National Assembly for Wales
Enterprise and
Business Committee
Inquiry into
Tourism
Evidence
from The National Showcaves Centre for Wales – TOU
01
Please
see answers to questions.
The
clarity and strength of Wales’s tourism
“brand”; The
Wales tourism brand is almost non existent and compared to
Scotland, Ireland etc., we are way off the mark.
- The effectiveness
of Welsh Government attempts to maximise the value of the domestic
tourism market; Poor
the number of English visitors is down approx. 20% since the WAG
took over tourism.
- The effectiveness
of Welsh Government attempts to maximise the value of the
international
tourism market;
Poor.
Figures for overseas visitors are down from 1.1 million to 800.000
in 10 year's
- Performance
of Visit
Wales compared with
tourism development agencies in the rest of the UK;
Based
on the above information very weak sums the situation
up.
- The success of
Visit Wales marketing activities; The TV ads are not promoting
Wales USP. The are
many areas in Britain just as good as Wales for mountain biking,
dolphin watching and ruined castles. We need to remote the
differences not the bland sameness of others. Wales has USP use
them...........
- The work of Visit
Britain as it relates to Wales, and the extent of coordination
between Visit Britain and Visit Wales; Does
Visit Brain promote Wales successfully ? Answer NO.
- The sufficiency
and effectiveness of Welsh Government resources targeted at
promoting tourism and supporting Welsh tourism businesses, and
whether it represents good value
for money;
Works
well in convergence areas very patch elsewhere.
- How the Welsh
Government monitors and evaluates the effectiveness of its tourism
support and marketing activities; No
Comment.
- The use made of
opportunities for funding and other support from the EU;
Anything
to do with EU funding requires a permanent accountant sitting by
your side, and the time and effort needed is not worth the
results.
- The success of
Welsh Government efforts to increase the quality of Wales’s
tourism offer; The
VAQAS scheme for instance is too bland, and does not reward the
attractions that go the extra mile. To get
changes to this scheme takes years.
- The extent to
which the marketing and development of tourism in Wales makes the
most of Wales’s cultural, historical and natural
assets; Based
on declining visitor numbers very little it appears.
- The impact of
major events on Wales’s tourism economy, and the success of
Welsh Government attempts to maximise this Major event i.e.
Golf,
Rugby etc.,etc., have NO effect in the main on tourism. These
people go to the event, stay there and then go straight
home.
The National Showcaves Centre for Wales
www.showcaves.co.uk