notorganisational boundaries or whether akey government strategy is in place.What matters is that the frontlineservices are effective and workproperly. Are the streets clean, facilities maintained, toiletsopen, car parking available? It is these things which impactupon an individual’s experience and influence them to eitheract as an advocate or a critic of the area when they returnhome.

In this context, the WLGA recognises the value of the WTAcampaign, ‘Keep It Open, Keep It Clean’ in raising awarenessof tourism’s role in supporting local communities. Theseservices also make a big impact upon the liveability of thearea for the local community. This is something that localpoliticians lose sight of at their peril.

Recent Wales Tourist Board analysis shows that 48 per cent ofbusinesses over the August Bank Holiday had an increasednumber of visitors, and the main reason for this was anincrease in repeat business. This is heartening but there is noroom for complacency.

Support and investment for tourism from local government is

critical, but it needs to be set in thewider context of front-line services suchas investment in schools or care homes.The tourism industry therefore needs tomake the case for tourism accordingly,to frame the debate within thesignificant long-term benefits to theeconomic, social and environmentalwell-being of a locality that tourism candeliver.

Indeed, the industry is one of the fewareas where any investment isguaranteed to benefit the local area.Any spend will often go into the pocketsof local people, who will go out and buyother local goods and services. This hasa huge impact upon the sustainabilityof communities.

Local government is increasinglypurchasing goods and services in a waywhich supports local communities, andwe must try to support local businessesto do so as well. This provides addedvalue to the tourist provider, as visitorsare increasingly seeking localdistinctiveness when they visit areas,something that we in Wales are wellplaced to offer.

Competition, regulation, consumerchoice and now the dictates of sustainability all add to thepressures of businesses in the tourism sector. In making thecase for more investment and support, however, sustainabilitycould well prove to be an ally rather than a burden.

“What matters is that the frontline services are effective and work properly” – sound familiar?The difference is that this is an influential council leader talking. Conference speakerCouncillor Rhiannon Wyn Hughes has a powerful message for delegates…

Let’s Work Together!By Rhiannon Wyn Hughes, Welsh Local Government Association Spokesperson for Tourism

New marketing initiative

The Vale Marketing Group invites you to take a moment to experiencethis delightful area of South Wales by visiting our website on

www.gardenofcardiff.com

If you have accommodation within the Vale or would like to promote a business that is within a day trip of the area we would

be delighted to hear from you.

Simply contact us on 01446 773171 or [email protected]

“Are the streets clean,facilities maintained, toilets

open, car parking available? Itis these things which impact

upon an individual’sexperience and influencethem to either act as an

advocate or a critic of thearea when they return home.”


11

WTA NEW CAMPAIGN

IN RECENT YEARS WTA members have bemoaned thelack of local tourism support facilities. Public toilets indisrepair, lack of cleanliness… or, worst of all, closed doors tothe public.

Poor street lighting,making walking anuninviting option tothe visitor. TourismInformation Centresshut down orreduced to a bareminimum of service.

Behind these sorryseafront sites orbeauty spotblights are asmall numberof localcouncillorswho stillcannot seethat tourismis theirgreatesteconomic asset.

They seem to fail to recognise the correlation betweenthriving local businesses and increased local authorityincome. They miss the point when trying to encouragebusinesses to relocate to their area that support forindigenous tourism outlets means long term reliable – andlocal – growth.

WTA is a positive organisation; we seek solutions and offerdirected debate to get across our central message thattourism is the number one industry in Wales and should betreated that way by government at all levels.

Our initial talks on enabling local service improvementreceived a heartening hearing by Welsh Local GovernmentAssociation officers. As you will see from their articlealongside, we have already found a good degree of commonground.

Now it’s time to take things forward. In the next twelvemonths, we will work hand-in-hand with WLGA to changetourism support services across the length and breadth ofWales.

To start with, we are throwing out a basic challenge to all

WTA Launches NewCampaign…

WTA Executive member David Williams will make thecampaign case at the conference.

local authorities – look at your local provision and improve itwherever you can.

After all, your local council taxpayers will benefit as well.

We say the economic argument is simple. The better thefacilities, the more townspeople and tourists use them – themore the economy grows.

And the more the local economy grows, the more can be re-invested in local businesses that will not decamp to India,move to another unit within a rival regional developmentagency area or be victim to the vagaries of the multinationalcombine.

So “Keep It Open – Keep ItClean”: that way, everyone’sa winner!


“There seem to

be no easy

answers for the

challenge of

understanding

and interpreting

the rules and

regulations that

affect individual

businesses”

12

WTA NEWS AND VIEWS

THE CHALLENGES FACING small or mediumsize firms today are many and diverse. In almost everysphere of business, owners or managers are dailyconfronted with multiple issues ranging frominformation technology to employment law. A wrongdecision taken in any of these areas could proveruinously expensive, but at least professional guidanceis often close at hand from advisors such as ITconsultants and lawyers.

However, there seem to be no easy answers for thechallenge of understanding and interpreting theplethora of rules and regulations that affect theirindividual businesses. These have mushroomed in thepast decade or so, and – with the help of the EU – areincreasing almost daily.

Getting it wrong in this field can be just as costly aschoosing the wrong computer system, or dismissing aworker unfairly. But getting the right advice onregulatory matters is rarely straightforward –especially if you are trying to plan your businessaround changes which have yet to be introduced.

The vast majority of new and upcoming rules andlegislation are being put in place to protect theinterests of the consumer. Laudable – but it means thatbusinesses such as parks, which serve the publicdirectly with a wide range of services, are affected bya very large percentage of the legislation that emergesfrom all levels of government.

Unlike a shop, where a small sale takes a matter ofminutes, parks and their customers are usuallyinvolved in much longer relationships involvingsubstantial sums.

In our industry previously, we relied on a combinationof existing consumer laws and voluntary codes ofpractice. Today the preference of government is toenshrine such protection in official statute sanctionedby parliament or drawn up by a relevant watchdogbody.

We’re happy to accept this more formal approach, butrecognise the risk of unintended consequences thatarise when hard-and-fast regulations are put in placethat fail to acknowledge business interests. If a park’sability to trade or to develop is stifled by regulations,then it ultimately must become contrary to the interestsof the consumer.

For this reason, BHHPA is involved at an early stagewith the drawing up of any industry-specific and moregeneral changes, and thereafter through the framingprocess and production of the draft paper. Governmentrespects fully the concerns of BH&HPA and its valuableexpertise and knowledge.

For example, in recent times, BH&HPA has workedclosely with the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister(ODPM) in bringing about adjustments to park homelegislation, helping to ensure that the new laws willprovide a workable legal structure for both homeowners and park operators. We are presentlyparticipating in a series of roadshows with the ODPMthat will tour the country explaining the impact of thechanges.

On the holiday front, we have held lengthyconsultations with the Office of Fair Trading on howregulations should be applied to contracts betweenpark operators and holiday caravan home owners –and within the EU, the Association’s voice is heard inmany different forums where new laws and regulationswhich could affect the industry are discussed.

Influencing the regulatory process is a key strategicrole of this association, and one from which individualmembers doubly benefit. Firstly, parks have theassurance that decisions affecting their ability to runefficient and profitable businesses are not being takenbehind closed doors without reference to their interests.Secondly, BH&HPA’s detailed knowledge of howupcoming regulations will affect parks provides us withthe ability to guide members on how they shouldprepare for new provisions in the law.

Businesses have long recognised that the ability tocope successfully with change is crucial to theirwellbeing. BH&HPA membership provides parks withaccess to the tools and resources which will ensurethat, when the changes come, they will be prepared –not only to comply, but to take advantage of the newopportunities which any new situation creates.

Regulating the regulators: BH&HPA’s key role

Helping Government ToFrame The FutureBy Den Bannister

BHHPA Director Ros Pritchard (left), Alicia Dunne (National Caravan Council) and WTA Caravan sectorExecutive member Sir Brooke Boothby in conversation at last year’s conference.


13

WTA NEWS AND VIEWS

A NEW TOURISM marketingstructure… a proposed statutoryregistration scheme… new legislationon smoking… tourism in Wales isexperiencing almost unprecedentedchange.

The new structure for tourism support inWales, with Wales Tourist Boardmerging with the National Assembly,alters the nature of the industry’srelationship with the functions ofnational marketing. Our task now is toensure that real benefits flow from thiscloser union with government.

Another political decision is to pursue aban on smoking in public places inWales, irrespective of what Westminsterdecides. The BHA believes that thecurrent proposals by the Department ofHealth for England – to exempt non-food premises – will lead to confusion.We favour a total ban on the groundsthat this would provide a level playingfield, but we are also keen to see areasonable time scale provided, so thatbusinesses – and the public – canadjust to the new regime.

The third big issue – the proposal inWales to introduce compulsoryregistration – is additional to theintroduction of a Britain-wide hotel andguest house grading scheme. Althoughharmonisation has long been a goal forall those concerned with tourismmarketing in Britain, and stronglysupported by the BHA, statutoryregistration for Wales is a significantfurther step which concerns manyoperators. The industry will need toexamine in detail the registrationcriteria when they are published.

In the discussions on all these issues,the BHA has played a key role and willcontinue to do so. David Williams, of theBHA Wales Committee, is currently theUK national chairman; the associationis a leading supporter of the WTA andkeeps in close touch with NationalAssembly members, meeting themmost recently in September. Working inpartnership, we will continue to seek tomaximise the huge potential of tourismin Wales.

Unity Vital InYear Of ChangeBy Bob Cotton

BHA: Cyfarfod a chyfarch yng Nghynhadledd y CTC2004. (Yn glocwedd o uchod): Y Prif Weithredwr BobCotton yn annerch cinio Cynhadledd y CTC dannawdd y BHA ac (isod) yn siarad am bolisïau wrth ybwrdd gydag aelodau’r BHA; Dirprwy BrifWeithredwr y BHA Martin Couchman (chwith) gydaMichael German AC a Jenny Randerson AC; CadeiryddBHA Cymru Peter Smith (chwith, Gwesty Caer Beris,Llanfair ym Muallt) a Chadeirydd BHA Prydain DavidWilliams (Gwesty’r Ambassador, Llandudno); MichaelKagan (chwith, Gwesty Cross Lanes Wrecsam), gydagEsther Roberts (Twristiaeth Gogledd Cymru) a LisaFrancis AC; a Michael gydag Elyse Waddy (chwith,Gwesty’r Empire, Llandudno) a Peter a Bobbi Lavin(Gwesty’r Castell, Conwy).


14

WTA TRAINING

EMPLOYERS IN THE hospitality, leisure, travel and tourismIndustries in Wales have a unique opportunity to work with People1st the UK Sector Skills Council, TTFW, and WTA to ensure that in thefuture the right numbers of people, with the right skills andqualifications are available at the right time.

People 1st , TTFW, and WTA are working together to ensure:• Government funding goes where industry needs it;• Qualifications are clear and understandable to employers and

employees alike;• Flexible training delivery methods are created .

This opportunity arises from their involvement in a strategic reviewof skill provision conducted by People 1st.

“Our priority is to bring industry to the centre of the skills debate,establish a voice on skills issues for the sector, build partnershipswith key stakeholders and work with business to drive productivitythrough skills development,” said Karen Long, People 1st WalesManager. “In simple terms we mean to put together a “Sector Skills

Agreement”, a contract betweengovernment, educators and employers, tomake sure that the skills employers needare the skills that they get.”

Employer views and input are pivotal inthe five-stage process to:

• Identify what skills employers arelooking for from their workforce now andin the future;• Identify the amount, quality andimpact of the available learningprovision;• Assess the gaps between the demandfor skills and the available learningsupply;• Identify what needs to happen, basedon the evidence;• Produce a final agreement of howPeople 1st, employers and key fundingpartners will take the required actionsforward.

If tourism is to achieve its full potentialthere is a clear need for access to the righttraining to improve skills, productivityand sustain the delivery of a premiumtourism product in the long term – as wellas to increase the appeal of tourism jobsand the retention of talent.

The People 1st consultation programme in Wales begins this autumnas part of a UK wide strategic review of skill needs provision in thehospitality, leisure and tourism sector. A series of events will gatheremployers’ views on a range of issues including skills deficiencies,recruitment and retention issues and current barriers to accessingtraining / learning to ensure we have a fully comprehensiveunderstanding of those needs. Employers can make their viewsheard by logging on to the online consultation which only takes afew minutes to complete at www.people1st.co.uk/surveys/wales.

For further information about People 1st or the Sector SkillsAgreement please contact Karen Long, Wales Manager, by telephone07798 741661 – or e-mail [email protected] or pleasevisit our website at www.people1st.co.uk

Ambitious plans to drive forward skills for tourism are outlinedby People 1st Wales Manager, Karen Long.

It’s All About…Putting People1st

“If tourism isto achieve itsfull potential

there is a clearneed for

access to theright trainingto improve

skills,productivity

and to sustainthe delivery of

a premiumproduct in the

long term”

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15

WTA MARKETING

THE HOLIDAY SEASON, with asmall but highly influential number offoreign visitors, has drawn to a close forthis year. It’s a good time to reflect onthe last five or six months.

• Were your takings and foreignvisitor numbers as high as theymight have been?

• What can you do to improve on thislucrative market for next year?

• How can you inform overseas visitors what you have tooffer before they leave for their UK visit?

• If they are coming to the UK, how can we get them tocome to us?

• How can we get them to stay longer- and hopefully spendmore money?

Let’s look for some really cost-effectiveanswers.

Why make it difficult for overseasvisitors to know in advance what youhave to offer by deliberately avoidingtheir native language on your web site,mail brochures, audio information oradvertising?

When they arrive with you, let themknow what your attraction has to offer by means of audio orprinted material in their own language. Provide multi-lingualemergency and restaurant and toilet signs and notices.

Never assume they can or feel comfortable to speak,understand or read English.

Remember, overseas visitors will take your information intheir own language home with them to show to others thatmight visit you at a later date.

Here are a few suggestions to make your marketing budget,however limited, really work for you.

• Use a limited amount of foreign language (even 100words or so) on your Web site; (internet browsers willprefer native language web pages by default).

• Produce saleable brochures to recover some of theexpense; consider sub-titling any existing multi-mediamaterial.

• Avoid costly artwork changes – just replace English textwith foreign language text and avoid large print bills (andan unused stockpile of literature) by producing languageinformation brochure supplements by printing onto yourown letterhead from your PC.

• Introduce additional languages gradually. Start with, say,French, German, Spanish, Italian and Japanese. (Theselanguages will cover most of Western Europe, SouthAmerica and, of course, Japan).

• Plan carefully, avoid dates and other specific information– that way, the translations will only have to be done once.

• Get together with another attraction, venue or associationto share costs.

Don’t just think of it for this year. Foreign visitors are on theincrease; this is an investment for the future.

WORDSapart’s Nigel Haigh says it’s time to invest in the future and increase your share ofthe lucrative foreign tourist market.

Do You Want A ShareOf £270m?

Marketing is communication;communication is all about

understanding.What if your overseas

customers cannot understandyour marketing?


16

WTA FEATURE

WHEN NORTH WALES HolidayCottages & Farmhouses was establishedin the mid 1960s we lived in an agewhen house sharing - home-ownersoffering holidaymakers the shared useof their facilities – was still the norm.

How times have changed.

Farming at this time was in depressionand the days of farmers’ wives earningincome from the sale of produce in thelocal market was virtually over.Increased pressure on farmers requiringextra acreage led to the merging offarms, in some cases producing asecond farmhouse.

Farmers found a new income in lettingout these spare properties toholidaymakers. Yet bookings through-out the year were still a long way off,due to the much held concept thatWales was deep in snow in winter –there were no 4 x 4s in those days.

The first bookings involved some simpleprovincial newspaper advertising.Clients were asked to send an SAE for

information about a caravan, a cottage,or a farmhouse, which was printed on aBanda machine (carbon paper/whitespirit).

Bookings required a 5 guineas deposit,the balance payable on arrival. At thisstage a telephone was not involved,there were only isolated cheques,mainly postal orders and of course nocredit cards.

As property numbers grew, a carbonisedavailability sheet was produced, whichby pressing booking marks in hard,gave five copies. A brochure was soonnecessary and was printed with just acouple of pen and ink drawings andblack and white photos.

National advertising started with theSunday Times and The Lady, andbusiness suddenly grew following afavourable AA magazine article and theNational Trust asking the agency toinclude their north Wales properties inthe brochure.

Telephone, answer machine and faxeventually gave us closer contact to ourholidaymakers. Unlike today, however,there were no polite requests for aproperty within ‘walking distance to apub’ – no breathalysers! Or indeed‘where to eat out’ as visitorspredominately self catered.

Two requests do come to mind, though– one from the lady who wanted acottage as near to the sea as possible sothat she could hear the waves – thename on the cheque a Mrs. C. Gull! Theother was from a gentleman who hadseen a farmhouse to let near the hamletof Nasereth, Caernarfon. His chequewas signed the Rev. Moses!

As standards improved, hotel visitorsstarted booking the better properties,realising their flexibility and privacy.The privacy and locations offeredattracted some interesting enquiries,not least from Warner Bros. who bookedaccommodation for the late GeorgeCukor and Katherine Hepburn . And SirEdmund Hillary reserved the sameSnowdonia stone cottage twice.

The real changes of course camealong with the computer; they wereonly simple at first – producing adatabase for the first large mailshots.Now we have e-mails, postcardmailing, internet marketing andbooking and electronic newsletters.It’s hard to imagine how we managedwithout them.

Remember when house-sharing holidays and ads in “The Lady”made for a cutting edge holiday experience? Paul Russellpoints out that the industry in Wales has moved a long way in afew decades.

What A Change!

“And Sir Edmund Hillaryreserved the sameSnowdonia stone cottage twice…”


17

WTA NEWS AND VIEWS

A NEW SMALL grant service and a campaign for all-Walesequality of business rates are high priorities for WASCO, therepresentative body for owners of self-catering propertieswithin Wales.

The Disability Dis-crimination Act hasforced us all toconsider how we cani m p l e m e n timprovements to our

properties, taking into account the requirements of the Act.We are now offering our members small grants towards anysuch work, in a scheme that we are running for the WalesTourist Board.

Grants for grab rails, ramps, non-slip surfaces, accessibleshowers, bath seats, Braille and/or large print signs and othersimilar items are all currently being considered. Spend shouldbe between £500 and £2,499 to be eligible. Decisions arebeing made quickly with many schemes timetabled for thiswinter’s schedule of maintenance work.

We have been working hard to influence the criteria for theharmonised star grading scheme that will come in throughoutWales in 2008, and also consulting on the minimumstandards appropriate for Statutory Registration.

The revaluation of business rates, particularly in North Wales,is another subject of concern and we are campaigning forgreater equality within a pan-Wales system.

The WTB is trialling a new, more accurate method ofcollecting visitor statistics, designed by WASCO, and we wantto see both VisitWales and VisitBritain websites ensure thatself-catering, accessible accommodation and Wales arestrongly publicised.

Cash SupportFor Self-CaterersMargaret Smyth

SOME 128 OF THE best attractionsthroughout Wales are now taking partin the quality accreditation scheme,VAQAS Cymru.

The Wales Tourist Board scheme has anumber of advantages overpredecessors. For the visitor, it providesan assurance that the attraction is wellrun, welcoming and well presented. Itis not a grading scheme; attractions areeither awarded the accreditation ornot, and some do fail.

For the operator, it provides a low costreview of their operation by someonewith an independent perspective.Every element of the attraction isreviewed, scored for the benefit of theoperator and discussed in detail at theend of the inspection.

It is not a dispassionate inspectionand penalty but rather a valuableinput on how attractions can beimproved and guidance on whereassistance can be found.

The Welsh Association of VisitorAttractions (WAVA) would encourage the composite results to be circulatedto all participants to provide avaluable benchmarking opportunity.Examples of best practice might alsobe identified.

A poor experience at a visitorattraction can ruin a holiday and thereputation of Wales as a leadingtourism destination. WAVA fullysupports VAQAS Cymru, believingquality is as essential in the attractionssector as it is in other sectors.

VAQAS Cymru is being adopted as aprerequisite for the racking ofattraction leaflets in TICs throughoutWales, starting at the 2008 season.This will help ensure that visitors havea good experience and encouragethose attractions that have not yetsigned up to the scheme to take part.

WAVA backs VAQAS

Well Run, Welcoming– And Well PresentedIan Rutherford

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18

WTA VIEWPOINT

Wind farms appear to offer a source of renewable energy but at what costto our visitor industry? Tim Giles believes the issues facingCarmarthenshire are largely the same as for the whole of Wales.

A Question Of BalanceTHE CONTROVERSY OVER thebuilding and siting of wind farms inWales is one that will go around andaround again. At the heart of thiscircular debate lies a conflict betweenenvironment, economy and energy;there is no question that we needrenewable forms of energy – but wealso need visitors.

Wind farms appear to offer a reliable, ifsmall, source of renewable energy butat what cost are these huge propellersto our visitor industry? In essence, arethe two totally mutually exclusive orcan tourism’s issues be resolved?

The tourism industry in Wales is incomplete agreement with the view thatrenewable energy forms are vital for thefuture; not only for the quality of lifethat inhabitants in Carmarthenshire,west Wales – or indeed, the rest ofWales – demand and expect, but alsofor the economic sustainability of thearea.

This economic sustainability depends inlarge measure, in west Wales andCarmarthenshire, on visitors coming toour region and county. Therefore, theprovision of renewable energy formsmust be inextricably tied to ensuringthat visitors continue to come.Renewable energy forms could attractor detract from the visitor experience.

Visitors bring some £250 million to ourCounty per annum – certainly one of

our most important, if not the mostimportant, revenue earning industries.An industry, that not only is expected tosignificantly grow in future years, buthas been, and is, scheduled to continueto be central to the economic, socialand cultural strategies and action plansof Carmarthenshire County Council andother local and regional agencies.

This is evidenced by the investment andsupport for such projects as theMillennium Coastal Park, includingMachynys, the National BotanicGarden, Dinefwr Park, Gelli Aur, theNational Woollen Museum, the BrechfaMountain Bike Centre – to name but afew. In all, it represents an investmentof well over £100 million in the lasteight to ten years.

Research has shown that the majorreason visitors come to Carmarthenshireand west Wales is for the naturalenvironment. The increasingimportance of well-being and health on

the national agenda will furtherincrease demand for recreation, sportand activities – for local inhabitantsand visitors alike.

Many of the current policies, strategiesand action plans indicate that there willbe increased investment in areas toimprove the health of the population.Carmarthenshire can take advantage ofthis investment if we can maintain theright environment – and we arefortunate to have that environment as anatural resource to use carefully for thebenefit of all.

So a balance has to be struck – yes weneed renewable energy resources, butwe also need the increasinglyimportant economic role of the visitor ifour communities and society are toprosper and grow.

It is a question of balance. Just howmany windfarms will be allowed? Dowe know how many windfarms we willend up with in Wales? Where will theybe? And crucially, when will thenumber of windfarms be such thatvisitors will not wish to come, kickingour essential visitor industry intodecline?

There are other sources for renewableenergy but there are not other sources

Tim Giles, Chief Executive of Carmarthenshire TourismAssociation.

The provision of renewable energy forms

must be inextricably tied toensuring that visitorscontinue to come.

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19

WTA VIEWPOINT

of economic generation that canprovide the economic sustainability andstandard of life for our County thattourism and visitors can provide. Ournatural environment is priceless andcannot be replaced.

The question of windfarms is highlyemotive; where plans are announced,I suspect a windfarm is ascontroversial as plans fora new majorpower l inew i t h

its skyline-disturbing pylons

and overhead cables.Indeed, we have recently seen

the removal at high cost of overheadpowerlines near the Llanelli MillenniumCoastal Park in order to improve thevisitor experience.

So why are windfarms acceptable insome areas and yet pylons are not inothers? We recognise that it is not aneasy question to answer for those whohave to make these decisions.

But are those vitally importantdecisions being made in the full light ofall known facts?

I believe our local authorities andplanners need more information at theirdisposal in order to make the rightdecisions. They need to be confidentthat they can accurately consider trueeconomic and social impacts of

windfarms on our communities ofWales; communities where our visitorindustry plays a more significanteconomic role than in manyparts of the UK.

They must consider anyalternatives – and can they in any wayadd to the visitor experience of ourcountry in a similar way that ourreservoirs now do? Remember, theyattracted significant opposition at thetime of construction but it is difficult tosee windfarms in large numbers havingsuch a secondary economic benefit.

In summary, we are not suggesting thatwindfarms shouldn’t exist; we are notadvocating there shouldn’t be more ofthem. We are simply questioning

whether the ‘predicted’ energy benefitsmay be overshadowed – like some ofour landscapes are by these hugewindmills – by the negative economicimpact on Wales’ greatest industry.

I accept that we don’t have theanswers – but it is our responsibility toask the questions.

They need to be confident that they canaccurately consider true

economic and social impactsof windfarms on our

communities of Wales;

“Will the next approval of a planning permission be a

‘windfarm too far’?”


20

WTA NEWS AND VIEWS

WHAT IMAGES ARE conjured up bythe words Youth Hostel? If it’s greybuildings, sleeping in metal bunks in aroom with a dozen strangers, gettingwashed in cold water and sweepingfloors before being allowed to leave,then it’s time to think again.

This year YHA celebrates 75 years ofproviding budget accommodation inWales, but times and tastes havechanged dramatically since 1930,when Richard Schirrmann – founder ofthe Youth Hostel movement – openedthe first Welsh hostel, YHA IdwalCottage close to Nant Ffrancon Pass inGwynedd.

In line with evolving holiday trends,YHA is working hard to meet customerdemand at all 36 current Welshlocations. Just to give an indication ofhow far things have progressed, and toexplode a few more myths, here aresome other common misconceptions:

• You have to be young and a memberto stay – wrong. YHA is open toeveryone and dropped itsmembership requirement this year,although members do still pay lowerrates.

• You have to share rooms andbathrooms – wrong.

Many hostels have small, private orfamily rooms and, increasingly, thesecome with an en suite bathroom.

• You have to do chores – wrong. Thesetoo are a thing of the past.

Two things, however, have remainedconstant. YHA still offers great valueaccommodation and, in some of themost stunning locations around, YHACymru Wales

provided more than 215,000 overnightstays last year and 41% of visitors wereyoung people.

In the past 75 years, around 15.5million people have stayed with YHA inWales, from city hostels like Cardiff andBangor, through to mountain locationsat Llwyn-y-Celyn in the BreconBeacons, coastal hostels in Manorbier,Pembrokeshire, and traditionalbunkhouses in the Elenith.

The facilities offered by YHA CymruWales make it an important componentof the tourism experience in Wales andcontribute significantly to localbusinesses and the overall economy.YHA also contributes to the

Still got a hackneyed view of Youth Hostels? Time totune in to the YHA at 75 years young. Nowadays it’s…

En Suites And No Sweeping

“The facilities offered by the YHA Cymru Wales

make it an importantcomponent of the tourism

experience in Wales.”


21

WTA MEMBERSHIP

Antur Cymru� 01348 840763� [email protected] Cymru is the umbrella organisationrepresenting outdoors education, recreation, andtourism in Wales. It provides a critical forum for theexchange of views and development of supportiveresponses and initiatives regarding this.

Association of Wales Agents� 01492 582492� [email protected] members represent a large number of self-catering operators, many with just one farmhouse orcottage and others with larger complexes. It providesbetter representation for all Agents large and small.

British Holiday & Home Parks Association� 01452 – 526911� [email protected]&HPA is the representative trade body for theparks industry in the United Kingdom

British Hospitality Association� 0207 404 7744� [email protected] BHA is the national association representing thehotel, restaurant and catering industry

Farm Stay UK� 024 7669 6909� [email protected] Stay UK is a farmer owned consortium aimingto promote the concept of farm tourism in the UK.

Federation of Small Businesses� 029 2052 1230� [email protected] is a lobbying and campaigning businessorganisation that ensures the voice of the smallbusiness proprietor is heard.

Forum for Small ServicedAccommodation Operators in Wales� 01446 774451� [email protected] forum is a national tourism consultative groupfor the B & B, guesthouse and small hotel sectorwith 10 bedrooms or less.

Mid Wales Tourism� 01654 702653� [email protected] is the principal deliverer of support for thetourism economy of Mid Wales and representstourism interests at local, regional and nationallevels

North Wales Tourism� 01492 531731� [email protected] represents 1300 private sector and publicorganisations within the north Wales tourism/hospitality industry. It is the principal deliverer ofsupport for the tourism industry on a partnershipbasis.

South East Wales Tourism Forum� 01654 702653 � [email protected] Forum represents all sectors of the tourismindustry in south-east Wales and provides the link tothe WTA.

The National Caravan Council� 01252 318251� [email protected] was originally a trade association for the UKCaravan Industry. It has grown to now represent themanufacturers, dealers, park operators and suppliesand service providers throughout Great Britain andNorthern Ireland.

The Camping & Caravanning Club� 024 7685 6797� enquiries@caravanclub.co.ukwww.campingandcaravanningclub.co.ukThe oldest camping and caravanning club in theworld provides campsites and information oncampsites, foreign travel opportunities andeverything else the camper or caravanner needs.

The Caravan Club� 01342 326944www.caravanclub.co.ukAs Europe’s premier touring organisation, theCaravan Club represents the interests of over850,000 touring carvanners, motor caravanners andtrailer tent owners. The Club operates the largest,privately owned network of quality sites in the UK,and is well represented throughout Wales, witheighteen sites and 320 Certificated locations(smaller 5-pitch sites).

The Youth Hostel Association� 029 2039 6766� [email protected] offers affordable accommodation at 36 YouthHostels across Wales, most located in the NationalParks of Snowdonia, the Brecon Beacons and thePembrokeshire Coast.

Tourism Associations In South West Wales� 01267 290455� [email protected] four Tourism Associations of west Wales providethe local tourism and hospitality industry withorganisations which own, direct and participate inthe partnership delivery of local, regional andnational strategies for tourism.

Tourism Training Forum For Wales� 029 2049 5174� [email protected] promotes and guides education and trainingin the tourism industry.

Wales Association of Self-CateringOperators� 08701 283152� [email protected] as a voice for self catering in Wales. WASCO’smembership comprises of one cottage operators tolarge agencies operating throughout the country.

Wales Official Tourist Guides Association� 01633 774796� [email protected] promotes and represents the interests ofqualified self-employed tour guides in Wales.

Welsh Association of Visitor Attractions� 01654 711228� [email protected] supports and represents visitor attractionoperators. It provides networking opportunities foroperators to discuss problems and share experiences.

YOUR WTA CONTACTS

protection of the environment. In fact,Idwal Cottage, was refurbished as a‘green’ model with help from the WalesTourist Board in 2002, creating a four-star sustainable facility using solarpanels, sheep’s wool insulation andreclaimed wood for window frames.

Other exciting new projects includeopening four state-of-the-art Digilabs atBorth, Manorbier, Conwy andLlangollen, encouraging education in ITskills and communication for youngpeople aged 16 to 25.

YHA Cymru Wales is to launch its newbusiness plan for the next five years atthe National Assembly in April nextyear. Its primary focus will be toincrease business and profitability toreinvest in hostels, improve productquality and introduce even more newhostels in key locations to keep thislong-standing tradition alive.

Log on to www.yha.org.uk for moredetails.


22

WTA NEWS AND VIEWS

ON THE 1ST of April, 2006 the functionscurrently being performed by WTB will beundertaken by a new tourism andmarketing department within the EconomicDevelopment and Tourism Department ofthe Welsh Assembly Government (WAG).

It is too early to give details of all of the

proposed structures as they are currentlyout for consultation with the staff andunions; however, the move will ensure thattourism will now be taken intoconsideration when any Governmentpolicies are being formulated or changed.The industry has been asking for this formany years. All we have to do now is toensure that the system works.

We will want to continue providing whatwe consider is a good service to all of you.The intention is that you should only see animprovement in whatwe do and how we co-operate with you.

One area of our workthat I believe has reallydelivered for theindustry is marketing.Since we first receivedthe legal powers tomarket overseas in 1992and then with theadvent of extraEuropean money (bothof which would not havebeen achieved without solid industrysupport), our marketing campaigns havestarted to make a difference, especiallyduring recent years when the competitionhas been at its most fierce.

The merger of our marketing departmentwith those of WDA and WAG’s EconomicDevelopment Department will produce ahard-hitting and coherent image of Walesacross all markets. With one MarketingDirector reporting into me as Director ofTourism and Marketing, I am convinced wewill see more effective use of budgets, less

fragmentation andgreater co-operationacross all WAGMarketing Departments.

Our capital grantsregime will become farmore closely alignedwith those of WAG.Decisions on smallergrants will still remainwithin the tourismdepartment, but it isenvisaged that the muchlarger projects will havebetter access to widerWAG capital supportsystems.

Our business support function will remainas it is, providing specialist advice whererequired. Our quality assurance advisorswill continue to help the industry to drive upstandards and work towards theharmonisation of all our grading schemes,with those of England, Scotland and the AA,by the time our 2008 marketingpublications appear.

We will continue to provide financialsupport to the four Regional TourismPartnerships during the 2006/07 financial

year; we will, at thesame time, carry out areview of the RTPs toensure, as we do forall our work, thatvalue for money isbeing provided.

We will continue tocarry out research,both independentlyand in co-operationwith others, in anattempt to provide the

industry with better information with whichyou can plan your business growth.

Our Chairman and Board Members willcease to work as our Board on 31st Marchand plans are in place to create a new

advisory body, which we all hope will havethe duty to challenge as well as advise.

Personally, I will miss the old WTB – butnow is not a time for nostalgia when theindustry in Wales is facing its stiffestcompetition on a world front. The job for allof us who will merge with WAG next year isto ensure that we carry on delivering“business as usual or better”.

Jonathan Jones, Chief Executive of the Wales Tourist Board and thenew Assembly Director of Tourism and Marketing, explains his ambition tocontinue delivering “business as usual or better”.

>> WTB – WAG – MERGER LATEST NEWS >>

Our marketing campaignshave started to make a

difference, especially duringrecent years when the

competition has been at itsmost fierce.


23

WTA NEWS AND VIEWS

A NEW SET of creative concepts forthe UK marketing campaign wasintroduced for 2005, following on fromthe widely perceived successes of the BigCountry campaign.

I am pleased to say that the newadvertisements and direct marketingtreatments have been very well receivedand the responsetargets have alreadybeen exceeded. InSeptember, the UKcampaign hadgenerated 436,000responses, this isagainst a target of400,000 for the wholeyear.

Last year thecampaign generated426,000 enquiries and we know through ourconversion analysis that 46% of theseenquirers actually came to Wales on holiday.Only a proportion of these would, however,have been genuinely additional visitors i.e.where WTB marketing played a key role intheir decision to come to Wales. Researchindicates that around £125m of genuinelyadditional spend is generated in Wales as aresult of visits stimulated through thiscampaign.

Across all campaigns in 2004, weinfluenced £231m in additional spend.Given that response levels are generallyholding up well, we anticipate another goodset of figures for 2005.

As you will be aware, mud has featuredstrongly in our UK creative for 2005. One TVad shows a couple washing down theirmountain bikes and the voiceoverobserving: “You are not having our mud...it’s good mud”.

Well, I am reliably informed that recentvisiting mountain bikers are seeing thefunny side of this and asking if their bikesneed to be inspected for mud before theyleave. Maybe we should think about settingup border posts to stop contraband mudleaving the country!

Our relatively small mountain bikecampaign generated about £1.6 million ofadditional spend last year.

A new TV ad for broadcast in January willcontinue to focus on those regions that arekey to Wales, including the North West andthe Midlands. This will be backed up withsatellite channel coverage across the UK.

We have new brand guidelines that try toensure the style and tone of voice of WTBcommunications is more consistent across

all campaigns. We hopethese guidelines will alsostrongly influence thewider promotion of Walesin areas other thantourism.

We try to avoid the use ofclichés too often used byother destinations – youwill not see “Land ofContrasts”, “Fun for allthe Family” or

“Something for everyone” in ouradvertisements. The guidelines emphasisethe importance of humour, hence “Area ofOutstandingly Bad Mobile Reception” and“Castles 641, Starbucks 6”.

Finally, We try to stay close to businesses toget a feel and we are aware that, inbusiness terms, 2005 has been a moremixed year than 2004 and 2003. Despitechanges to organisational structure, it isvital that the marketing team remains closeto the tourism businesses of Wales.

>> WTB – WAG – MERGER LATEST NEWS >>Roger Pride, Marketing Director, for theWales Tourist Board gives an insight into the newmarketing campaign and the results to date.

Last year the campaigngenerated 426,000 enquiriesand we know through our

conversion analysis that 46%of these enquirers actuallycame to Wales on holiday.

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HUNDREDS OF TOURISM bus-inesses have benefited from Section 4, acapital grant scheme managed by the WalesTourist Board.

The scheme has also been used as matchfunding to draw down significant sums ofEU money and allowed the allocation offunds in times of crisis – such as the foot –and-mouth epidemic.

Business Support for the industry hasevolved through the grading scheme,specialist and general support and PR andsales support. All investment is directedtowards projects that will complement theexisting product or add a new dimension totourism in Wales. This focus makes Section 4unique and gives it an industry-wide profilewhich, in truth, is bigger than the amountsof money involved would warrant.

The scheme is not delivered on a ‘first come,first served’ basis but is targeted at projectsthat will give the best return. Today,investment is directed at activity-basedprojects in line with a variety of strategiesincluding golf, watersports and adventure.

The results speak for themselves. To date,through the Objective 1 scheme, WTB hasallocated £22.9m against 359 individualprojects, generating a total of £87.2m inprivate sector investment and creating orsecuring 1,966 full-time-equivalent jobs.

The assessment of S4 applications,administration of claims and monitoring of projects will become part of the Finance forWales Department post merger. Thestrategic direction of funds will stay with theTourism and Marketing Department.

It means tourism must pit itself againstother business sectors and prove thatadditional Government assistance will bringgreater added value to the economy. Wemust make sure there is no dissipation ofeffort and specialist skill.

The targeting of funds must remain strategicto maximise benefit and ensure tourismplays a full part in the delivery of theAssembly’s Economic Development Policy –particularly the spatial plan.

(Above) EconomicDevelopment andTransport Minister,Andrew Davies AM (left)with owners AndrewEvans (right) and wifeLindsey and WalesTourist Board ChairmanPhilip Evans, at thenewly refurbished St.Brides Hotel,Saundersfoot.

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WTA NEWS AND VIEWS

Lucy O’ Donnell, Development Director atWTB, explains how the Capital Grant Scheme isgiving Wales a competitive edge.

>> WTB – WAG – MERGER LATEST NEWS >

CASE STUDY

A Quest For Quality

SECTION 4 CASE HISTORY: A world-class destination

spa hotel – that was the exciting ambition of Andrew and Lindsey

Evans just five years ago, after taking over the St Brides Hotel,

Saundersfoot. This is how they did it.

PHASE ONE: The refurbishment of The Cliff Restaurant and

public areas with a strong emphasis on Welsh art, showcasing

work by local painters and sculptors. The Cliff Restaurant has won

inclusion in the 2005 Dining Out in Wales guide.

PHASE TWO: The creation of 35 individually-designed and

luxuriously furnished bedrooms, many with sea views.

PHASE THREE: Will soon add a luxury spa facility,

emphasising the hotel’s capacity to function as a year-round

destination.

The project is seen as a flagship investment that will help

catalyse other developments towards the quality end of the

market and extend the season and so the WTB

contributed £1,186,000 of Objective One funding towards

the cost of this work.

“Extensive research leads us to the firm belief that St Brides Hotel

will become the leading hotel in south-west Wales,” said Andrew

Evans. “The St Brides Hotel & Spa will provide a world-class

product with the emphasis on service and comfort and a unique

and memorable hospitality experience.”

>> CTC - LlCC -


>> WTB – WAG

MAE CANNOEDD O fusnesauymwelwyr wedi elwa ar Adran 4, cynllungrant cyfalaf sy’n cael ei reoli gan FwrddCroeso Cymru.

Defnyddiwyd y cynllun hefyd fel ariancyfatebol i dynnu i lawr symiau sylweddol oarian yr Undeb Ewropeaidd a galluogoddrannu cyllid mewn adegau o argyfwng – felclwy’r traed a’r genau.

Mae Cefnogaeth Fusnes i’r diwydiant wedityfu drwy’r cynllun graddio, cefnogaetharbenigol a chyffredinol, CysylltiadauCyhoeddus a chefnogaeth gwerthiant. Caiffpob buddsoddiad ei gyfeirio tuag atbrosiectau a fydd yn cwblhau’r cynnyrchpresennol neu’n ychwanegu dimensiwnnewydd i dwristiaeth yng Nghymru. Mae’rpwynt yma yn gwneud Adran 4 yn unigrywac mae’n rhoi sylw iddo drwy’r diwydiantsydd, mewn gwirionedd, yn fwy na’rdisgwyl o ystyried y symiau o arian.

Nid yw’r cynllun yn cael ei redeg ar sail ‘ycyntaf i’r felin gaiff falu’ ond mae wedi eidargedu at brosiectau a fydd yn dwyn yrenillion gorau. Heddiw, mae buddsoddiadyn cael ei gyfeirio at brosiectaugweithgaredd yn unol ag amryw ostrategaethau yn cynnwys golff, chwaraeondwr ac antur.

Mae’r canlyniadau yn siarad drostynt euhunain. Hyd yma, drwy’r cynllun Amcan 1,mae Bwrdd Croeso Cymru wedi dyrannu£22.9m yn erbyn 359 o brosiectau unigol, gangynhyrchu cyfanswm o £87.2m mewnbuddsoddiad sector preifat a chreu neusicrhau 1,996 o swyddi cyfatebol llawn-amser.

Bydd asesu ceisiadau Adran 4, gweinydduhawliadau a monitro prosiectau yn dod ynrhan o’r Adran Cyllid i Gymru wedi’r cyfuno.Bydd cyfeiriad strategol y cyllid yn arosgyda’r Adran Dwristiaeth a Marchnata.

Mae’n golygu y bydd Twristiaeth yn gorfodcystadlu yn erbyn sectorau busnes eraill aphrofi y bydd cymorth Llywodraethychwanegol yn dod â mwy o werthychwanegol i’r economi. Mae’n rhaid i niwneud yn siwr nad oes gwastraffu arymdrech a sgiliau arbenigol.

Mae’n rhaid i dargedu cyllid aros ynstrategol er mwyn cael y budd mwyaf agwneud yn siwr bod twristiaeth yn chwaraerhan lawn wrth gyflwyno Polisi DatblyguEconomaidd y Cynulliad – yn arbennig ycynllun gofodol.

(Uchod, o’r chwith i’rdde) Cadeirydd BwrddCroeso Cymru PhilipEvans gyda’r GweinidogCludiant a DatblygiadEconomaidd, AndrewDavies AC a’rperchnogion Lindseyac Andrew Evans yn ygwesty newydd eiadnewyddu, GwestySt. Brides,Saundersfoot.

24

NEWYDDIONABARNCTC

Mae Lucy O’Donnell,Cyfarwyddwr Datblygu ymMwrdd Croeso Cymru yn egluro sut y mae’r cynllunGrant Cyfalaf yn rhoi min cystadleuol i Gymru.

>> CTC - LlCC - Y Diweddaraf am y Cyfuniad >>

ASTUDIAETH ACHOS

Ar Drywydd Safon

HANES ACHOS ADRAN 4: Gwesty sba mewn cyrchfan

gyda’r gorau yn y byd – dyna uchelgais cyffrous Andrew a

Lindsey Evans bum mlynedd yn ôl, wedi cymryd drosodd Gwesty

St Brides yn Saundersfoot. Dyma sut yr aethon nhw ati.

CAM UN: Adnewyddu Ty bwyta’r Cliff a’r llefydd cyhoeddus

gyda phwyslais cryf ar gelfyddyd Gymreig, gan ddangos gwaith

gan arlunwyr a cherflunwyr lleol. Mae’r ty bwyta wedi cael ei

gynnwys yn llawlyfr Bwyta Allan yng Nghymru 2005.

CAM DAU: Creu 35 o lofftydd wedi eu cynllunio’n unigol a’u

dodrefnu’n foethus, nifer gyda golygfeydd o’r môr.

CAM TRI: Ar fin ychwanegu sba moethus, sy’n pwysleisio

gallu’r gwesty i weithredu fel cyrchfan drwy’r flwyddyn gron.

Gwelir y prosiect fel buddsoddiad blaengar a fydd yn helpu i

ysgogi datblygiadau eraill tuag at ochr safon y farchnad ac

ehangu’r tymor ac felly cyfrannodd Bwrdd Croeso Cymru

£1,186,000 o gyllid Amcan Un tuag at gost y gwaith hwn.

“Mae ymchwil eang yn ein harwain i gredu mai Gwesty St Brides

fydd y gwesty amlycaf yn Ne Orllewin Cymru,” medd Andrew

Evans. “Bydd Gwesty a Sba St Brides yn darparu cynnyrch o

safon byd-eang gyda’r pwyslais ar wasanaeth a chysur a

phrofiad o letygarwch unigryw a chofiadwy.”


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