2019: Wales' Year of Discovery - A step-by-step guide for your business. #FindYourEpic - Welsh Government
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2019: Wales’ Year of Discovery. A step-by-step guide for your business. #FindYourEpic
Year of Discovery.
01
2019 is our invitation to visitors to discover
Wales afresh, and in doing so we want our
guests to leave having discovered something
new and special about themselves, something
that holds in the memory and lingers in the soul.
04 Building on our product strengths.
06 Seasonal themes.
08 Why Year of Discovery?
10 What this means for businesses.
12 Developing a sense of place.
14 All about experiences — Find yours...
16 Experience examples.
18 Five tips for creating memorable experiences.
20 Digital marketing.
32 Know your market.
34 Tools to help.
40 Our Year of Discovery 2019 — and beyond.
02 Before moving forward, let’s remind 03
Firstly thank you to all the Wales now attracts 1m
ourselves how the visitor economy tourism sector for welcoming so international visitors a year.
many visitors to Wales in 2018 — This is at the highest it’s ever been
is currently performing (2018): during a period of strong growth but other GB destinations are
in international and domestic travel growing at a faster rate than us.
to and within Britain.
Our core market is the domestic
Wales currently attracts and market and there has been a 3%
caters for around 10m visitors growth in overnight holiday trips
a year. The tourism industry in to Wales from GB visitors in the
Wales is confident about the 12 months to March 2018.
future and initial predictions for
2018 are promising. International We need to work together
and domestic tourism is growing to boost our share of the growth
quickly across the UK. in travel, drive more spend from
visitors to Wales, and to shift
seasonality patterns further.
Building on The three themes to date — Year of Adventure,
04 05
Year of Legends and Year of the Sea —
Wales’ product represent Wales’ core product strengths,
namely Adventure, Culture and Landscape.
strengths.
It is these areas where we believe Wales can
be truly competitive. We want to return to
these themes, strengthening them throughout
2019 and onwards.
We know that Wales is already Then there’s the landscape.
considered to be the UK’s Wales’s breath-taking environment
leading adventure destination. has long attracted visitors.
Wales is a natural-born playground People want to see our big
with mountains and forests that mountain ranges, the way our
criss-cross with cycling and hills fall into broad river valleys
walking trails. The 870-mile of our farming heartland and
(1,400km) Wales Coast Path runs our coastline with hundreds of
the whole length of our coastline harbours, coves and islands. We
and you can try every conceivable are seeing an increase in demand
water sport. The Global Adventure for wildlife and nature holidays
Tourism Market Report 2016–2020 and for destinations that work
predicts a 46% growth in the hard to care for the environments
global adventure market by 2020. that they seek to promote. This
year’s anti-plastics movement is
Our unique culture a sign of things to come. Linked to
and heritage defines us. this is a growth in visitors looking
Our ancient language, 641 for meaningful opportunities to
castles (more per square mile enhance their physical and mental
than anywhere on Earth) and wellbeing in the great outdoors.
seven National Museums — all
of which are free to visit — are And so, 2019 provides an
key motivators for international opportunity to further explore
tourists to come to our country. these three core themes.
Culture and creativity are major To enhance the experiences
drivers for future tourism from we offer in each of these areas,
high-value markets too, and this is alongside the fundamentals of
linked to the general growth that the Welsh welcome: food and
we’re seeing globally in demand drink and great hospitality. We
for local tourism and a high-quality also have an opportunity to build
sense of place. multi-layered views of Wales and
combine these strengths to make
up our country’s unique message
to the world.
Seasonal In 2019, Visit Wales’ marketing will focus
06 07
on four seasonal themes. Here’s some early
themes. information on the events coming up and
an insight into some of the angles we’ll take.
Ideas: Examples of what’s on:
Journeys ——Setting the scene for ——Artes Mundi 8.
of Discovery the year ahead. ——New Year’s Day dips.
——Self-discovery, renewal ——St Dwynwen’s Day
January– and wellness. and Valentine’s Day.
March ——Outdoor exercise. ——St David’s Day
——Road trips to the near events.
but unknown, e.g. using ——Welsh Music Day.
The Wales Way.
——Small-scale escapes /
staycations.
——Cosy winter breaks
for couples.
Discover ——Wholesome adventuring ——RHS Flower Show.
Adventure outdoors. ——Newport Wales
——Play, escape and recreation. Marathon.
April– ——Adrenaline-fuelled ——Focus Wales.
June activities, such as zip-lining. ——Dark Sky Reserve
——Stargazing. events.
——Nature trails.
——Time away from technology.
Discover ——Festivals and outdoor events. ——Coastal recreation.
Culture ——Fetes and fairs. ——Pembrokeshire
——Rediscovering history Fish Week.
July– via castles. ——Castles Alive.
September ——Family breaks. ——Wales 360.
——Celebrations of Wales.
——Food and drink events
and celebrations.
Discover ——Foraging for your own ——Seasonal content
If you’re planning an event or activity that fits with — Landscape ingredients. for Christmas /
our seasonal themes, please let our news team know — ——Walking and cycling along New Year.
by emailing productnews@gov.wales October– the Wales Coast Path. ——Abergavenny
To have your events featured on the Visit Wales — December ——Showcase waterfalls which Food Festival.
come to life in the autumn. ——Gwledd Conwy
website’s events pages, please email vw-steward@nvg.net
——Autumnal pick-your-own, Feast.
Keep up to date with local news, developments — e.g. pumpkins. ——Wales Rally BG.
and events by visiting visitwales.com and @VisitWalesBiz ——Christmas and
on social media. New Year events.
Why Year With endless layers of identity, there’s
08 09
no end of things to uncover here. Now is
of Discovery? the time to truly discover this mighty land —
see what we mean:
Wales is a country like no other. It’s built
on a rich history of culture, heritage and
legend, shaped by unbridled waters and Culture that’s current. Uncover miles of isles.
Wales thrives on culture past Fifty islands lie in the Welsh
enriched by the creativity and passion and present. There’s art that’s waters, some in clusters and some
of its characterful people. accessible for all, language and standing solo. Travel over the
music with its own unmistakable waves by boat, kayak or stand-up
rhythm, theatre and opera paddleboard, or, where it’s safe,
at centre stage and castles, cross the sea bed on foot when
museums and heritage locations the tide is out.
left, right and centre. It can
be groundbreaking, it can be Experience Welshness.
challenging and it can attempt to The people and places in Wales
absorb Welsh spirit through paint, emanate a contagious affection for
words, songs and collections. their country and a hunger to keep
Welshness alive. It is everywhere —
Traverse new routes. on the rugby terrace, in front of
The Wales Way, a network of a male voice choir, down a former
three major roads, makes it easier mine — and the feeling is gripping,
than ever to travel the length and whether you’re Welsh or not.
breadth of this country. The North
Wales Way, The Coastal Way and Encounter wild friends.
The Cambrian Way allow visitors While there are over 3 million
to immerse themselves in their people living here, there are
own journeys of discovery. many more animals that reside
The Year of Discovery is a great in the Welsh wilderness. Dolphins,
opportunity to bring more whales, red squirrels, grey seals,
attention to specific destinations porpoises, polecats and Sika deer
across Wales, using The Wales Way can all be spotted if you look in
as a platform, particularly for our the right places.
international markets.
thewalesway.com Taste the produce of the land.
The seasons, the geography and
the industriousness of Wales result
in delicious homegrown produce.
Salty laverbread straight from the
sea, plump Welsh cakes hot off the
griddle, cheesy rarebit bubbling
under the grill... see, your mouth
is already watering.
What this means Here are a few ideas of things your
10 11
business could do to embrace and
for businesses. encourage discovery:
2019 will be a culmination and continuation
of our three themed years, but it will also place
a spotlight on lesser-known Welsh wonders.
We will be celebrating the special things
that we can take for granted, the spectacular
things that slip into the background and
the lesser-known local delights.
It’s time to promote our routes through Sampling the scenery. Nature hunts.
the wilderness, the almost-secret spaces that Organise a walking tour of your Create I-Spy style challenges
provide feasts for the senses and the small-scale area, stopping off to taste the
delights that local producers make.
that encourage people to head
to the nearest park to find and
businesses that create products and experiences photograph particular flowers,
that are authentic, creative and full of life. Have-a-go sessions. trees or natural landmarks.
Offer visitors the chance to
try doing what you’re known Sanctuary for the self.
for, whether it’s pottery Run relaxation sessions in
throwing, chocolate making a lesser-known green spot
or shearing sheep. to bring about self-discovery
and the excitement of finding
Inspiring web content. a hidden place of calm.
Instead of your website being
about your one product, consider Exploring dark skies.
how you can include a variety of Stargazing experiences are worth
local experiences and seeds for sharing with visitors. Wales has a
inspiration. This will encourage network of dark sky reserves and
longer stays, repeat visits and dark sky parks that are must places
higher spending. to visit during the winter months.
discoveryinthedark.wales
The unexpected gestures.
Visitors are increasingly looking Walking in the footsteps
for the little things more than of ancestors.
flashy gestures — glimpses behind Genealogy tourism is growing,
the scenes into how things are simply because the world
made, insights into traditions is becoming a much smaller
or history, personalisation place. Consider working
opportunities and chances to get with tour operators that offer
involved, e.g. Gastro experiences. genealogy travel.
Developing a
12 13
sense of place.
Lots of things make Wales feel Welsh.
You can explore ideas around identity to
help create a sense of place for your business
and to embed its roots into your local story.
Dot some things around Our language is unique to us,
that evoke Welshness, so try to use little bits of Welsh
such as bilingual signage, Welsh around your customers. It can be
products and leaflets about as simple as a ‘croeso’ when they
local attractions. Whether walk through the door or a ‘diolch’
contemporary or historical, each when you take their order. Keep
aspect of Welshness will add to it inclusive by using the English
the sense of place and enhance translation straight after you say
your visitors’ experience. the Welsh words, and give people
the chance to try using a few
phrases for themselves.
The Welsh language is special, so use it to your
advantage. How you use the Welsh language will —
depend on the type of business you operate, but try —
to be creative and encouraging. For example:
If you run a shop — If you run an outdoor
Label your products in adventure company —
both Welsh and English. Teach your groups to say
‘bendigedig’ when a team
If you run a bed and breakfast — member does well.
Create a pack for your guests
on arrival that tells them how If you run a pub —
to say a few basic words and Say ‘iechyd da’ when you For free advice and support to increase the use
explains what some of the local serve people drinks at the bar. of Welsh in your business, visit llyw.cymru/cymraeg
Welsh place names mean. or email info@businesswelsh.wales
All about
14 15
experiences —
Find yours...
Year of Discovery is designed to act
as a springboard for helping the industry
in Wales focus on the products, events and
campaigns that will appeal to tomorrow’s
growth markets.
B. Joseph Pine and James We are seeing this shift
H. Gilmore in the ‘Experience everywhere in tourism: global
Economy’ argue that to achieve brands such as Airbnb and
higher market value in future, Expedia are actively promoting
businesses must orchestrate ‘Experience’ products; and here
memorable events for their in Wales we know that journalists
customers, and that memory and influencers are now constantly
itself becomes the product: requesting the special, the
the experience. life-changing, the unique —
As wellbeing becomes so anything beyond the ordinary —
important in a busy, hectic world to create sharable stories.
we know that visitors want to Indeed, a 2016 Expedia study
invest their time and money in found that millennials over the
seeking out value beyond the world prioritise authenticity in
material — and are looking for their travel experience.
short breaks and holidays that
enrich and make a difference to
their lives. Sometimes referred to
as the ‘Instagram Effect’, ultimately
their real search is the meaningful
experience, the lasting memory,
behind the shot.
Experience
16 17
examples.
There are plenty of businesses North Wales — Bringing art Inviting people
and places across Wales that now We don’t need to look further
offer truly original destination than North Wales for an example history to life: to play a part:
experiences for explorer travellers. of a destination where memorable The Moustache Tour Kimono Sakaeya
Some great examples can be found individual adventure experiences
in our case study film — join up to make one of the most Ljubljana, Slovenia Tokyo, Japan
bit.ly/CCVW18 respected adventure destinations
on the planet. Three moustachioed men Kimonos are hugely symbolic
gonorthwales.co.uk/things-to-do/ dress up as famous artists within Japanese culture,
activities/adventure-and-outdoor from the country: Jože Plečnik as is family loyalty.
(an architect), Ivan Cankar Kahori Ochi runs a kimono
(a writer) and Rihard Jakopič experience in her family’s
(a painter). shop, with the aim of helping
Along with the tour guide, visitors to connect with
they take visitors on a cycle traditional Japanese philosophy.
tour of Ljubljana. The tour By dressing up, they actively
stops at the visionary room of engage with the past and
the architect, the favourite bar present of the country and
It’s also worth doing some searching for further — of the writer and the National get to feel what it is like to wear
inspiration online to find out what other countries — Gallery of the painter — all of the garment.
and destinations are up to. Some examples: which are genuine cultural Tourists can go to her shop,
landmarks in the city. which was opened over 50
By bringing them into the years ago by her parents, to
Istria in Croatia is appealing to Bregenz and Bregenzerwald,
setting of the stories, the tour be dressed in an ornate kimono.
high-value international visitors by in Austria demonstrate
gives visitors an insight into Once they are dressed, they can
placing an emphasis on authentic a regeneration of a rural area
Slovenia’s creative power, the have a photo shoot on site, at
gastronomic experiences, which with contemporary experiences
secrets of the city and the Meiji Shrine or in a traditional
also provide a platform for the where culture meets nature.
features of the Slovenian Japanese garden. Afterwards,
region’s outstanding truffle, olive bregenzerwald.at
character. They get to see key Kahori treats them to an
oil and wine exports.
sights, including the Križanke authentic tea ceremony to round
istra.hr/en/home Norwegian Scenic Routes
outdoor theatre, the National off the kimono experience.
celebrate the definitive necklace
Gallery and the International
Bristol Banksy Tours have put of 21C adventure, culture and
Centre of Graphic Arts (MGLC)
Bristol on the map as a destination landscape experiences.
atelier, and they get to cycle
that offers quirky, creative nasjonaleturistveger.no/en
through the beautiful streets
experiences of particular appeal
before enjoying a slice of potica
to millennials. Design Hotels, a leading
with a writer’s coffee.
visitbristol.co.uk/things-to-do/ accommodation brand, shows
banksy-walking-tour-p1354013 how great products can come
to life through storytelling based
on experiences.
designhotels.comFive tips
18 19
for creating
memorable
experiences.
Be authentic. Understand what influences Make the most of your Create relevant content.
Make sure that what you offer your customers. tourism community. Your online and offline marketing
and the way that you offer it is Your customers might be Every tourism business exists efforts can help promote discovery
unique to you and echoes what influenced by several things, such alongside others, but rather than and meaningful experiences.
your business and location are all as the things they do with you, seeing your industry neighbours as Try to create useful, interesting
about. These factors create added the knowledge you impart on competition, see them as a chance and inspiring information that’s
value to quality customer service, them that helps them discover to build a fuller experience for your relevant to your current and
no matter how big or small your other experiences, the relationship visitors. Group together with your potential customers. Use your
business is. and loyalty that they build with you peer network and local business website and social media to cater
and the memories you helped to owners to share knowledge about to many potential audiences;
Use all your local expertise. create for them. By knowing your industries, products and the area. tap into niche markets out there
To visitors, one of your most useful customers and how they like to It’ll boost the range of ideas and by thinking laterally about what
assets is your insider knowledge experience things, you can provide advice you can offer to visitors. your local area has to offer and
of the area you are in. Offer to help experiences they will enjoy. telling people about the various
customers with suggestions and tips experiences that await.
based on their individual interests,
needs and the time they have
available. This can be anything ‘The destination has to provide a true circuit, —
from where’s best for rock-pooling a necklace of linked experiences rather than —
to where they can buy speciality a disconnected set of beads of traditional —
ingredients used in the traditional programming, amenities and itineraries.’ —
Welsh breakfast you serve. Global Wellness Trends reportDigital
20 21 For marketers, it’s not enough
to just post on your Facebook
and Twitter accounts. You must
marketing.
also weave social elements into
every aspect of your marketing
and create more peer-to-peer
sharing opportunities. The more
your audience wants to engage
with your content, the more likely
We are in a world where digital marketing it is that they will want to share it.
This ultimately leads to them
plays a major part in our lives, be it as becoming a customer. And as an
a business or a customer. People aren’t added bonus, they will hopefully
influence their friends to become
just watching cat videos and posting customers, too.
selfies on social media these days. Here we will discuss digital
marketing and focus on Instagram
Many rely on social networks to discover, which provides some powerful
research, and educate themselves about benefits for your business.
a brand or product before engaging with
that organisation.22 Digital Marketing: 23 Digital Marketing:
The importance Struggling to find time to create content?
of digital content. Try scheduling systems that allow you to stagger when
your social media posts go live. Popular options include
Hootsuite, Tweetdeck and Buffer.
Everyone’s talking about content. Digital content
and content marketing are hot topics in all industries. Set aside a few hours for it a couple of times a week so
In tourism, it’s really powerful as it can easily convert that you can properly dedicate yourself to it. Also, make
non-customers into avid followers. sure to have your phone handy to capture any potential
content as it happens, like customer reactions, funny staff
moments and product deliveries.
Consider outsourcing some of your content marketing
to a freelance content creator. If you find a credible content
specialist, you should see a decent return on investment
over just a few months.
There’s no sole definition Some of the benefits of publishing
of ‘content’, but think of it as great digital content are:
anything you produce that gives
information to or provokes It can help to directly inform
a response from your target your audience on any aspect of
audience. Some examples of your product, service, venue or
places you can use textual and facilities, which builds their trust in
image-based content include blog you as a business that knows what
posts, tweets, email newsletters, it’s doing.
Instagram stories and infographics.
Producing and publishing content It can boost your online presence
that markets your business to and brand awareness, helping
a particular audience is known your business to appear higher
as ‘content marketing’. up in relevant search engine
The best digital content enquiries and more prominent
provides value to those that on social media.
engage with it. More often than
not, it is either informative, It can be linked to and shared,
entertaining, relatable and / or which can increase your website
memorable. Major brands have traffic, your clout and how far
been investing a lot of money your messages reach.
into content marketing for years,
but now smaller businesses are It can bring about an increase in
doing it as well. sales, public interest, engagement
and interactions — all of which can
lead to a boost in your profits.24 Digital Marketing: 25 Digital Marketing:
Four ways to create
brilliant stories.
To stand out from your competitors — and to be seen,
heard and taken seriously — you need to make sure you
produce quality digital content that brings your business’
story to life. Here are four pointers for adding spark to
your blog posts, social media posts and videos.
1 2 3 4
Stir up emotions. Tell people what makes you special. Don’t complicate things. Create shareable assets.
We enjoy stories that make us You don’t have to have a People tend not to read really How do people tend to consume
feel something — ones that make world-changing mission to be long pieces of writing on their information about your company?
us laugh, make us cry, make us unique; your staff, your passion, screens. Instead, they like snappy, Via TV adverts? In quirky social
grateful or make us sympathise. your motivation, your product to-the-point text that they can media posts? Through the CEO’s
Whatever your business, you and your group of customers absorb fast, recall easily and retell media presence? Think about
can put emotion into your stories. are all unique to your business. to their friends and acquaintances. where your target audience is,
For example, your product may If you’re struggling to realise what It’s okay to be specific or then create assets that they will
have helped someone in need, makes you special, focus these to go in-depth when you’re want to engage with and share
your accommodation may have four ‘P’ words: People, Product, communicating if it’s what your with others.
housed someone famous or you Processes and Purchasers. target audience might like or Try different formats of
might have a member of staff that For each P, ask who, what, need, but don’t bother with shareable content, such as blog
has been a positive influence on which, why, where and how. complicated words, lengthy posts about recent activities you’ve
other employees. All of these Who is your typical customer, sentences or dull passages. been involved in, Instagram stories
could play with the readers’ and what makes them different? Same goes for videos — keep that show what happens behind
emotions if you write them Where do you source your raw them concise and considered. the scenes or short videos of
well enough. materials from? Why do you use visitors enjoying the experience.
certain production techniques or Every time someone shares
customer relationship techniques your content, it expands the
instead of others? How does your reach of your messaging, boosts
product or service affect people the awareness of your brand
(it may solve a problem, meet and increases the possibility
a need, help create memories)? of generating new leads.
Questioning such things will
bring out interesting facts that
you can then turn into powerful
story content.26 Digital Marketing: 27 Digital Marketing:
The importance What do people look
of Instagram. for on Instagram?
The idiom ‘a picture says a thousand words’ sums up why At Visit Wales, we post original content to social
Instagram is so powerful for brand storytelling. As a highly media. We also share posts that promote the best
visual platform where images are the primary focus, it can of Wales in a realistic way. Here, Justin Lewis from
be used to quickly showcase places, products, adventures Visit Wales’ digital marketing team gives us an insight
and activities to audiences around the world. into what works well on our social media accounts.
It has better engagement rates On Facebook and Twitter On Instagram
than Facebook and Twitter, Simple and authentic We concentrate on
probably because of the speed at
content tends to work best authentic images of Wales.
which you can view and interact
with content. Through sharing on our accounts. Short These tend to be reposts
photographs, videos and stories, videos of things such as from professional or keen
you can instantly spread brand beaches, rivers, waterfalls amateur photographers,
awareness to both existing and and wildlife have worked although we do share some
potential customers, connect with really well. images from trade accounts.
various target markets and get
people looking at the great things
These videos are easy We don’t share posts that
you are doing, making and helping and cheap to produce. are very local in nature (such
people to experience. They can be captured on as any about low-key local
Over 70% of users make smartphones and simply events) or things like special
purchases after seeing products trimmed at the start and end. offers and competitions.
and experiences on Instagram,
Generally, they outperform
showing how much it can influence
users’ spending habits — both professionally edited videos
in terms of the physical objects on the accounts.
they buy and the places they pay
to visit. If your business ignores
Instagram, it could be missing out
on increased footfall, improved
online presence, potential press
coverage and new fans.28 Digital Marketing: 29
Are you
Insta-ready?
Before you post to Instagram,
double-check these checklists.
❑— Your username matches business name. — The photo is clear and well-lit.
Profile.
Posts.
— Your username is easy to find. — The photo isn’t overedited or unnatural-looking.
❑❑❑— Your bio says who you are and what you do for people. — The content is consistent with your existing Instagram style.
❑❑— Your bio includes a link to your website. — The content has potential to appeal to your audience.
❑❑❑— Your profile image is representative of the business (e.g. your logo). — The content fits with your brand and business values.
❑— Your account is set to Business mode in Settings. — The content is inoffensive and has correct spelling and punctuation.
❑— You follow some local businesses and big players in your field. — The caption is engaging and makes you want to read more.
❑— You interact with other users and respond to comments. — The caption is relevant to the photo, the audience and the brand.
— The caption uses between 3–15 relevant hashtags.
— You’ve tagged featured users in the post.
— You’ve tagged the location, if it is relevant.
— It’s a good time for engagement and visibility
(not very early or very late).30 Digital Marketing: 31
Instagram
case study:
fforest.
Sian Tucker, co-owner of fforest,
the Ceredigion-based outdoor
‘Sometimes, people will see one of our photos —
accommodation, shares an insight from the area, such as a picture taken on a beautiful
into how she runs the business’ beach around here or in the nearby woods, —
Instagram account successfully. and it’ll trigger happy memories for them.’
We use Instagram to give an Some people use rigid I like to capture how people Community is important for us.
essence of what we have at fforest templates to plan when they’ll gather for fireside drinks and I like to share photos taken by
and what’s in this part of west post to their business’ Instagram, to share stories in our little pub, guests, partly because we love the
Wales. Our main target audience but I tend to take a more sporadic how people use our larger dining different viewpoints they give and
on Instagram loves to experience approach. I don’t usually have a barns for events and, of course, because we want them to know
the outdoors, so we try to appeal set time to post each day. Instead, the wonderful big outdoors. that we’re grateful for their custom
to them. We also try to show I try to post a couple of days each For the captions, I try to be and companionship. Similarly, we
others that fforest is a great place week and to continually engage factual and straightforward — share photos of things in the area
to get close to nature while having with followers and people who’ve being descriptive, but not emotive to show some of the fun things
everything you’d need for a tagged @fforest in photos. or imparting an opinion. I want you can see, do and eat nearby.
comfortable and relaxing stay. Authenticity and honesty is people to see the photos and Sometimes, people will see
I think it’s hugely important very important to us. We want experience fforest, then make their one of our photos from the
to use good photographs, but people to arrive at fforest having own decisions as to how it makes area, such as a picture taken on
also to consider how the grid looks a good idea of what it looks them feel. Equally, I don’t share any a beautiful beach around here
as a whole on our profile page. and what it may feel like. I like personal photos as I don’t think or in the nearby woods, and it’ll
I take care to stick to certain colour to vary the pictures to give an that’s what our business account trigger happy memories for them.
palettes or themes. I like to post all-round impression. For the should be used for. A few hashtags It’s a lovely thing to be able to do,
a distanced shot then share a accommodation, I photograph I commonly use are #fforest, and from a business perspective
close-up next for visual variation — things like the tiny details on vases #visitwales and #stayplaydream. it can lead to nostalgia-inspired
for example, a view from outside of flowers, the wooden furniture’s bookings.
followed by an inside one. natural textures and the cosy
blankets to snuggle under.
As for our communal areas,Know your To get the most out of your marketing efforts, it’s
32 33
essential to know who your potential visitors are and
how you can attract them. Cast your tourism net wide
market. by making sure you offer appealing things for multiple
visitor types. Here are some profile guidelines for 2019,
based on our four main visitor types.
Scenic Cultural Pre-Family Active Family
Explorers Explorers Explorers Explorers
Couples and individuals, Couples and individuals, Couples and groups, Family groups comprising
45+ 45+ 18–35 years of parents (33–55) with
children (7–15)
What they like: What they like: What they like: What they like:
Exploring a destination’s beautiful Sightseeing and town / city Discovering new experiences Beach-based and active holidays
scenery in the mountains, breaks that include visiting and places to visit; doing with some sightseeing; going
along the coast or countryside, galleries, castles, historic physical activities outdoors somewhere they’ve not been
while taking in nature, walking, houses, gardens, spas and and sightseeing; probably been before; experiencing the local
incorporating heritage interesting places. on a romantic break, spa break way of life.
attractions and activities. or festival holiday.
What they want: What they want: What they want: What they want:
To experience the outdoors ‘off To enjoy the scenic aspect of Plenty of variety, something Lots of activities to choose from,
the beaten track’, but also take a destination alongside gaining different that is worth spending regardless of the weather; chances
in a bit of the country’s culture a deeper experience of the disposable income on, to learn about culture and heritage
with a visit to a castle and a lunch destination’s cultural heritage. opportunities for soft adventuring, between being active.
in a local pub along the way. e.g. mountain biking, kayaking.
Examples of how to attract them: Examples of how to attract them: Examples of how to attract them: Examples of how to attract them:
——●Suggest picturesque walking ——Offer city breaks and trips ——Provide information on the ——●Tell guests about the best
routes in the area that bypass to vibrant towns. water sports, mountain beaches in the area, from vast
a heritage site. ——●Highlight local heritage sights, sports and adrenaline-fuelled bays to cute nooks.
——Provide information on some photo spots and places to activities available locally. ——●List some family-orientated
of the best look-out spots over experience nature. ——Suggest walks to less-visited walks and activities offered
the region. ——Promote festivals and events, outdoor sites, such as by nearby National Parks,
——Promote local eateries placed such as the Tafwyl festival of parts of the Ceredigion the National Trust and the
within natural surroundings Welsh culture, where visitors Heritage Coast. Wildlife Trust.
that serve hearty Welsh a, can meet the locals. ——Tell guests about any pop-up ——●Promote local all-weather
such as a country pub near ——●Tell guests about the events or one-off activities attractions, such as national
a forest footpath. importance of the heritage in the area, such as street museums, Folly Farm,
——Tell guests about alternative sites nearby, such as a brief food festivals or organised The Royal Mint Experience
experiences that incorporate history of the town’s castle, coasteering competitions. and activity centres.
the outdoors, such as or share a few facts about ——●Tell them about local events,
fly-fishing on the Wye Valley Welsh customs. such as choir competitions and
or a guided tour of Halen children’s storytelling hours in
Môn’s salt-making premises. nearby libraries or book shops.Tools
34 35 Tools to help:
to help. The content
and messaging.
Now that we know about Discovery,
here is some practical information.
Visit Wales will be using ‘Find yours...’ enables our
‘Find yours…’ to present campaigns to link in with
Year of Discovery. This follows ‘Discovery’ and even more
on from previous messaging: importantly ‘self-discovery’
and enables us to leverage
2016 Year of Adventure conversation across all our
Find Your Epic platforms and partnerships.
It also aligns with the
#FindYourEpic Wales brand.
#GwladGwlad The messaging will be
translated to meet our key
2017 Year of Legends markets in the following way:
Our Epic Land
UK / Ireland / International
#FindYourEpic This is Wales.
#GwladGwlad Find yours...
2018 Year of the Sea #FindYourEpic
Our Epic Shores #ThisIsWales
#FindYourEpic Welsh
#GwladGwlad Dyma Gymru.
Fy Nghymru.
#GwladGwlad
German
Das ist Wales.
Entdeckenswert.36 Tools to help: 37 Tools to help:
Get
involved.
Follow @visitwales to see what content we are posting.
ollow @VisitWalesBiz to keep up to date on what’s
F
happening in the industry in Wales.
Tag your social media posts with #findyourepic
or #gwladgwlad.
or new products and events that you would like Visit Wales
F
to know about, email productnews@gov.wales
eep up to date on news and opportunities by signing
K
up to the Visit Wales Industry e-newsletter —
businesswales.gov.wales/tourism
to walesonview.com to access free high quality
Go
images or email imagesupport@gov.wales38 Tools to help: 39 Tools to help:
Promoting Investing in
safe adventures. your product.
It is crucial that we keep increasing and improving the
products, events and experiences that attract visitors to
Wales. We support innovative ideas and projects that help
this to become a reality.
We all share a responsibility to be To assist, the collaborative national We welcome the opportunities Get in touch.
mindful of the safety implications safety campaign ‘Adventure Smart that Year of Discovery brings for For more information on
involved with adventuring. From Wales (ASW)’, has a range of working with tourism businesses our funding schemes go to:
scrambling up hilltops to canoeing messages to help you keep your to develop new and existing businesswales.gov.wales/
through caves, the great outdoors customers safe and comfortable products, campaigns, experiences tourism/finance
offers a whole host of exciting in the outdoors. Working together, and long-term sustainable events.
opportunities to those who are we want to promote these Throughout the year, all across To discuss capital project
prepared for safe venturing. messages far and wide. Wales, we want to see bigger and ideas, contact:
There are many ways you better world-class events and EFF–TISS team (capital projects)
can incorporate the Adventure experiences, each backed up by tiss@gov.wales
Smart Wales messages in the a wealth of supporting attractions 0845 010 8020
information you provide for your on the ground.
customers. The messages and To discuss revenue project ideas,
materials are free to use and Our funding schemes. contact your regional officer:
include, three short videos, There are various funding schemes
posters and a business toolkit. that can help you bring your ideas South West Wales
to life, including two revenue funds Philip.Abraham@gov.wales
supported through the Welsh 0300 025 4528
Government Rural Communities
Rural Development Programme South East Wales
2014–2020. The schemes are now Louisa.Giles@gov.wales
open for applications. Our main 0300 061 6012
three investment funds are:
——●EFF–TISS: the Economy Futures Mid Wales
Fund – Tourism Investment Helen.Jones28@gov.wales
Support Scheme 0300 025 7424
(for capital projects).
——●RTEF: the Regional Tourism North Wales
Engagement Fund AndrewWallace.Forfar@gov.wales
(for revenue projects). 0300 062 5837
——●TPIF: the Tourism Product
For more information visit Innovation Fund
adventuresmartwales.com (for revenue projects).Our Year of To make Wales a must-visit destination
40 41
for people around the world, both
Discovery 2019 — in 2019 and further into the future,
we aim to work together to:
and beyond. Keep promoting and reinforcing Wales’ distinctive
brand, based on our brand objectives:
— Elevate our status
— Surprise and inspire
— Change perceptions
— Do good things
— Be unmistakably Wales
Contribute to the growing value of tourism in Wales,
increasing it by 10% over the next year.
Provide a focus for purposeful, long-term
collaborative work across Wales.
Most importantly of all, we want to inspire and delight
our people, our industry and our visitors.
This is our chance to shine the spotlight on Wales’
unique culture, its breathtaking landscapes and its unique
opportunities for adventure.
In 2019, let’s encourage our visitors to discover —
be it a literal discovery of a place or a metaphorical
discovery or rediscovery of themselves. ‘And above all, watch with glittering
Let’s bring more attention to specific destinations across eyes the whole world around you —
Wales, reachable by scenic travel links such as The Wales because the greatest secrets are always
Way and the Wales Coastal Path, and show how our best hidden in the most unlikely of places.’
adventure, culture and environmental experiences can
weave together to create one epic holiday. Roald Dahl42 visitwales.com
2019: Wales’ Year of Discovery is published by Visit Wales,
the Tourism and Marketing division of the Welsh Government 2018.
Print ISBN: 978-1-78964-133-2
Digital ISBN: 978-1-78964-134-9
Visit Wales, Welsh Government, QED Centre, Main Avenue,
Treforest Industrial Estate Treforest, Pontypridd CF37 5YR.
Photography: Crown copyright (2018) Visit Wales.
Content production and editing: Amy Pay, Design: Departures.
WG35827 Crown copyright 2018, Welsh Government
Notes.You can also read
