Visit Wales Enforce A Blanket Ban On Wales Outdoors

FFS! Visit Wales again! Wales Outdoors is blocked on the Tourism Product Database administered by Visit Wales. Why? Because we refuse to pay for accreditation with Visit Wales as we are qualified professionals of over thirty years standing and the Visit Wales accreditation scheme is a gross overreach of UK national law. More importantly, Visit Wales management agrees that their protocols are poorly thought through and executed, resulting in a far from level playing field. Visit Wales management have assured me that they will introduce a route for businesses such as Wales Outdoors to be included on the Visit Wales website without accreditation but Visit Wales has given no timeframe for updating its protocols which I am minded to conclude is a mechanism to have me 'out of their hair'. Read more here

But in the meantime, this means that even if a local authority wishes to list Wales Outdoors events they will not be able to do so if they draw information from the Visit Wales system.

Visit Monmouthshire would like to list my weekly walk, which is live and bookable for every Saturday from 2nd March through to 30th November, starting at Whitchurch near Goodrich and taking in some fine locations in the Wye Valley. They told me however that Visit Wales blocks Wales Outdoors. Visit Monmouthshire have nothing outdoorsy bookable for individuals and couples (who make up nearly 50% of all visitors to the area) and just one provider offering adventure activities who will struggle out of all but peak season to accommodate bookings other than from groups.

Conversely, and for some reason, likely nepotism (I've banded about this phrase with regards to Visit Wales many times without receiving a solicitors letter asking me to desist), Clyne Farm Centre, as one example of very many errant listings on the Visit Wales website, has a listing even though it is not accredited by Visit Wales for its activities. Read about Clyne Farm here

Wales Outdoors offers walks that any family would undertake, on public footpaths and led by an experienced mountain guide. Clyne Farm Centre offers gorge walking, climbing, surfing and coastal walks without evidencing any accreditations. Wales Outdoors is banned by Visit Wales and Clyne Farm Centre is promoted.

Can someone 'do the math' on this one for me?

I assume my application to become a South East Wales Regional Tourism Forum member has been blocked too?

This lack of action by government employees, or in the case of listings such as Clyne Farm Centre, action in opposition to Visit Wale's own rules, continues to consume my valuable time and to limit the ability of my rather fine business to grow as it should. This impacts visitor experiences and so those free referrals and repeat bookings that we all want to see.

Because Visit Wales blocks Wales Outdoors, Wales Outdoors is banned from most local authorities and Welsh Gov websites in Wales.

Please apply pressure where you can.

Please act to ensure change so that fair and advantageous for all use of public money in the tourism sector becomes the norm.

Please share.

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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