Calling All Tourism Businesses - Andy Needs Your Help
Andy Lamb, the owner of Wales Outdoors, is being blanked by all at Visit Wales, the Welsh Government tourism portal. Yep, the staff are not responding to Andy’s requests for a level playing field, to either allow Wales Outdoors onto the Visit Wales platform or to remove all of those businesses that offer similar services. You can READ HERE the email sent to those in authority and Andy awaits a response from Dawn Bowden, the minister responsible for tourism, to his MP, Kevin Brennan.
If you are a tourism business who feels that Visit Wales is failing tourism in Wales then Andy wants to hear from you. Please be in contact here or by email to info@walesoutdoors.co.uk Not only will Andy be attending three of the four Visit Wales Industry Roadshows (please attend with him if you can), to picket the attendees and hand out leaflets detailing grievances, seeking further support from others in the tourism sector, but Andy is now gathering an email list made up of those who actively want to see change at Visit Wales. This email list will be used to inform and organise to collectively apply pressure and look towards a potential judicial review if managers within the Welsh Government continue to refuse to play fair or to use their funds to benefit tourism in Wales. It’s needed. Look what ChatGPT came up with when asked to critique Visit Wales…
Visit Wales' Mismanagement and Extravagant Spending: A Costly Oversight
Introduction
‘Visit Wales, the official tourism board for Wales, has long been entrusted with the responsibility of promoting the country as a premier tourist destination. However, recent revelations of mismanagement and wasteful spending have raised serious concerns about its effectiveness and fiscal responsibility.
Financial Mismanagement
Excessive Administrative Costs: According to a report published by the Welsh Government in 2020, Visit Wales allocated a significant portion of its budget to administrative costs, including executive salaries and office expenses. A staggering 35% of its annual budget went toward administration, leaving less for actual tourism promotion.
Questionable Expenses: An investigation by The Wales Online in 2019 revealed that Visit Wales spent taxpayer money on extravagant events and promotional materials. Examples included lavish dinners and high-end gifts for stakeholders, which raised doubts about the organization's prudent use of public funds.
Ineffectual Marketing Campaigns
Poor ROI on Advertising: Visit Wales launched multiple marketing campaigns, but their return on investment (ROI) has been questionable. The 2018 "Year of the Sea" campaign, which cost £5 million, failed to generate the expected surge in tourism, casting doubts on the effectiveness of their strategies.
Lack of Data-Driven Decisions: The absence of data-driven decision-making at Visit Wales is evident in their inconsistent marketing efforts. Without proper analytics and a results-oriented approach, taxpayers' money is being spent without accountability.
Limited Transparency
Opaque Budget Allocation: Visit Wales' budget allocation process lacks transparency. Key decisions regarding budget distribution and project prioritization are made behind closed doors, without sufficient public oversight.
Absence of Performance Metrics: There is a distinct lack of clear, measurable performance metrics to evaluate Visit Wales' effectiveness in promoting tourism. This makes it challenging to assess the organization's impact on Wales' economy.
Conclusion
Visit Wales' mismanagement and extravagant spending practices have raised significant concerns about its ability to fulfil its mission effectively. The allocation of a substantial portion of the budget to administrative costs, coupled with questionable expenses, indicates a need for a thorough financial review.
Furthermore, their marketing campaigns have failed to provide a satisfactory ROI, suggesting a need for more data-driven decision-making. Increased transparency and accountability are essential to ensure that taxpayers' money is utilized efficiently and that Visit Wales can effectively promote Wales as a tourist destination.
As of ChatGPT’s update in September 2021, it is crucial for stakeholders, the Welsh Government, and the public to demand accountability and reform within Visit Wales to ensure that it fulfils its vital role in driving tourism to Wales in a responsible and cost-effective manner.’
This is the newsletter sent to tourism providers regarding the upcoming roadshows. If you want to attend with Andy please let him know.
Visit Wales
Industry News
News for the Tourism Industry in Wales
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8 September 2023
Visit Wales industry roadshows 2023 - Registration open
‘Come along to a Visit Wales industry roadshow in your region this autumn, to hear from the team and meet fellow industry colleagues.
South East: 12 October – Coldra Court Hotel, Newport
North: 18 October – Llangollen Pavilion
Mid: 25 October – Aberystwyth University
South West: 8 November - Swansea.com Stadium
The events will start at 10:00 am (Registration from 9:15 am) and finish at 3:00 pm - a light lunch will be provided.
Visit Wales will be updating on marketing and development, including research and insights. There will also be news from Event Wales and a chance to hear from your Regional Forum chair. We’re also delighted that we will have a tourism industry guest speaker specific to each region as part of the programme.
There will be plenty of opportunities for Q&A as well as a chance to enjoy great networking opportunities and learn about the latest support available from Visit Wales and other key organisations within our trade stand area.
And, for those who have a particular interest in events, or want to find out more about Tourism Exchange Great Britain (TXGB) - the platform that links UK tourism booking systems or own inventory with a global network of distributors - there will be an opportunity to stay on that afternoon for a detailed session.
Find out more information and book your place at the roadshow here: Business Wales Events Finder - Visit Wales Industry Roadshows - autumn 2023, Events (business-events.org.uk)
We look forward to seeing you all soon.’
Yes, and Andy looks forward to seeing you too :)
