 Russell George MS with Bywater Leisure Parks’ managing director Dylan Roberts, associate director Ed Glover and Morben Isaf Holiday Home and Touring Park joint manager Sarah Lewis. The managing director of a company that owns caravan holiday home parks across Mid Wales has warned that the Welsh Government could jeopardise the recovery of the tourism industry if it introduces a proposed tourism tax.
Dylan Roberts, managing director of Bywater Leisure Parks and the British Holiday and Home Parks Association’s Mid Wales director, issued the warning yesterday (Monday), at the start of Wales Tourism Week - May 16-22. “We are very concerned as an industry that the recovery could be derailed by the introduction of a proposed tourism tax by the Welsh Government, especially if it’s administered by each local authority with no parity across Wales,” said Mr Roberts, who lives in Bow Street, near Aberystwyth. “We ought to be encouraging more people to visit Wales rather than potentially threatening the future of businesses that depend on the money spent by visitors. “The pandemic has had a significant impact on the tourism sector. However, the staycation trend has highlighted the importance of domestic tourism to both the economy and people’s wellbeing.” He made the comments after welcoming Montgomeryshire’s MS Russell George to Morben Isaf Holiday Home and Touring Park at Derwenlas, near Machynlleth, a five star park which has recently invested £750,000 in an exclusive development of 16 pitches for holiday lodges and static caravans. The park - https://www.morbenisaf.co.uk/dyfi-view - now has pitches for 112 holiday homes. Mr George said: “A tourism tax would be hugely damaging to the tourism industry and the wider economy. When I meet industry representatives, they clearly demonstrate the damage this tax would cause.” He added: “I welcome the continued investment being made by Bywater Leisure Parks in Dyfi View at Morben Isaf which is being sensitively developed alongside the Dyfi Osprey Project. “We need the tourism industry to bounce back stronger than what it was pre-pandemic with the help of new trends such as staycations and new eco-friendly tourist attractions. “The industry is hugely important for the economy of Mid Wales, supporting our local businesses as well as highlighting Powys as a destination to visit. Tourism is one of the largest contributors to local jobs, local businesses and the local economy and therefore it is of the upmost important that we continue to support the industry.” Mr George was given a guided tour of the park by Mr Roberts, Ed Glover, Bywater Leisure Parks’ associate director and Sarah Lewis, who manages the park with her husband, Ben. Mr Roberts emphasised that the UK Camping & Caravan Alliance’s 2019 ‘Pitching the Value’ report had revealed that visitors to holiday parks and campsites generated £9.3 billion a year and the sector supported 171,448 jobs. “We were delighted to be able to show Mr George how we play our part in that success story and to demonstrate that tourism makes a significant contribution to the Welsh economy, especially in Powys,” he added. Celebrating the contribution made by the tourism industry to local and national economies, job creation, the environment and communities, Wales Tourism Week is organised by the Wales Tourism Alliance. The alliance represents around 7,000 businesses in all sectors of tourism industry across Wales.
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“Tourism and hospitality is a great sector to work in” – that’s the message from Economy Minister, Vaughan Gething, to mark the start of Wales Tourism Week 2022 (15 to 22 May).
The week will help shine a spotlight on careers and job opportunities in the tourism and hospitality sector in Wales. One of the challenges facing the sector following the Coronavirus pandemic is recruitment, with many businesses seeing a shortage of staff. The Welsh Government has been working with the sector on a recruitment campaign to highlight the potential career paths and a whole of range of personal development opportunities the tourism and hospitality sector has to offer. The Experience makers campaign is being delivered in partnership with Working Wales: Work in hospitality and tourism. Economy Minister, Vaughan Gething, said: "There is such a variety of interesting and rewarding career options within the tourism sector which offer flexibility as well as career development. It really is a great sector to work in. "As we build a stronger, fairer, greener Welsh economy, we are committed to investing in our people, through the Young Person’s Guarantee, and a strong employability and skills offer, including apprenticeships. "Apprenticeships can help futureproof, motivate and diversify a workforce, offering people the chance to gain high-quality vocational skills. They are also crucial to our ambitious post-Covid economic recovery plans. That’s why we have committed to creating a further 125,000 all-age apprenticeship places over the next five years. "And as the busy summer season gets underway, I’d like to thank everyone working in the sector for their hard work - the staff in this sector play a big part of making important experiences come to life." Wales Tourism Week is an opportunity for tourism sites across Wales to raise awareness of the sector and showcase the quality of the tourism offer to both UK domestic and international tourists.
This year the theme for the week supports the Tourism and Hospitality skills and recruitment campaign #theexperiencemakers - helping shine a spotlight on careers and job opportunities in the tourism and hospitality sector in Wales. Launched in 2021 by Visit Wales with the industry-led Wales Tourism and Skills partnership, the campaign supports the sector and raises awareness of the high numbers of vacancies and of the variety of career opportunities available. The message of the campaign is to join the experience makers and is delivered in partnership with Working Wales Work in hospitality and tourism | Working Wales (gov.wales). Find out more about Wales Tourism Week, learn about the resources available to you to get involved and events taking place on the WTA website. Be sure to join in on social media: Look out for posts using #theexperienceemakers and #walestourismweek and share them across your platforms.
It’s only a matter of days now until the Royal Welsh Showground in Llanelwedd will once again be bustling with activity as visitors are welcomed back to the Smallholding and Countryside Festival. Taking place next weekend, May 21-22, the springtime event is a celebration of rural life and country living with smallholding pursuits at its heart. Tickets are available online - https://rwas.ticketsrv.co.uk/tickets/272 - and are selling fast. The festival is a showcase of the real diversity of the Welsh countryside and a great day out for young families, countryside dwellers and anyone with an interest in the great outdoors. With a packed programme of livestock and equine competitions, displays and activities, live music and food and drink, there is something for everyone to enjoy. The Smallholder’s Centre is the main port of call for those wanting to learn more about the smallholder’s way of life. There will be useful information and talks to get involved in, and the Smallholder Hub, a social area to meet other smallholders, share knowledge and gain advice for those just getting started. Garden expert and TV presenter Charlie Dimmock will present a talk on Wildlife and Water at midday on Saturday, May 21 in the Speakers Corner. For dog lovers, The Welsh Premier Open Dog Show is held at the festival all weekend, with the opportunity to see thousands of dogs competing for a chance to qualify for Crufts 2023. Visitors can even take their own dogs to the event and see how they get on in the Gower Dog Agility course. The Display Ring will host the Rockwood Dog Display with comedy routines and tricks and Meirion Owen and His Sheepdogs. There will be plenty to see and get involved in at the Country Life Area, including forestry competitions, demonstrations, rural sports and have-a-go activities. The audience will be able to enjoy listening to live musical performances in the Bandstand and watching the Woodville Medieval Re-enactment Group’s historical displays of medieval life. For those looking for family fun, get involved in the biking activities and obstacle course. Children can give cycling a go, with helmets and bikes are provided. Also featured in the Country Life Area, The Panic Family Circus returns with circus skill acts, workshops and traditional puppet shows. The Display Ring will be jam-packed with displays, including showjumping, dog displays, BMX Bikes and The Welsh Festival Parade of Land Rovers. The Meirionnydd Shearing Centre will this year be branded the Wool Zone to promote the versatility and fabulous creations made with wool The zone will include woolhandling competitions, Gwent Guild of Spinners and Weavers, Coleg Sir Gar exhibition, Meirionnydd Vintage Shearing Display and many wool related trade stands. Tyfu Cymru will once again be taking over the Members Centre for the Tyfu Cymru Growers Market. Growers will have the opportunity to present and sell their products during the two-day event at the prime location. It wouldn’t be a Royal Welsh event without showcasing the best food and drink produce that Wales and the border counties have to offer. Visitors can sample delicious goods in the renowned Food Hall or take a break and grab lunch at the Street Food area. For more information about the event, visit www.rwas.wales .  Fit for a queen - preparing to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee at King Arthur’s Labyrinth. King Arthur’s Labyrinth in Corris, near Machynlleth will be joining in the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations with its own royal themed festivities.
From June 2-5, visitors to the underground visitor attraction dressed as a king or a queen will receive a very special 20% discount off their admission ticket. A special Royal Quest in the neighbouring outdoor storytelling maze will feature Royal Golden Dragons with capes and golden crowns with a Mabinogion themed quest for adults and a royal quest for children. Exclusive prizes will be available for all correct answers. Visitors will be able to try their luck at a Royal Lucky Dip where four special golden tickets will be hidden on each of the four days. The golden ticket winners will receive a free drink and cake in the onsite Corris Café, where jubilee themed food and drinks will also be served. A Mini Banquet and Jubilee themed cakes will be available for the four-day weekend. Hannah Quincey, general manager, said: “At King Arthur’s Labyrinth, we retell the ancient Welsh legends of King Arthur, the heroic King of Wales. We wanted to bring together our king and the present Queen to celebrate this very special Platinum Jubilee”. King Arthur’s Labyrinth and Lost Legends of The Stone Circle storytelling maze open daily 10am to 5pm.
An award-winning Eco House in Snowdonia has added ‘Carbon Negative’ to its host of environmental accolades. John and Ceilia Whitehead’s Bryn Elltyd Eco House at Tanygrisiau, near Blaenau Ffestiniog, is believed to be one of the first accommodation businesses in the UK to be certified carbon negative. Bryn Elltyd, which can provide bed and breakfast or self-catering for guests, became the first Tesla destination charging point in Wales, and its six electric vehicle (EV) charging points are continually upgraded. Last year, it was recognised by Electrifying.com as one of the best places to visit in the UK with excellent electric car charging facilities. The business has been operating entirely on renewable energy since 2013, when it won the Considerate Small Accommodation Provider of the Year Award. Bryn Elltyd was the only Welsh business shortlisted by Considerate Hoteliers in the 10 award categories and triumphed against much larger five-star businesses. The eco guest house was described by the judges as “a beacon of sustainability at the foot of Snowdon” and went on to win the accolade again in 2014. Bryn Elltyd has also achieved gold in the Green Tourism Business Scheme for more than a decade. Stu Meades, managing director of Greener Edge Sustainability, based in Beddgelert, who undertook the carbon footprint analysis of Bryn Elltyd, said: “I haven’t assessed or seen any other holiday homes in Wales which have achieved carbon negativity, and I think it’s extremely rare in the UK. The amount of work John has done at Bryn Elltyd is exceptional; he’s a demonstrator of best practice.” The story for Bryn Elltyd began when Ceilia took John to the Centre for Alternative Technology, near Machynlleth in 1982 and was amazed at working solar panels in a slate quarry. John left his aerospace career, fitted solar panels on their suburban semi-detached home in Coventry and devoted the next 20 odd years to teaching technology. The chance came in 2007 to change careers and create a green guesthouse, 700ft up a mountain in Snowdonia National Park. Bryn Elltyd is an 1883 granite building, which was a challenge for energy efficiency. John has sensitively developed the property with massive insulation and turf roofed buildings, lined with sheep’s wool, solar panels, hot air extraction from conservatories, rainwater loo flushing and biological sewerage into a reed bed and duckpond. The property was one of the early adopters of a boiler that turns local wood to gas and burns it at 900c. The boiler is computer integrated with a massive solar array. The couple buy mainly local products and services and have their own orchard and vegetable plots hewed from the mountainside. “Many organisations talk about aiming to become carbon zero or carbon neutral in future,” said John. “Carbon negative is even better, and we’re delighted to have achieved this now. Insulation, insulation, insulation is the key!” The carbon footprint analysis was funded by the UK Government through the UK Community Renewal Fund, managed by the Green Digital Academy at Busnes@LlandrilloMenai. “The team are really pleased with the certification awarded to John and Ceilia at Bryn Elltyd,” said Julie Stokes-Jones, project business development officer at Busnes@LlandrilloMenai. “We encourage small businesses in Gwynedd and Anglesey to get in touch to take advantage of the support offered through this project to reduce their carbon footprint.” Small businesses in Gwynedd and Anglesey are encouraged to contact green.digital@gllm.ac.uk for a fully funded carbon assessment of their business. The Whiteheads are members of MWT Cymru, an independent organisation representing more than 600 tourism and hospitality businesses in Powys, Ceredigion and Southern Snowdonia. The Brecon Beacons National Park has recently launched the first three modules of its new online ambassador course.
The course is designed to give tourism providers a greater insight into the breath-taking landscape of the Brecon Beacons. Three modules are currently available, with more planned to be released in the future. The course is free to access and currently features modules covering an Introduction to the Brecon Beacons, A Sense of Place, and People of the Past. The courses are designed to deepen knowledge of the landscape and celebrate the beautiful area with pride. It aims to give tourism providers the knowledge to speak about the National Park with confidence. Carol Williams, Tourism Officer for the National Park, said, “We’re delighted to launch this online course. We manage a group of over 343 ambassadors. They are all passionate about the Park and our scheme allows them to learn even more about our beloved National Park. Now that we have an online course even more people can take part. It isn’t just restricted to tourism providers, either. Anyone with an interest in the Brecon Beacons can get involved. “Future modules will include lessons on Dark skies, Geopark and Nature of the National Park. We’re keen to help bring people along with us on a journey to a sustainable future for the National Park.” The ambassador course is free to complete. After passing a short quiz, participants are offered a certificate. Passing three modules will earn a bronze award, six modules will earn a silver and ten will earn a gold. Kevin Walker, from Mountain Activities, is among the first people to complete the course. He said, “The new online ambassador modules are brilliant! There’s lots of great information in easily digestible chunks, and the quiz at the end of each module really helps to fix the learning, making it so much easier to share the knowledge with visitors and locals! Highly recommended.” To sign up to the course, please visit: https://www.ambassador.wales/  A blog from the Cyber Resilience Centre for Wales
Wales Tourism Week is here once again, and this year it is focussed on helping to raise the profile of the tourism industry and the exciting opportunities it provides for jobs and careers across the region at a time when there is a large-scale skills shortage in the sector. Over the last twelve months, the Cyber Resilience Centre for Wales has been working with Welsh tourism businesses to help increase their cyber resilience and with so many operators now furiously recruiting to fill roles, it’s here that one of the many potential weaknesses lies when it comes to a cyber-attack. Some businesses have even found themselves on the receiving end of social media scams with fake recruitment agencies claiming to help find people job openings, then encouraging them to share identification documents and pay for security checks. WCRC Director, Detective Superintendent Paul Peters, says: “As we have all seen reported in the news last year, the number of vacancies across the UK tourism sector has significantly increased, with many businesses not able to find the staff – the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) reported at the end of last year that in the UK alone, one out of every eight jobs advertised is in the travel and tourism sector.” Paul continues; “Whilst recruitment remains a top priority, so should cyber security and safeguarding our online systems and private data. We have been speaking to many businesses in this sector and the worrying trend is that most still believe themselves to be too small and too regional to be a target. Yet, we know this not the case, as cyber-criminals will often target the more vulnerable, and size and location really doesn’t matter! “Ensuring we are protected from such attacks is critical, and that needs to come from not only securing devices in a more effective way, but also looking to those we employ to help protect against threats, serving as a key frontline defence in identifying a cyber-attack and ensuring that your sensitive information is protected,” Paul adds. And staying cyber resilient is important across every element of a business. Tourism organisations across Wales are constantly taking bookings online, collecting personal data from their customers, which comes with the expectation that this information will be kept safe, yet unless simple steps are taken to do so, such as awareness training on how to spot a fraudulent email, then you are vulnerable to being exploited. “Recently one of our members was able to recognise that they had been contacted by an imposter pretending to be from a well-known online marketplace for homestays. Thankfully, they had made it their business to raise their awareness on how to recognise phishing attempts which ultimately prevented them falling victim to fraud.” “Just last year there was a well-reported incident where a company that operated on Instagram found itself locked out of its account and therefore unable to keep running the business. Which is why it is so important to ensure you and your team have strong passwords and consider having two-factor authentication to protect your most important accounts.” Paul concludes: “We will all have seen the devastation that a fire or flood can do to a small business in Wales, but it is not so visible when it comes to cyber-crime. But these attacks can leave a devastating impact with far-reaching effects. Businesses can suffer from a long list of serious implications, including destruction, alteration, or loss of important files, unauthorised access to sensitive data, loss of billable hours, network access and website access, reputational damage, as well as potential closure, to name a few.” We know there is so much to consider, but you can make real changes by taking simple steps which aren’t necessarily technical. Let’s start with a few basic points:
Here at the WCRC, we want you to take the small steps to protect your business this summer, and ensure it is both successful and able to provide your customers with a fantastic experience here in Wales. We offer free membership which includes a meeting with someone from the centre to talk through basic cyber security options, but also some more technical services at a discounted rate that can help you understand where you need to address vulnerabilities.
“It’s great to be back” was the comment that best summed up the feelings of exhibitors and visitors after more than 5,000 people flocked to Wonderwool Wales. Following a pandemic-enforced absence of two years, the two-day show that celebrates all that’s great about Welsh wool and natural fibres made a triumphant return to the Royal Welsh Showground in Builth Wells. More than 190 exhibitors packed three halls, with many reporting a virtual sell out of their goods, which ranged from hand dyed yarns and fibre to equipment and quality finished products. Developed to promote the market for Welsh wool and natural fibres, Wonderwool Wales was first held in 2006 and has grown in scale and popularity alongside a knitting, crochet, felting and textile craft making boom. A series of Woolschool workshops was well attended and Sheepwalk fashion shows, where exhibitors showed off their wonderful creations, were packed over the weekend. The wow factor was supplied by a special, eight-metre long exhibition entitled Alice in Wonderwool. The eye-catching, hand crafted interpretation of Alice in Wonderland installation featured an array of captivating characters, all crafted from felt and fibre. Show regulars, Alex Johnstone and Kathy Smart, joined forces with felting and fibre art friends, including prolific knitter and crochet enthusiast Terry Moncion, to recreate Alice’s dreamland journey and her marvellously wacky tea party. Janna Turner from Flock2Felts was project lead and felting advisor. The installation was originally made for Wonderwool Wales in 2020, which was postponed due to the pandemic. Alex, Kathy and Janna used the lockdowns to add extra features to the exhibition which was assembled for the first time at this year’s show and what an impression it made. “We have been working on Alice in Wonderwool on and off for three years and it’s lovely to see the smiling faces of people when they see it,” said Kathy. “They come up and say ‘Wow’. That makes it all worthwhile.” Janna added: “It’s a first time an installation of this size and type has been delivered and we are all very proud of it. We have been invited to other craft exhibitions and clubs, but nothing has been confirmed yet.” Alex said: “It was quite emotional and overwhelming when we assembled it for the first time.” The exhibition and various other fundraising ventures at the show raised £706 for the Wales Air Ambulance and £1,000 for NGO Molotok, a Ukrainian project established 13 years ago by Nataliya Cummings near the border with Belarus, to support young people from disadvantaged rural communities. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the project has become a shelter for more than 100 young people and families fleeing the war. Nataliya, who now runs Experience Ukraine & Beyond based in Pontrilas, near Hereford, had a stand at the show selling posters and bags printed with the Ukrainian flag for NGO Molotok. She also donated 20% of her profits from hand-spun and handwoven wool rugs and Ukrainian textiles which she sells. “The response from people has been brilliant,” said Nataliya. “They are donating money, talking to me about Ukraine and supporting in any way they can “It is wonderful to be raising money for this project that I founded and people are really supportive. I set up a JustGiving page and raised £65,000 in the first week which was overwhelming.” Another feature of the show was a special exhibition of work created by textiles students and graduates at Coleg Sir Gâr’s Carmarthen School of Art throughout the pandemic. This exhibition gave visitors an insight into their design process as well as beautiful textile outcomes in knit, weave and mixed media. “People have loved finding out how the exhibits were made,” said Lindsay Williams from the college. For those seeking creative inspiration, there were demonstrations and have-a-go sessions hosted by exhibitors. The continuing impact of Covid-19 variants caused the late withdrawal of some exhibitors, as newcomers accounted for about a third of the stands at the show, which was supported by the Wales Cultural Recovery Fund. The show is organised by an industrious group of five people, including three directors. The main organiser Chrissie Menzies, said: “!t was lovely to be back to some kind of normality. “We had some amazing feedback from exhibitors and visitors, including an American tour group. They absolutely loved Wonderwool Wales, saying it was the best wool show they had ever been to and they would like to come again. Everything went really well.” It was first time at the show for Hayley and Nick Dunn from Ducky Darlings, Hognaston, who make hand-dyed yarns inspired by the Derbyshire Dales. “This show puts others to shame,” said Nick. “Everybody is commenting on how good it is. Customers have time and want to listen to what you have to say. We have loved the show.” Chrissie Crook, from Woolyknit at Diggle, Saddleworth, who sell Warth Mill yarn and 100% wool socks, said: “The show is fabulous, so well organised. We have been really busy and, like many exhibitors I have spoken to, we have nearly sold out.”  Film fans will get to enjoy award-winning gins from maverick distillery In The Welsh Wind at an interactive film night at this year’s Carmarthen Bay Film Festival.
In The Welsh Wind is the ‘official gin’ of the four-day film festival which is being held at Llanelli’s Ffwrnes Theatre from May 16-19. The interactive film night is on Tuesday, May 17 where filmgoers in the theatre and online viewers will be able to decide the twists and turns of the interactive films shown. As part of the evening’s plot, In The Welsh Wind will be at the theatre offering gin tasting from its range of award-winning spirits. The company, which is based near Cardigan, is also sponsoring the prestigious feature film category, which will be presented by distillery co-founder and director Ellen Wakelam at the awards dinner on May 19. It is the first time the distillery has supported the festival. Ellen said: “Gin has a great history with the movies. Whether it’s James Bond’s dry Martinis, Marilyn Monroe drinking Manhattans in Some Like it Hot or Humphrey Bogart’s classic line in Casablanca ‘Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine’. “With such a strong link, sponsoring the Carmarthen Bay Film Festival and bringing gin to the movies seems the perfect partnership. “We’re looking forward to being involved in the interactive film night, which sounds like a really fun and interesting night, and of course being at the awards. We’d like to wish everyone involved in the festival and all of the filmmakers all the best for a successful event.” Kelvin Guy, the festival’s chief executive, said: “The Carmarthen Bay Film Festival is very proud of its Welsh roots, so we’re delighted to be able to work with and support local Welsh brands and encourage their involvement in the festival and film making here in Wales. “We’re excited to be working with In the Welsh Wind and look forward to strengthening our ongoing collaboration this year and into the future.” Recognised as Wales’ premier film festival, it is a BAFTA Short Film and BAFTA Cymru qualifying film festival and now receives more than 1,000 submissions from filmmakers across the world. Image caption: Carmarthen Bay Film Festival chief executive Kelvin Guy and In the Welsh Wind Distillery owner and director Ellen Wakelam discuss nominations. |
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