Neath Port Talbot Council Holds Myths And Legends Storytelling Event To Boost Tourism In The Area

Neath Port Talbot tourism operators gathered together to attend a ‘Myths and Legends in Neath Port Talbot’ storytelling event in Pontardawe Arts Centre earlier this week. The event, held by Neath Port Talbot Council, is one of many initiatives to come from the newly launched ‘Tourism Development in Neath Port Talbot’ project. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Regaling tales of myths and legends from Neath Port Talbot, the event was aimed at local tourism operators and was designed to develop their knowledge and skills in relaying interesting myths and stories to visitors. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

All of the stories told at the event by local story teller Carl Gough relate directly to Neath Port Talbot and include; The Baglan Giant, The Twrch Trwyth and the spooky story of Robert Scott the former gamekeeper at Margam Castle who some say now haunts the Castle staircase. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Tourism Development in Neath Port Talbot project is funded by Welsh Government Rural Communities – Rural Development Programme 2014-2020, which is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the Welsh Government. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The free event will specifically help tourism operators from the rural wards of the County Borough to take advantage of the 2017 Visit Wales ‘Year of Legends’ marketing campaign, which targets visitors to Wales. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The project will assist tourism operators in Neath Port Talbot to raise the profile of the area as a visitor destination and develop their skills and resources to continue attracting more visitors to the area. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Tourism in the area is on the rise and Neath Port Talbot Council is committed to increasing the economic impact of tourism on the local area. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Over 2 million visitors are drawn in annually by attractions such as Waterfall Country in the Vale of Neath, Margam Country Park and Afan Forest Park which is regarded as a world class mountain biking destination. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Council Leader, Ali Thomas OBE said: “The Tourism Development in Neath Port Talbot project will help to equip our tourism operators with the information they need to showcase Neath Port Talbot to potential visitors. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“It has been fantastic to see local tourism operators gather together at the Myths and Legends storytelling event and reinforce the message that Neath Port Talbot has so much to offer, especially during the 2017 Year of Legends.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​