An appeal for better partnership working and co-operation between organisations involved in promoting tourism in Mid Wales was made at a Wales Tourism Week event held at Powis Castle.
The well attended event was organised jointly by the National Trust and Mid Wales Tourism (MWT), an independent organisation that represents 600 tourism and hospitality businesses across Powys, Ceredigion and Meirionnydd, to raise awareness of the tourism industry’s importance to the economy.
Montgomeryshire MP Glyn Davies and Assembly Member Russell George were joined by county, town and community councillors at the event, where they were able to network with tourism business owners.
The call for better partnership working came from MWT’s chief executive Val Hawkins, who wants limited tourism resources in Mid Wales to have the maximum benefit.
“We need to pool our knowledge and expertise and share resources,” she said. “We would like to see the public funded bodies working together with the business community to make better use of the limited resources available to promote tourism.
“There is definitely room for better partnership working to meet the challenges that lie ahead. Together we can help to create a more sustainable industry.”
She said she was delighted that so many county, town and community councillors had accepted the invitation to attend the event and looked forward to developing this partnership.
The event saw the launch of the new www.VisitMidWales.co.uk website, which has in excess of 2,000 individual pages. Mrs Hawkins described it as a “one stop shop for visitors to Mid Wales”.
She reflected on major digital marketing developments by MWT during 2012, including the launch of the Show Me Wales apps and mobile website. It was now essential that tourism information was available around the clock to visitors, who use smart phones and tablets.
Wales Tourism Alliance chairman Chris Osborne said it was critical that different levels of government understood the significant contribution that tourism makes to the Welsh economy. He also urged politicians at all levels to consult and work in partnership with the tourism industry before making decisions that impact upon it.
He said Wales’ visitor economy is worth £6.18 million and the tourism industry employs 172,000 people, representing nearly 10 per cent of all employment. The resilient tourism and hospitality industry accounts for a third of all new employment in the UK.
He urged tourism businesses in Mid Wales to respond to consultation surrounding the Welsh Government’s new tourism strategy proposals.
Emma Thompson, the National Trust’s property manager at Powis Castle, said the castle is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Wales, attracting 120,000 visitors a year and contributing £5 million a year to the local community.
PICTURE: Montgomeryshire’s MP Glyn Davies and Assembly Member Russell George with Mid Wales Tourism’s chairman Anne Lloyd-Jones and chief executive Val Hawkins, Powis Castle property manager Emma Thompson and Wales Tourism Alliance board member Julian Burrell.