I've No Beef With Adventure Tours UK. I Simply Ask Why Are They So Promoted By Visit Wales?
And I wish them a great year’s business… But... Their relationship with Visit Wales poses many questions… (questions at bottom of the article)
At a meeting in September 2022 with Heledd Owen of Visit Wales it was understood that no business would be onboarded to the Visit Wales platform that offered adventure activities or guided walks in the countryside unless they were accredited by the Visit Wales Adventure Activity Assurance Scheme. Now, I oppose that scheme, and it is currently under review, due solely to the immense effort I put into lobbying of Visit Wales over the past couple of years, but it was and remains Visit Wales protocol for listing businesses on their platforms. I simply demanded that Visit Wales implement their own rules, for all businesses, as they had for Wales Outdoors. Wales Outdoors was removed from the Visit Wales platform in March 2020 as we refused to take part in the not-fit-for-purpose Visit Wales scheme.
In late 2022, Adventure Tours UK were onboarded. They gained a Visit Wales listing and a Visit Wales Travel Trade listing quickly followed by a good deal of copy, magazine pieces published on the Visit Wales websites and other channels.
In the Autumn of 2023 I noted the presence of Adventure Tours UK and as part of my campaign to have Visit Wales see sense in their accreditation scheme and in their management of their rules for onboarding, I pointed out that Adventure Tours UK were not accredited by Visit Wales and so ought to be removed from the Visit Wales platforms.
Tumbleweed was, as is oh so usual, what I received in response.
At a meeting on November 4th 2023, with Steffan Roberts and Heledd Owen, I mentioned Adventure Tours UK and Steffan agreed that if they offered activities then they ought not be listed and Heledd affirmed she was in receipt of the information I had sent and her staff were looking into it.
I followed up in January, but again tumbleweed…
This week I received notice that Adventure Tours UK are a Visit Wales 2024 Partner.
I’ve had a look at the other partners for 2024 that deliver guided walks and they make up 50% of the fourteen partners and of that 50% none are accredited by Visit Wales. Shocking stuff, but as always, to be expected. Since 2006 the Welsh Government have never been keen on a level playing field and fair play… However, it is only Adventure Tours UK that has received full page copy, and that on at least three occasions, with the other tour companies that are Visit Wales partners having not had the benefit of a magazine article written by Visit Wales staff and published on Visit Wales platforms.
Since the beginning of January Adventure Tours UK’s Facebook presence has posted 17 times. The majority were regarding Scotland and only 5 posts were detailing Wales. More importantly, as of 13th March 2024 Adventure Tours UK has just 10 dates for the whole of 2024 that are bookable in Wales.
Questions
Why is Visit Wales, in full knowledge of the fact, platforming Adventure Tours UK, outside of their own rules?
What relationship do the directors of Adventure Tours UK have with senior Visit Wales staff?
Why do Adventure Tours UK gain regular ‘magazine’ copy when other partners of Visit Wales do not receive the same?
In full knowledge that this issue is being looked at by the Ombudsman for Wales, why are Visit Wales continuing to promote Adventure Tours UK and so risk censure?
Given that Adventure Tours UK is focused on Scotland through its social media and that it has just 10 dates in 2024 that are bookable, at the peak time for clients searching for tours, why does Visit Wales consider Adventure Tours UK suitable to partner with?
I think these are all very relevant questions and demand answers.
If there ever was a clear case of nepotism it quite probably could be Adventure Tours UK’s relationship with someone at Visit Wales. I say this without fear of repercussions as Visit Wales refuse to communicate on this issue. They have been aware since early Autumn 2023 that without accreditation Adventure Tours UK should not be listed or promoted or partnered with…
You can book our walks through the Wales Outdoors Website or, if you are a group, you can book us for a bespoke adventure, you choose the date and time, using the ‘Book Your Guide’ option.
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