Supporting Rural Tourism
Holidaying in the UK has increased dramatically since the pandemic with people’s consumer interests now changing. Lesser-known tourism destinations offering wide open spaces are highly desirable locations and large rural counties like Carmarthenshire are well placed to benefit from this.
We aim to harness and amplify to target audiences the individual strengths of each of our market towns and surrounding areas through creating compelling communication material that can be used by stakeholders both within the County including individual business to community councils to national bodies such as Visit Wales.
A coordinated approach is required by all aspects of the destination to ensure the needs of visitors, businesses and local communities are all considered. The entire industry needs to work together to ensure we maximise the benefits of tourism to Carmarthenshire, economic and community cohesion.
Carmarthenshire’s rural towns have an abundance of local independent businesses producing quality products and experiences that we wish to share with visitors. The newly created branded asset packs aim to promote secondary spend within each town and will promote the following:
- local attractions
- café, restaurants, and pubs
- gifts and mementos from shops and galleries such as arts & crafts
- and the people behind the businesses
With financial support from the RDP Leader fund and Carmarthenshire County Council, the short-term aim is to immediately contribute to the County Council’s Economic Recovery Plan. For more information on working with us, please contact Elinos via tourism@Carmarthenshire.gov.uk
Holidaying in the UK has increased dramatically since the pandemic with people’s consumer interests now changing. Lesser-known tourism destinations offering wide open spaces are highly desirable locations and large rural counties like Carmarthenshire are well placed to benefit from this.
We aim to harness and amplify to target audiences the individual strengths of each of our market towns and surrounding areas through creating compelling communication material that can be used by stakeholders both within the County including individual business to community councils to national bodies such as Visit Wales.
A coordinated approach is required by all aspects of the destination to ensure the needs of visitors, businesses and local communities are all considered. The entire industry needs to work together to ensure we maximise the benefits of tourism to Carmarthenshire, economic and community cohesion.
Carmarthenshire’s rural towns have an abundance of local independent businesses producing quality products and experiences that we wish to share with visitors. The newly created branded asset packs aim to promote secondary spend within each town and will promote the following:
- local attractions
- café, restaurants, and pubs
- gifts and mementos from shops and galleries such as arts & crafts
- and the people behind the businesses
With financial support from the RDP Leader fund and Carmarthenshire County Council, the short-term aim is to immediately contribute to the County Council’s Economic Recovery Plan. For more information on working with us, please contact Elinos via tourism@Carmarthenshire.gov.uk
Key aims for future economic development
Over the next 18 months we will focus on the following key areas:
Seasonality – growing our traditional 8-month tourism season to a full 12 months.
Spread and Spend – positively encourage visitors to explore all areas, not just the well-known or easy to find. When they are here, let's ensure they buy local in all areas from refreshments to gifts to dog food to socks!
Quality – Quality of services, experiences and products all contribute to driving up local spend and brand loyalty.
Resources for your business
Asset Library
After requests from the businesses sector, we are creating an easy to use and free digital library, which for the 1st time will include all in one place images, video content and graphics that can be used in your own marketing. All these “assets” will support the brand values of “real people, real places” that has been developed to position the County post pandemic.
Web pages
Each rural town throughout the county will be featured on the official visitor website for the County www.discover.carmarthenshire.com which has 34,000 unique views per month and is backed by a full marketing campaign supporting its continued visibility. New promotional videos and photographs have been commissioned with presenters outlining the secondary spend opportunities in each town.
Getting National and International media coverage
Using our media contacts and businesses like you in the County, we reach the readership of UK-wide newspapers and magazines by supplying them with suitable stories, images and ideas, hosting visiting journalists when required
We have an excellent track record in the last 10 years with visits and articles worth over £2million reaching over 100million people across numerous publications including the Times (440,000 circulation), Guardian (110,000), The Sun (1.4m), Countryfile, Belle and even fashion magazine Elle
theguardian.com/carmarthenshire-west-wales-llandeilo-laugharne-ferrytown
Key aims for future economic development
Over the next 18 months we will focus on the following key areas:
Seasonality – growing our traditional 8-month tourism season to a full 12 months.
Spread and Spend – positively encourage visitors to explore all areas, not just the well-known or easy to find. When they are here, let's ensure they buy local in all areas from refreshments to gifts to dog food to socks!
Quality – Quality of services, experiences and products all contribute to driving up local spend and brand loyalty.
Resources for your business
Asset Library
After requests from the businesses sector, we are creating an easy to use and free digital library, which for the 1st time will include all in one place images, video content and graphics that can be used in your own marketing. All these “assets” will support the brand values of “real people, real places” that has been developed to position the County post pandemic.
Web pages
Each rural town throughout the county will be featured on the official visitor website for the County www.discover.carmarthenshire.com which has 34,000 unique views per month and is backed by a full marketing campaign supporting its continued visibility. New promotional videos and photographs have been commissioned with presenters outlining the secondary spend opportunities in each town.
Getting National and International media coverage
Using our media contacts and businesses like you in the County, we reach the readership of UK-wide newspapers and magazines by supplying them with suitable stories, images and ideas, hosting visiting journalists when required
We have an excellent track record in the last 10 years with visits and articles worth over £2million reaching over 100million people across numerous publications including the Times (440,000 circulation), Guardian (110,000), The Sun (1.4m), Countryfile, Belle and even fashion magazine Elle
theguardian.com/carmarthenshire-west-wales-llandeilo-laugharne-ferrytown
Working with us
Town Forums
We will be communicating the work being undertaken in each area through the already established town forums. For more information, or to be part of the town forums please contact our Rural Market Town Officers Natasha, Linda and Hawys:
NPMainwaring@carmarthenshire.gov.uk
limorris@carmarthenshire.gov.uk
HBarrett@carmarthenshire.gov.uk
Working with us
Town Forums
We will be communicating the work being undertaken in each area through the already established town forums. For more information, or to be part of the town forums please contact our Rural Market Town Officers Natasha, Linda and Hawys:
NPMainwaring@carmarthenshire.gov.uk
limorris@carmarthenshire.gov.uk
HBarrett@carmarthenshire.gov.uk
