ASSETS to tourism in Llandudno

[SteveH]

Interesting article, interested to hear your comments................

The Llandudno Tourism Innovation Hub prepares for the busy summer season.    ref pioneer

With summer fast approaching, tourism in Llandudno is set to boom, with the resort one of North Wales’ most popular destinations, with major attractions such as the Pier and the Promenade.

The Hub centre has been working with 22 local businesses in the Tourism and Hospitality sector to undertake innovation projects, secured over £200,000 in grants since January this year, and has helped to retain or recruit 39 staff in businesses across the town.

“This Innovation Hub has already proven to be a remarkable success, having assisted in securing over £200,000 in grant funding since January this year already.

What is the Llandudno Tourism Innovation Hub?
This exciting new project involves a series of initiatives to create and apply innovation in the town's vibrant tourism industry & visitor economy.

The aim of the project is to help build business resilience, improve efficiency and create a competitive edge for organisations within the town. Businesses should be able to benefit individually as well as working in collaboration to develop a capacity for growth.

The project addresses the needs of industry by focusing on four themes:

Reinvigorating towns through tourism
Net zero tourism
Building talent for the future
Extending the season
The project is made of three key components:

Innovation Programme: A series of workshops, masterclasses and training opportunities.
Retain to Innovate: Funding to retain or recruit staff, or to develop an innovative project to improve your organisation’s effectiveness.
'Pop-up’ Premises: Subsidised retail, office and/or light industrial space made available by Mostyn Estates to pilot new ventures.
Organisations can access any or all of the components of the project. More details on each component can be found below.

cont https://www.gllm.ac.uk/busnes/projects/llandudno-tourism-innovation-hub

[SteveH]

Opposition to a Welsh tourism tax voiced by a leading industry figure has prompted a heated online debate. While many backed claims by attraction boss Ashford Price that it will damage the country’s holiday sector, others were quick to support an overnight charge that could be used to improve facilities for both locals and visitors.

https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/anti-english-tourism-tax-utter-23684299?IYA-reg=49560bcd-5a9c-47f0-8fc5-ba2e71710589

[Ian]

Well, almost everywhere we've been to has a tourism tax. Doesn't seem to harm Europe's holiday destinations, nor those of the US.  If anything does harm tourism here, it's miserable service, bad attitudes, over pricing and arrogance on the part of hotels and shops which sometimes seem to resent having to deal with their guests.

The numbers that were laid off at the outset of the pandemic and who've now moved on to more rewarding roles says it all, really; those places are now reaping what they've sown.

[SteveH]

With the general cost of living continuing to skyrocket, the Welsh Government's plans to tax people of all nationalities wanting to stay overnight in Wales hasn't been met with unanimous praise. Some even went as far as describing the plans as being "anti-English".

The Anti English comment is not helpful, there were the usual "I'm never going back" and a few good one's ..........including my favorite's

"It's commonplace overseas in places such as Mallorca. The business in Wales may generate VAT and corporation tax, but that doesn't usually find its way into the local economy meaning that the infrastructure has to be covered by local taxation.

"Imagine if you lived in an area that attracted tens of thousands of visitors, and you had to pay additional council tax to cover all of the extra maintenance? It makes sense for those holidaying there to pay. It's usually a nominal amount that isn't going to break the bank."

 "First of all, it's a tax on holidaymakers. And guess what? Spain and loads of other countries do it too, yet we don't stop going. Why? Because we don't notice as its a tiny fraction that in an individual basis is immaterial, but on a macro basis allows the country to invest in infrastructure that makes the holiday experience better for everyone."

https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/how-english-people-react-welsh-23705212?IYA-reg=49560bcd-5a9c-47f0-8fc5-ba2e71710589

[SteveH]

Three North Wales resorts make Which? magazine's top 30 best UK seaside towns

Now three North Wales seaside towns have been recognised in the Which best seaside towns in the UK top 30. Llandudno, Conwy and Criccieth have made the top 30. Conwy came out on top in terms of North Wales locations, narrowly missing out on a top 10 slot.

cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/whats-on/family-kids-news/three-north-wales-resorts-make-23708047

[SteveH]

Wales must drop tourist tax and 'adopt a Harry Potter approach' to lure international visitors
But a North Wales tourism expert has rubbished the ideas of three academics who believe the country should become the 'Land of Dragons'

Wales needs to sell its mythology if it is to capture the post-Covid international tourism market, three academics believe. The country should rebrand itself as the “The Land of Dragons and Legends”, promote its links with King Arthur and take a leaf from the Harry Potter books, they told a hearing of the Welsh Affairs Committee.

Otherwise, Wales could face a declining staycation market without a big name pull to lure overseas visitors, said the marketing experts from Brunel University London. Dorothy Yen, Ana Canhoto and Liyuan Wei all originated from different countries and said they have since “fallen in love” with Wales.

The notion was rejected by North Wales Tourism, which said the country has no need to “reinvent itself”. Few countries globally have so much to offer in such a small package, and efforts to increase the “in-bound” market were already underway, it said.

cont plus mixed comments https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/wales-must-drop-tourist-tax-23762127#comments-wrapper

[SteveH]

Two North Wales towns have made the list of the top ten seaside destinations in the UK. Which? has revealed the results of its annual survey based on the experiences of thousands of holidaymakers.

This saw a top ten announced with four of that list in Wales. This included Llandudno - which came in second, with only Bamburgh in Northumberland ranking higher.

The historic town of Conwy also made it - at ninth place on the list. The other Welsh resorts in the top ten were Tenby and St David's in Pembrokeshire.

cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/two-north-wales-towns-list-23827789?IYA-reg=49560bcd-5a9c-47f0-8fc5-ba2e71710589

[SteveH]

Britain's 'best seaside town' Liverpudlians have loved for generations
The town came second in a Which? survey of Britain's best seaside destination

Llandudno, which is around an hour and a half drive from Liverpool depending on traffic, scored 86% in the annual survey by Which?

cont https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/whats-on/britains-best-seaside-town-liverpudlians-23824780?IYA-reg=49560bcd-5a9c-47f0-8fc5-ba2e71710589

[Ian]

Wales needs to sell its mythology if it is to capture the post-Covid international tourism market, three academics believe. The country should rebrand itself as the “The Land of Dragons and Legends”, promote its links with King Arthur and take a leaf from the Harry Potter books, they told a hearing of the Welsh Affairs Committee.

Bit late replying to this, but anyway...

'Wales' doesn't exist, other than as a marketing concept. Being honest, isn't it true to say we treat Swansea and Cardiff almost as foreign countries?

The regional differences in Wales, however, are staggering. North Wales hosts a booming wild adventure destination and has seen significant investment. Our biggest asset, by a country mile, is Snowdonia, with Llandudno and Conwy in strong supporting roles, but Anglesey, the Orme, the Great Orme Tramway (Britain’s only funicular tramway that travels on public roads and is now in its 120th year), Alice in Wonderland connections, the Surf Snowdonia centre, the high ropes courses, go-kart tracks and racing circuits, superb rock climbing and abseiling (indoor and outdoor), cave exploring, horse riding, quad biking and off-road driving, as well as canyoning (or gorge-walking), mountain biking and clay pigeon shooting, Bodnant garden and a major film making  destination all provide an outstanding variety of activities and attractions.

So what people want is already here–in spades. On the flip side, the hotels need to re-think how they operate and charge. I suggested some years ago that were the hotels to cooperate, between them they could operate a parcel drop–off service, where visitors would no longer have to walk round laden with bags, but would simply tell the seller which hotel they were staying in and the parcels would then be collected at around 1630 each evening and dropped off at the hotels in question. It's a proven system, too; hotels around the world already do this, with funding coming from both the businesses who stand to make more money from sales and the hotels who stand to gain from visitor good will.

However, it needs imagination and leadership to make ideas work, both of which sadly appear to be in short supply.

[Cambrian]

Good points Ian.
I travelled from Chester last Saturday.  While waiting for the Holyhead train (ex Birmingham) three trains arrived; a Manchester one (which normally would go through to Llandudno); a Liverpool one and the Crewe shuttle.  Significant numbers of passengers made their way to wait for the Holyhead train which when it arrived was about half full after its passengers alighted.  The result, as usual was standing room only.  Many people seemed to be day trippers wanting to get to Llandudno (Extravaganza).  About half the train alighted at the Junction to get a connection into the town.

Transport for "Wales" knows the Extravaganza takes place but no additional services and people having to change twice for a day out.  Compare this with similar numbers for a Rugby International at Cardiff when managers are drafted in and North Wales train sets are removed to provide additional capacity.  People on the Blaenau branch are justifiably fed up with bustitution when their train is taken off.

The local MP reports that following his survey TfW are "improving" services from 12th May.  What he doesn't make clear is that all they are doing are reinstating their pre-covid services which they are obliged to operate.

[SteveH]

Very good points from both posts.

[Cambrian]

It seems that two privately operated special excursion trains - one from Ely, one from Tyesley - ran to Llandudno town for the Extravaganza.  Obviously a demand to which Transport for "Wales" is oblivious from its Pontypridd eyrie. 

[SteveH]

It seems that two privately operated special excursion trains - one from Ely, one from Tyesley - ran to Llandudno town for the Extravaganza.  Obviously a demand to which Transport for "Wales" is oblivious from its Pontypridd eyrie. 

That was interesting to hear, I had a search and found the Ely/Llandudno trip cost £175 per head, and it was fully booked, obviously keen train travelers.

[Ian]

The attitude of the train companies towards paying passengers has always defeated me. The Llandudno - Blaenau line, for example, is a potential gold mine.  With decent carriages and observation windows as well as an on board catering service visitors and many locals would pay quite a bit for that run.

But the attitude of Avanti is worse; the Llandudno - Euston train, managing a miserable one service a day at the moment, could benefit from investment. A new class for those who like to travel in very small groups away from other passengers would probably be overwhelmed.

Nationally, the picture's no better. The best we can manage in terms of value is the Caledonian sleeper, a fairly extortionate-priced service than runs overnight.

People will pay for quality and decent service; but as with so much British industry, we don't want to invest and we don't want to innovate.

[Helig]

I agree with Ian's comments about Avanti. The service they run from Carlisle to London is usually delayed, or has trains cancelled. Their attitude isn't user friendly. The trains have been used for some years now and are in need of replacement. I think Virgin was better as far as customer service was concerned.