Southern Wales was well and truly in the sights of the UK travel industry during a high quality event this week [31 Jan to 2 Feb]
The Southern Wales Group Showcase attracted coach and tour operators and group travel organisers from all over the country in an effort to promote this exciting part of Great Britain to the travel trade. And it was all with the aim of bringing in new bookings for South Wales’ hotels, attractions and destinations.
Arranged by Southern Wales Tourism in conjunction with group travel specialist company Steve Reed Tourism Ltd from Hampshire, the two day event included an exciting familiarisation trip around attractions as well as a ‘meet the buyer’ business event in Hensol Castle – part of the Vale Resort near Cardiff. Some of the buyers were based at the Heronston Hotel in Bridgend.
Group outside Heronston Hotel
With a Welsh theme throughout, the fact-finding tour took in sites such as Caerphilly Castle; Redhouse in Merthyr Tydfil; Penderyn Whisky Distillery and the Guardian Miner’s Monument at Six Bells Ty Ebbw Fach.
The itinerary also included the Angel Hotel in Abergavenny, a tour of the Roman Museum and Fortress in Caerleon near Newport with the finale being a superb tour of Cardiff Castle followed by a highly enjoyable and entertaining banquet in the Castle. Blue Badge Tourist Guide Steve Griffin looked after the group of buyers. Hensol Castle hosted the Showcase element of the visit which saw numerous businesses from around Southern Wales meet buyers face to face.
Great Western Railways provided free transport for some of the delegates to travel from London to the event. Vicky Jones is the Project Officer of Southern Wales Tourism:
‘We were so pleased to see many Southern Wales tourism businesses benefitting from the visit of the buyers. It was a real partnership effort that has worked very well to put our part of the UK firmly onto the tourism map,’ says Vicky. ‘It will also result in many bookings for a lot of the tourism businesses involved.’
