Depressing News From Visit Swansea Bay

At the Visit Wales Roadshow in Swansea, I came across the stand being manned by Visit Swansea Bay and had a chat with them about being listed on their site. I visit Swansea with tourists, use accommodations in the city and I deliver guided walks in their area too. They said they would look into it and got back to me with the following email which of course you’ll find my response to, below it.

Some local authorities are forward looking and inclusive. They allow experience providers listings on their websites. Others, sadly, do not. Suffice it to say, I will not be developing my work in Swansea and will direct my clients to other local authority areas for accommodation, walks and attractions.

It’s interesting to note that Visit Swansea Bay is funded by the UK Government. I might just have to copy this post to someone over the bridge and ask for their comments on Swansea Council’s closed shop attitude…

Swansea Council wrote:

Dear Andy,

Many thanks for your interest in becoming a Visit Swansea Bay Partner.  Unfortunately, as you are based outside of the Swansea Council (City & County of Swansea) and Neath Port Talbot Council areas, we are unable to process your application.

Our activity is funded by Swansea Council for the benefit of local businesses and tourism operators, so as stated in our Terms & Conditions, we do not accept applications from outside of the areas above (which make up the Visit Wales Marketing Area – Swansea, Mumbles, Gower, Afan & the Vale of Neath).  Applicants are accepted from those that pay Business Rates or Council Tax to those councils (subject to accreditations as appropriate). 

We hope you understand our position and thank you once more for your interest in becoming a Partner.

We wish you and your business every success.

I responded in my usual manner with the following:

That's a shame and I would urge you to have another look at this policy. 

I understand completely why you might not want accommodation providers from outside of the area being listed, or even physical attractions, (but I would still disagree with that policy as I believe an holistic approach to Wales with networking and providing information for the client to decide upon is best) but, experience providers? 

I offer a service that brings people from other areas into Swansea and the Swansea area, one of my tours uses Swansea accommodation. We visit Swansea attractions and cafes and have time to browse the shops. People accommodated in Swansea make their way to join me on tours and walks and then return to their accommodation in Swansea. Furthermore, my most popular tour is in NPT Council Area and I bring in thousands to this area each and every year, many directed by me to stay in local accommodation and all benefitting the local economy. 

By not listing experience providers who work in Swansea your policy diminishes the experience of visiting Swansea and so visitors will be less effusive regarding their stay, will have fewer top memories and so referrals and repeat bookings will not be as they could be. 

Maybe I will do the same and plan to only visit areas that I have a reciprocal arrangement with. Perhaps I won't add in a visit to Penderyn Whisky in Swansea, as I was intending, but instead choose either Penderyn at Penderyn or another attraction altogether, and outside of the City Council area... 

Certainly I will not be developing tours, as planned, that begin in Swansea. 

I hope that you can see the impact that a policy such as Visit Swansea Bay has can have on the tourism economy.