Passcode for MWT Members: 8UM?wWH6 “The SEO and Digital Marketing webinar was very interesting and informative. Thank you! I’m in the process of updating our website so the resources shared and lessons learnt will come in very useful.” Maria Jones, Ty Llewelyn Glamping & Camping ResourcesLinks to the main resources referenced in the webinar: Chrome plugins: All in One SEO Analyzer Detailed SEO Google Trends - search for keyword trends over time. SEO software: SEMRush ahrefs (free tier available - see "Get started for free") LLMs (Large Language Models): ChatGPT (create an account to save the prompts you type in and their responses) Claude AI Google Gemini AI ⚠️ Remember if you upload documents to a LLM (like ChatGPT) to turn off the "share with everyone" setting, to stop your data being used to train the system for other people's responses. In ChatGPT this is in Settings. "Digital strategist" prompt that we used: Act as an expert digital strategist. I want to rank for 'camping mid wales'. Look at the digital landscape for that term and make recommendations which channels I should be using. AlsoAsked - search term research website - find the questions people are asking about your industry. 3 free searches per day. Guest Speakers
Unlocking the Power of AI"That zoom call was so interesting and the possibilities for our business and what's in the pipeline is just huge!” Clive Bowen, Meadow Springs Country & Leisure Park, talking about our previous MWT Members' webinar, 'Unlocking the power for AI for tourism businesses.' Including practical tips to implement AI and a demonstration of ChatGPT in action. You can catch up with this previous webinar here: Passcode for MWT Cymru members: gyj$?s8N
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It's been a busy few weeks at MWT Cymru. Zoe Hawkins, our CEO, represents members' interests on a number of different committees and forums to ensure your voices are heard. Here's a flavour of some of the work we've been doing, and continue to do, behind the scenes -
MWT ‘How’s Business Survey’ April – August 2024 Thank you to everyone who responded to our recent 'How's Business' Survey. Key Findings
How’s Business Quotes: Gwynedd Attraction: Fewer visitors generally, and increased staffing costs. Wales has always had rainy days but this issue is now a major factor in our declining visitor numbers. Powys Attraction: Restrictions on growth such as car parking and infrastructure are all having a huge effect. The business continues to grow, but between lack of space, a LA that has confused and uncoordinated strategic plans where social housing trumps tourism expansion/development Ceredigion Attraction & Accommodation: Fewer overseas visitors. Labour and general costs shot up this year making profitability more difficult. What's going to happen to visitors numbers this Autumn/winter? Powys Attraction: Sadly far fewer English tourists this year. Their main crumbles are the 20 MPH, feeling Wales does not really want tourists, concern of the proposed tourism tax. Many local self-catering people have sold up over the 182 day issue which again does not help attractions. Our rates will go up by £10.000 next year, and staffing costs are rapidly increasing. General feeling is that Welsh tourism is on the decline due to Welsh Government interventions. Self Catering: We are farming and running this as additional business and it is getting too much. The barn was converted to be a s/c holiday let under National Park planning regulations and we are unable to sell it for habitation so have our hands tied. We manage one cottage for a family member and they have decided to sell rather than carry on. Hotel (Powys): Staffing is the biggest issue for my hotel. we're not easy to get to unless you have a car. The 20mph speed limit has now cost my business £25k in lost revenue this year alone.
For more information or to sign up, please visit www.imi.wales or contact one of our Business Engagement Officers: North Powys: Jo Lewis | [email protected] | 07445438471 South Powys: Helen Howarth | [email protected] | 07884 313581 The IMI.Wales platform is built on Web3 Technology utilising tokenisation to offer rewards & incentives to both local customers and visitors to Mid Wales, to rejuvenate and develop new markets. Business clusters from communities across Powys including Brecon, Newtown, Montgomery and Welshpool are now listed on the new platform including the Metropole Hotel, Elan Valley Visitor Centre and Powis Castle, and businesses are issuing tokens for benefit of both local audience and visitors to the area. The IMI Wales team have attended the Montgomery Craft Day, Royal Welsh Show and the Newtown Food Festival and are working closely with other tourism groups and town councils throughout the region. Zoe presented IMI Wales to the Simpleview national tourism conference held in Bristol recently, to an audience of 150-175 Destination Managers from across the UK. IMI Wales has also attracted considerable interest from Welsh Government and key strategic businesses and organisations.
Our Travel Travel Trade and Business events webinar was well attended and we've received lots of positive feedback. If you are interested in working with Visit Wales and tapping into these important markets, watch the recording here and contact [email protected] for more information about getting involved. Aberystwyth University – The Health of the Tourism Industry Aberystwyth University is undertaking Research that includes mapping of the percentage of holiday domestic housing stock used as holiday lets and gauging the health of the tourism industry based on the experience of 12 tourism attractions around Wales. As part of this research, MWT supported the research team to host an event of invited attendees to input into this research and discuss what needs to happen to support the tourism sector moving forward. The event took place in July at Medrus Mawr, Penglais Campus, Aberystwyth University. Powys Cultural Tourism Strategy (Powys SPF) MWT Cymru has been assisting Mari Stevens providing input into the new Powys Cultural Tourism Strategy and attending the tourism workshop, and meeting with Mari Stevens regularly throughout the project. Wales Tourism Alliance (WTA)
2024 Wales Tourism Week (WTW) Senedd Reception was held on Tuesday 16th July 24 providing an opportunity to raise awareness of the issues impacting our industry, and it was also a time to showcase the quality of our offer. MWT Cymru attends regular WTA forum meetings to champion the industry. If you have any questions about the representational work we do at MWT, please email [email protected]  A message from Visit Wales -
Register now for the Visit Wales marketing webinar to hear about our plans for Year of Croeso 2025 and our flagship new marketing campaign for Wales. The session will take place via Microsoft Teams Live Event* on 17 October 2024 from 2:00 pm – 3.30 pm. We will be introducing our 2025 campaign plans, that will be delivered under the umbrella of the themed year. The session will also include updates and overviews of:
Resources will be available to all those attending including a breakdown of audience types for the themed year 2025. Please register for your place by 4:00 pm, 14 October on: Business Wales Events Finder - Visit Wales marketing webinar (business-events.org.uk) All attendees will receive a meeting link prior to the event. *As an attendee of a Microsoft Teams Live Event, you can watch live events and participate in the moderated Q&A. You can't share audio or video. Before joining this event, attendees are encouraged to familiarise themselves with the platform:  I want to share some thoughts on the recent announcement by Natural Resources Wales (NRW) regarding the closure of three visitor centres in our region — Bwlch Nant yr Arian near Aberystwyth, Ynyslas, and Coed y Brenin near Dolgellau. These closures, aimed at addressing a £13 million budget shortfall, have understandably raised concerns within our tourism community.
Mid Wales is a rural area with a delicate economy, and decisions like this can have far-reaching consequences. These visitor centres play a crucial role in attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors each year, supporting local jobs, and sustaining our towns and communities. The potential loss of over 260 jobs as a result of these closures would be a significant challenge for our region to absorb. Tourism is the second-largest employer in Mid Wales, and over the past few years our sector has faced numerous uncertainties. The news of these closures adds to the anxiety felt by many of our members. We are calling on NRW to carefully consider the impact of this decision on our communities and businesses and are urging them to find new management partners before closing these centres. Closing them without a clear plan for the future could have a lasting impact on our region. While we understand the financial pressures faced by the Welsh Government and NRW, it's important to balance these concerns with the well-being of our local communities and businesses. We believe that thoughtful decision-making, which takes into account the unique challenges of rural areas like Mid Wales, is crucial. We plan to raise this issue at the upcoming Mid Wales Tourism Regional Forum on behalf of our businesses. Additionally, we will be writing to our Members of the Senedd to encourage the Welsh Government to reconsider this decision. It’s important to highlight that if these sites close before new management partners are found, the impact on our region and the tourism sector could be significant. We believe that with careful consideration and collaboration, we can find a way to mitigate these potential challenges and protect the future of tourism in Mid Wales. Our goal is to ensure that these vital centres remain operational, supporting our economy and the communities that rely on them. By working together, we can help safeguard the future of our region. If any members wish to discuss the direct impacts these closures may have on their businesses, please reach out to me directly [email protected] The more examples we can gather, the stronger our case will be. If you have any figures on the number of visitors you receive from these sites, or any figures you could share which could strengthen our efforts please get in touch. Zoe Hawkins Chief Executive MWT Cymru  Visit Wales have announced extended entry deadlines for all regional tourism awards in Wales: National Tourism Awards for Wales 2025 – revised application deadlines The deadline for our Mid Wales Tourism Awards has also been extended to midnight on 6 September 2024 so you have as much time to enter as businesses in other regions! We know it's a busy time for you all, but please use this extension to enter the awards if you haven't already done so, and polish your entry 'til it shines! If you've already entered - thank you and good luck! https://www.midwalestourismawards.co.uk/
In this session, guest speakers Jaymie Thomas and Jon Prescott will answer your questions about digital marketing and SEO (Search Engine Optimisation), and show you how you can take advantage of AI tools and techniques to help sharpen your online presence and reduce admin time to do it. Got a burning question? Something that's not clear, or that you always wondered about? Just let us know and we'll answer it during the session. Guest Speakers
We’d love to hear your Britain 2025 news aligned to the following hooks:
When sharing your news please:
Send your news to [email protected] by Tuesday 27th August 2024. News received by this date will be included in our MWT collective update to VisitBritain to meet their end of August deadline. If you receive 2025 information after this date please do continue to share it with us after the deadline, by email to [email protected] and to [email protected] Please call or email Claire at MWT on 01654 702653 / [email protected] if you have any questions. “Have to say that zoom call was so interesting and the possibilities for our business and what's in the pipeline is just huge!”
Clive, Meadow Springs Country & Leisure Park Did you miss our last Zoom workshop? Don't worry, we recorded it! Discover practical tips and tricks to implement AI in your business right now including a demonstration of ChatGPT in action. Passcode: gyj$?s8N Thank you everyone who came along to Lorna and Jo's open day in Newtown last month. It was great to see you all. If you couldn't make it, contact Beyond Breakout any time to explore opportunities for collaboration. Add an extra special touch to your visitors' experience with Beyond Breakout's outdoor escape activities that come directly to you! Beyond Breakout is currently based on the fourth floor of the Royal Welsh Building (post code SY16 1BJ) but will be converting to a mobile business from September 1. “Far from losing a popular local attraction, this is a chance for accommodation providers and venues to bring an activity to their site, to entertain their guests,” said co-founder Lorna. The business organises pop up and outdoor games that are perfectly suited to tourism businesses looking to offer something different to engage and entertain their guests. Email Beyond Breakout at [email protected] for more information. More details on www.beyondbreakout.co.uk and new website coming soon!
To help our members better understand the opportunities available through the VisitBritain Shop, MWT's Membership Manager Claire Owen and Chief Executive Zoe Hawkins met with the VisitBritain team to provide essential information.
Here’s everything you need to know about how the VisitBritain Shop can help your business and how you can get involved. Why Join the VisitBritain Shop? The VisitBritain Shop is a powerful platform that attracts customers from over 90 countries. By promoting your Mid Wales attraction, experience, or activity on this official online shop, you can significantly expand your reach. VisitBritain runs impactful marketing campaigns and offers seamless ticketing integration through their technology partner, Tourism Exchange Great Britain (TXGB). Criteria for Being on the VisitBritain Shop:
To get started, businesses need to be bookable on TXGB. If you'd like to know more about this, talk to the team at MWT or view our last introduction webinar to TXGB . Once you are on TXGB and bookable, select the VisitBritain Shop from the dropdown menu and click 'join'. VisitBritain will then contact you to discuss commission levels and you'll need to sign an agreement with them. After that, you’re good to go and can benefit from all the advantages mentioned above. You will also be ready for future campaigns, such as the highly successful National Lottery Days Out campaign. If there are times you don't wish to be bookable on the VB these dates can be blocked out. Benefits of the VisitBritain Shop:
Don't miss out on the chance to expand your business’s reach and attract more visitors. Learn more about VisitBritain Shop. |
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