Powys will play host to a major European conference next month examining the tourism economy and the information society.
The I-Speed conference, which features Powys County Council and nine European partners, will be held at Lake Vyrnwy Hotel, Llanwyddyn on Wednesday February 9.
I-SPEED - Information Society Policies for Sustainable European Economic Development - is an INTERREG IV C project with partners from Poland, Greece, Norway, Bulgaria, Romania, Spain, France and two from Italy.
Officially launched in 2010 in Venice, the main issues tackled by I-SPEED are the lack of awareness among policy makers about the Information Society potential to improve public services and foster growth, and the loss of competitiveness of European Tourism Economy.
Powys County Council Board Member for Regeneration, Councillor Wynne Jones, who will chair the conference, said; “Hosting the conference provides an excellent opportunity for the county to raise its profile on European stage as well as sharing experiences and working with others in important sectors.
“The partners, mainly local and regional authorities, will meet during the three years of the project to discuss and share best practices on ICT and Information Society. In particular it will address how these can be used to provide services to tourists, to support tourism providers, and ensure that public sector bodies can help a sustainable tourism sector.”
The Programme INTERREG IVC is financed by the European Union's Regional Development Fund.