ASSETS to tourism in Llandudno

[SteveH]

North Wales tourism attraction bookings surge as lockdown eases and half term starts
One attraction saw a near 1,000 hike in bookings as visitors flock back to North Wales

Members of Attraction of Snowdonia and Snowdonia 360 have reported a steep influx in bookings and enquiries since recent announcements surrounding easing of lockdown.

Following long intermittent periods of closure, North Wales’ leading attractions and hospitality venues are embracing news of a pathway out of lockdown and are already welcoming tourists to the region.

cont  https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/north-wales-tourism-attraction-bookings-20704167?IYA-reg=49560bcd-5a9c-47f0-8fc5-ba2e71710589

[SteveH]

Covid: Holiday cottages to get 'year's takings over summer'

Holiday let firms in Wales are predicting a bumper summer, with one saying they have been "blown away" by demand.

Greg Stevenson of Under the Thatch said some of its 60 properties would take a normal year's earnings in a few months.
North Wales Holiday Cottages also has many properties booked until October.

Following the end of the first lockdown in 2020, self-catering occupancy rates in Wales reached 90% in August - with industry bosses confident that figure could be topped this year.

"These are green shoots and we continue to work with the sector as we relax the restrictions in a phased and gradual way," a Welsh government spokesman said.

Overall, the number of people renting self-contained accommodation in Wales between January and September rose from 60% in 2018 to 62% in 2019, but fell to 52% in 2020.

This was partly because nobody could travel in April, May and June because of lockdown.

However, when restrictions were lifted, figures reached a three-year high - in August 2020, occupancy was at 90% (compared to 88% in August 2019) and in September, the figure was 82% (compared to 68% in 2019).

cont  https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-57185065

[SteveH]

The divisive Welsh tax idea that tourism sector wants consigned to the bin
Welsh Government says it will 'resume engagement' on a tourism tax but others want the idea scrapped

Welsh Government says it will "resume engagement" on a proposed tourism tax in Wales but sector leaders say it should be consigned to the bin.

cont  https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/divisive-welsh-tax-idea-tourism-20790037

[SteveH]

Two good news stories this morning.......

Lonely Planet rates North Wales among the best places in the UK to take a road trip
It comes as 6/10 Brits opt for staycation due to continued uncertainty over international travel

The leading global travel authority compared 36 road trip routes, ranging from four days to three weeks, from one memorable experience to the next, combining iconic tourist attractions with lesser-known gems. Ideal for the beginner road tripper seeking inspiration and for those wanting to delve into the details to plan the perfect road trip.

They then selected six areas - one for each region that best represent the rich and diverse natural, cultural and historic attractions available to Brits planning their staycations.

Out of the five road trip routes recommended to explore Wales, the Northwest Wales route from Llandudno to Dolgellau has ranked as number one in the country, thanks to its imposing castles, sensational coastline and enchanting heritage towns.

cont  https://www.dailypost.co.uk/whats-on/trips-breaks/lonely-planet-rates-north-wales-20768771?IYA-reg=49560bcd-5a9c-47f0-8fc5-ba2e71710589


The response after North Wales holiday park group asked British visitors about the future of holidays
Haulfryn, which owns five holiday parks in Gwynedd, wanted to see how holidays were changing

Holiday park group Haulfryn has published a new report into the UK tourism sector after commissioning the views of more than 2,000 holidaymakers

It looks at how Brexit and the pandemic have changed attitudes with potentially positive results for the UK holiday sector

cont  https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/response-after-north-wales-holiday-20797398

[SteveH]

The divisive Welsh tax idea that tourism sector wants consigned to the bin
Welsh Government says it will 'resume engagement' on a tourism tax but others want the idea scrapped

Welsh Government says it will "resume engagement" on a proposed tourism tax in Wales but sector leaders say it should be consigned to the bin.

cont  https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/divisive-welsh-tax-idea-tourism-20790037

Wales set for new tax that will 'pay for toilets' but 'clobber' Covid-hit tourism sector
First Minister Mark Drakeford has confirmed plans for a 'tourism tax' with councils choosing if they want to levy it

Individual councils can decide for themselves if they want to impose the tax

Mr Drakeford insisted a tourism tax, properly done, would ease the burden on local taxpayers who currently must “pay for everything”.

He said: “They pay for the toilets, they pay for the car parks, they pay for the local museum, they pay for the local festival - anything that is put there to attract people into the area, it is those local residents who bear the cost in full.

“A tourism levy, charged on people who choose to go to those areas, in a very modest way, could be a significant opportunity for local authorities to invest in the conditions that make tourism a success.”

cont  https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/wales-set-new-tax-pay-20824363?IYA-reg=49560bcd-5a9c-47f0-8fc5-ba2e71710589

[SteveH]

The beautiful gardens in Wales listed among the most popular in the world
Bodnant Gardens joins Tokyo's national gardens and Yves Saint Laurent's Moroccan Majorelle Gardens as a favourite of Instagrammers

One stunning Welsh garden has been placed among the top places in the world to visit for that perfect Instagram photo.

Bodnant Gardens in Colwyn Bay are a stone's throw from Snowdonia and have been established since 1874 and attract thousands of visitors, many wanting to see its gorgeous Laburnum Arch which dates back more than 100 years and is the first grand arch of its kind.

cont https://www.walesonline.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/beautiful-gardens-wales-listed-among-20846025?IYA-reg=49560bcd-5a9c-47f0-8fc5-ba2e71710589


And the modern way to promote tourism .........

Teacher creates Tik Tok diary of 'beautiful' North Wales trip - and urges others to visit too
Laurie Matthews, from Devon, has over 120,000 followers on TikTok and her recent adventure took her around North Wales

cont  video's and photos  https://www.dailypost.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/teacher-creates-tik-tok-diary-20849286?IYA-reg=49560bcd-5a9c-47f0-8fc5-ba2e71710589

[SteveH]

Following on from yesterday another in/famous visitor ...............

[SteveH]

Motorhomes, campervans and caravans could be seized if owners park up overnight
A new Bill passing through Parliament aims to curb public protests - but it could have unintended consequences for staycationers and nomadic communities

Anyone who parks up without the landowner’s permission – in laybys, car parks or farmland – will run the risk of prosecution if the police receive a complaint.

Overnight parking without consent is already illegal in Britain. However, other than in places like Snowdonia, it is rarely enforced, providing motorists don’t cause a disturbance and clear up after themselves.

cont  https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/motorhomes-campervans-caravans-seized-owners-20957408

[SteveH]

NORTH Wales has become the most popular place in the UK for cottage holidays, according to a new survey.

The region is currently more popular than Cornwall and Devon for people seeking cottage getaways, Sykes Cottages said in its annual Staycation Index.

North Wales was followed by Cumbria and South West England in the survey, which is based on the popular cottage rental company's internal bookings data from January 2014 to June 2021,

In Wales, Anglesey and Llandudno ranked the first and second most popular holiday destinations respectively.

The survey found half of the most popular locations for 2021 are by the seaside, while the other half are popular walking destinations.

Meanwhile about 33 per cent of people said they would spend more money on their holidays after the pandemic, and an average total of £940.

https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/19448337.llandudno-anglesey-popular-locations-cottage-holidays-wales/?ref=rss&IYA-reg=49560bcd-5a9c-47f0-8fc5-ba2e71710589

[SteveH]

LLANDUDNO and Conwy are some of the cheapest towns for beach treats like fish and chips and 99' ice creams.

Premier Inn contacted more than 500 independent stalls, kiosks and take-aways in 100 of the country's most popular seaside towns to reveal that Wales offers the cheapest fish and chips.

Welsh towns, particularly Aberystwyth, Swansea, Llandudndo and Porthcrawl came out as the cheapest for a fish and chip supper, with town averages of £7.50 for a large portion (Llandudno averaged at £7.46).

Conwy averaged £1.80 for 99' ice cream.

The most expensive region for the seaside treats was Cornwall, with places like Padstow, Fowey and St. Mawes charging around £13 for a large portion of take-away fish and chips.

cont https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/19493564.llandudno-cheapest-fish-chip-supper/

[SteveH]

The two North Wales castles named in list of UK's best world heritage sites
The imposing landmarks are among our biggest attractions and now they are receiving global recognition

And now a list has been compiled of the 10 best UNSECO World Heritage Sites, with Conwy Castle and Caernarfon Castle coming eighth and tenth respectively.

cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/two-north-wales-castles-named-21295595?IYA-mail=a05105fc-304d-4c50-9807-edab51f779a4

[SteveH]

North Wales has experienced a record-breaking summer for visitor numbers, the region's tourism association says.

The chairman of North Wales Tourism, Chris Frost, said the number of day trips and overnight stays is up, with people booking for longer than usual.

One tourism site said it was the most popular UK holiday destination this summer, overtaking Devon and Cornwall for the first time.

It comes as some rules for travelling abroad remain in Wales.

Mr Frost said: "I've been in business here for 20 years and there's been an exponential growth in tourism over the last 10 years.

"We've never seen such high visitor numbers, which is great post-Covid.

"They feel very safe, there's lots of room outdoors in lots of places, although we do have bottlenecks and the honey pot locations, people are searching to find quiet places off the beaten track, so instead of visiting Snowdon, going to one of the mountains in the Vale of Clwyd."

cont  https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-58189968

[SteveH]

Llandudno named one of the most beautiful coastal towns in the UK
The seaside resort in Conwy has been given the title after research was carried out by data specialists at SlotsUp

The resort in Conwy is among a number of destinations highlighted by data specialists at SlotsUp, who looked into areas offering a "winning formula for a relaxing getaway."

Researchers ranked a seed list of popular UK coastal towns on six different factors including the amount of Instagram hashtags, the number of walking trails and whether it was an Area of Natural Beauty (AONB).

According to the research, Llandudno is the seventh most beautiful coastal town in the UK with a score of 21.6 - placing behind the likes of Bournemouth and St. Ives.

cont  https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/llandudno-named-one-most-beautiful-21385581

[SteveH]

A SEARCH is underway to find the heroes of the tourism and hospitality industry in North Wales after the ‘absolute nightmare’ of the past 18 months.

Jim Jones, the chief executive of North Wales Tourism, hopes the glittering Oscars-style awards ceremony will herald a reboot for the sector which has been battered by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nominations are now being sought for 15 categories at the Go North Wales Awards, which will be held at Venue Cymru in Llandudno on Thursday, November 25.

The closing date for nominations is Sunday, October 10.

The event will be hosted by the BBC News television journalist, Sian Lloyd, who hails originally from Wrexham.

To make a nomination go to: www.gonorthwalestourismawards.website/submit-application.

The categories up for grabs are:
• Go Attraction of the Year
• Outstanding Contribution to Tourism Award
• Go Tourism & Hospitality Hero
• Go Responsible and Sustainable Green Award
• Go Hotel of the Year
• Go 30 years of the Tourism Industry
• Go Best B&B/Inn
• Go Holiday Park of the Year Award
• Go Pet Friendly Award
• Go Self Catering of the year
• Go Activity of the Year
• Go Caravan, Camping or Glamping
• Go Taste of North Wales Award
• Go Resilience and Innovation Award
• Go Business Events and Incentive Travel Award

cont  https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/19570440.search-launched-tourism-heroes-llandudno-awards-ceremony/?ref=rss&IYA-reg=a05105fc-304d-4c50-9807-edab51f779a4

[SteveH]

Best beaches to spot cute seals and their pups on a day out from Liverpool
Seal pupping season is about to begin and there's two great places to see them in the north west

But if you want to see seal pups you will need to travel a little further afield. Below you can find details of two coastal locations where you’ve got a good chance of seeing seals and their pups, and both can be reached on a day out from Liverpool.

This pretty bay is located on the end of Little Orme, just along the coast from Llandudno, making it around an hour’s drive from Liverpool.

If you’re planning to visit, take some binoculars as the pups can be camouflaged by the large stones. People are urged by the RSPB to keep their distance from seals and their pups,because baby seals are incredibly vulnerable to disturbance, which could cause the mother to abandon it and the pup to starve.

To reach Angel Bay use the postcode LL30 3RW.

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/best-beaches-spot-cute-seals-21533675?IYA-reg=a05105fc-304d-4c50-9807-edab51f779a4