Minister Launches Legendary Activities In Wales

A host of legendary activities planned for residents and visitors to south west Wales during the ‘Year of Legend’ have been officially unveiled. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

People will be able to enjoy the stunning natural landscape and fascinating history of the area in a series of walking, cycling and road trips planned as part of the campaign. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Ken Skates, Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure, officially launched the South West Wales Legends Tourism Campaign at the Beacon Enterprise Centre in Llanelli (Monday, February 13). ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Swansea Bay, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire councils, local tourism associations as well as the Pembrokeshire National Park Authority, have come together to form a public-private partnership that will lead the way in promoting national tourism campaigns for Visit Wales’s Year of Legends throughout 2017. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Led by Carmarthenshire County Council, the partnership, has secured £115,000 through the Welsh Government Regional Tourism Engagement Fund to deliver a series of marketing actions. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Promotion will include a digital media campaign, a PR campaign to target international and UK journalists and bloggers, and the creation of travel itineraries that will showcase the area’s wealth of natural and historical attractions, including castles and gardens. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Guests at the Beacon were the first to see a cutting edge 3D interactive walking map which brings to life the wealth of legendary walks available throughout the region. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

They also had the opportunity to try a virtual reality experience of Llansteffan Castle with its stunning 360o views.
“The Year of Legends provides a platform for us to tell our story and promote our heritage and culture to the world and is the perfect opportunity for us to find new and innovative ways of telling that story,” said Mr Skates. “I’m delighted to see that the partners across south west Wales have worked together to develop a strong product which brings the area’s wealth of legends to life.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Leader of Carmarthenshire County Council, Cllr Emlyn Dole, said: “I was delighted to be able to highlight the positive actions we are taking to grow the tourism sector in south west Wales and Carmarthenshire, which is already worth over £1.5billion, and supports over 26,500 jobs. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We continue to have great support from private sector businesses, many of which attended our launch, and who contribute to the growth of the tourism industry in this region. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The success of this project is testament to the strong partnership we have formed with other councils, tourism associations the park authority and Welsh Government – we are working well together with a shared vision to support economic development and tourism.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

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