We appreciate that it is an extremely difficult, worrying and complex time for many businesses and individuals across North Wales with the COVID-19 pandemic but as the situation evolves it’s important to know that we are here to support you.
We continue to monitor the circumstances as they are developing and also continue to engage with MPs and MSs, lobbying on issues on your behalf and making sure your voice is heard.
If you have any questions/queries please do not hesitate to contact us, by email (contacts below), social media channels, online chat on the Trade website or phone. Please email jim.jones@gonorthwales.org.uk; eirlys.jones@gonorthwales.org.uk or deborah.nettleton@gonorthwales.org.uk with any issues etc you may have.
Please keep posted on any developments on our Trade site www.northwalestourism.com and on our social media platforms (facebook and twitter) NWTBiz which is regularly updated.
Keep safe, we’re in this together.
Tourism personal stories | We want to share your stories!!
As we near the end of what has been a difficult year for our sector, we want to share positive tourism stories as we look forward to 2021.
If you have a story to share with us, these stories can be anything from how you started your tourism business, how it has developed over the years, do you have long standing staff member or maybe how you have adapted your business during the last 12 months.
These stories will be added as a blog post on the Go North Wales website and then shared across our social media channels.
Send your story to: leah.edwards@gonorthwales.org.uk
Website listing – Updating your Details
Your individual listing on our website is your main opportunity to present your business to the public. However, like any advertising it must be regularly maintained to ensure that it is correct, current and really works for you.
- When did you last check it?
- When did you last update it?
- Are your pictures great?
- Is your listing better than that of competitors?
Please login and update your entry on the Go North Wales website. If you require a reminder of your login details or assistance in updating your details please contact Anthony Woodhouse on 01492 539051 or email digital@gonorthwales.org.uk.
Facebook/Twitter – Do you Follow Us
Don’t forget, if you are on social media you can follow us on both Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @nwtbiz @gonorthwales – so if you have content that you would like us to share, let us know and we’ll promote it to our audience! If possible please link to our destination platforms in your posts so that we can see you and share. Social Media and digital marketing are very important parts of the modern marketing mix and a great way to get your business promoted. Remember, we can’t share your social media stories if we don’t know about them.
NWTBiz Facebook Forum
We have a closed Facebook group specifically for members where you can discuss issues, ask for help as well as support each other in our collected aim to make our region one of the top UK tourist destinations. You will need to request to join this by searching NWTBiz and we will accept you as a member.
Special Offers
All members can create special offers at no cost. They show on the special offers page on the gonorthwales website and it is another sales opportunity that is free to use. At present this facility is under used. If you would like to submit your offer to include on our website please follow the link http://submit-offer.gonorth.wales/
Golf North Wales – We need your offers!
At Golf North Wales we preparing to sell the perfect golfing package, these offers and gifts will be able to purchase via our golfnorthwales website and social media platforms. They will also be sent out to all our previous customers who have booked with us.
- Do you want to be included a gift package?
- Do you have an special offer for a stay and dinner?
This can be an all year offer and not just for Christmas
To discuss further please email me on adrienne.prior@gonorthwales.org.uk or call me on 01492 531 731, look forward to hearing from you.
Banner Adverts
These are adverts, separate from your normal web listing that show on the home page and the sub- pages. Adverts cost from £200 and when clicked the user is taken to a location defined by the advertiser, usually the member’s own website, rather than your page on our site. For further information on banner advertising please contact digital@gonorthwales.org.uk.
Keep in touch
Our main means of communication with you, our members, is by email. We send out regular email messages to all members or to specific sections of the membership. We try to restrict the number of emails to key topics but also send out regular newsletters covering minor topics. Old copies of newsletters are available online.
In addition to emails, we post short-term news on our closed Facebook Group.
Members’ website – www.northwalestourism.com
The members website is another important source of information. Do look at it regularly for information on training courses, offers and discounts, forthcoming meetings and reports on past meetings. You will also find information about membership, managing your web page, details of the Board, latest research documents and strategies and much more.
Tell us your news
Do keep us informed about your business.
- If you send out press releases or newsletters, do ensure that we are on the distribution list – digital@gonorthwales.org.uk
- Tell us about business developments, any new plans you may have and your successes.
Obviously we like to hear what you are doing, but more importantly we use the information to promote your business and the area in the following ways, all of which are free to you.
- Social Media
- We have a news page on our website. We are regularly publishing articles each week and most are news from our members.
- Inclusion in our regular members’ newsletters
Meet North Wales
Meet North Wales attended The Meeting Show on October 19-21st. This was an all virtual event focused on the business events & incentive travel industry.
We had a number of positive meetings with a number of perspective clients and what was clear from everyone at the event is that there is a real drive within the business events industry for face to face events to return as soon as it is safe to do so.
There was also a lot of interest in the adventure we have to offer in North Wales, getting teams back together in 2021 will be a focus for a lot of businesses, and what better place to do this than North Wales!
For more information on the Meet North Wales project & membership details please email: info@meetnorthwales.co.uk
North Wales Trade Impact Survey Results – Lockdowns and Tourism, Hospitality, Retail, Leisure Sector
A snapshot Trade impact Survey across Tourism, Hospitality, Retail, Leisure
sectors and their supply chains looking at how lockdown has affected North
Wales businesses and the business outlook if any further lockdowns are put in place.
The survey was conducted by North Wales Tourism with support from the
North Wales Mersey Dee Business Council. Carried out over 4 days from Weds 21st October with 364 businesses responding from across the region.
Press Activity During Covid
We have been busy during the past 7/8 months with press activity during Covid – see link to a list of some of the activities that we have been undertaking.
12 Point Plan Ask from Wales Tourism Alliance
WTA RESPONSE TO WELSH GOVERNMENT CALL FOR MEASURES TO HELP RE-OPEN THE TOURISM SECTOR POST ‘FIRE-BREAK’
- Businesses have been strong in their call for the publication of a clear exit strategy. Uncertainty is crippling the sector, causing a complete paralysis of planning and scheduling activities. WG must provide information as to their intentions and strategy to manage the virus with approximate timescales at the very earliest opportunity. There must be an end to the pattern of “stop/starts” announcements.
- Many businesses, particularly those in remote areas of Wales, with low infection rates, can see no justification in imposing blanket shutdowns – and call for a more balanced and micro managed approach to addressing health risks.
- 97% of tourism businesses in Wales are micro or very small and do not qualify for phase 3 of the ERF because a) you need a turnover of at least £50k b) be a Ltd co. and c) have employees on PAYE or paid as directors. We need any future funds to be more evenly targeted to where it can have the most benefit particularly with regard to self-employment.
- The Job Support scheme is seen by many businesses as being inadequate in its current form – and as a matter of urgency needs to be reviewed. Concern has been expressed over payment of wages when businesses are closed during the first week of November.
- More marketing resource is needed for VisitWales to produce campaigns to help mitigate against anti visitor/ anti English sentiments – and also to address hardening perceptions across the border that Wales is no longer a welcoming country.
- Tourism has a valuable part to play in combatting the virus. As such WG (politicians) need to “talk up” the value and benefits of the sector, rather than implying that it is part of the problem. Government statistics (Number of Covid19 Incidents by Institutions data) certainly do not indicate this; businesses invested much time and money to make premises safe and were successful – and there were no spikes at all in areas of Wales who received the greatest number of visitors during August 2020.
- More financial support is needed for DMO’s to help manage visitors more effectively. All tourism associations throughout Wales have worked tirelessly – and continue to do so, to disseminate information to visitors, businesses and communities. They have played their part in trying to find solutions to meet challenges, but in short they lack adequate resources to do a better job.
- The WTA calls for the setting up of a “Safe Spaces” initiative, based around promoting safer geographical areas and the setting up new destination management protocols.
- The 10 pm curfew (10.20pm with drinking up time), whilst well meaning, continues to cause problems in terms of creating unsafe outside environments after closing time. In particular, the serving of alcohol after 10pm to guests staying in hotels has been a concern raised by members. The WTA believe that the current curfew policy should be reviewed.
- Better track and trace systems should be put in place to more target more accurately infection hotspots (even on a road by road basis within built up areas), which can then be isolated, allowing for freedom of trade and movement for other inhabitants within the area.
- Specific resources need to be directed toward establishing what the long term damage is to the mental health of those who are having to manage the burden of failing businesses and personal responsibilities to provide for families in our sector. If an issue is identified we need to be able to work out how this impact is mitigated.
- With disruption to businesses likely to continue in the short term, with little prospect of trading up to and through the Christmas period, the WTA believes that Business Disruption grants should be made available for the loss of revenue through to 1st January 2021.
Local Lockdown Business Fund
This is a fund to provide financial assistance to businesses that are facing operational and financial challenges caused by the national lockdown announced for Wales as a result of COVID-19.
The purpose of the fund is to support businesses with cash flow support to help them survive the economic consequences of the restrictions put in place.
The grant opened to applications on 28 October 2020 and will close at 5pm on 20 November 2020 OR when the fund is fully committed. The fund will be administered by your Local Authority.
The fund consists of two separate grants:
- Lockdown Non Domestic Rate Grant
- Lockdown Discretionary Grant
Applications will be dealt with on a first come first served basis. This may lead to applications not being appraised after they have been submitted if the fund is fully committed.
For further information and guidance please visit the Lockdown Business Fund page on the Business Wales website
https://businesswales.gov.wales/coronavirus-advice/lockdown-business-fund
Furlough Scheme Extended
The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme has been extended for a month with employees receiving 80% of their current salary for hours not worked.
As we understand it to be eligible for this extension, employees must have been on the payroll by 30 October 2020, but they don’t need to have been furloughed before. Further details will be published during the week.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/furlough-scheme-extended-and-further-economic-support-announced
Self-employment Income Support Scheme
Below is a link to a UK Government fact sheet on the extension of the Self-employment Income Support Scheme. This is support to the self-employed in the form of two grants, each available for three month periods covering November – January and February – April.
Further details on the Self Employment Income Support Scheme can be found at https://businesswales.gov.wales/coronavirus-advice/support/support-self-employed
New national Covid measures for Wales following Firebreak on 9 November
The new national measures include:
- The need to maintain two metre social distancing and wear face masks in enclosed public places, including on public transport and taxis, will continue
- The requirement to work from home whenever possible will remain
- People should only meet with their ‘bubble’ in their own home and only two households will be able to form a ‘bubble’. If one person from either household develops symptoms, everyone should immediately self-isolate
- Up to 15 people can take part in an organised indoors activity and up to 30 in an organised activity outdoors, providing all social distancing, hand hygiene and other covid safety measures are followed
- All premises, such as restaurants, cafes, pubs and gyms, closed during the firebreak, will be able to reopen. Following the announcement about the English lockdown, Ministers are having ongoing discussions with the hospitality sector about the detailed rules for reopening. This includes about meeting in public indoor spaces
- As part of keeping risks to a minimum, people should avoid non-essential travel as much as possible. There will be no legal restrictions on travel within Wales for residents, but international travel should be for essential reasons only.
In addition:
- All schools will reopen
- Churches and places of worship will resume services
- Local authority services will resume but based on local circumstances
- Community centres will be available for small groups to meet safely indoors in the winter months.
Your Home Your County
North Wales Tourism in partnership with Conwy County Tourism Department have created a Your Home Your County website to promote businesses open in each of the County Authorities for local residents.
If you would like to be included on this website and you are open during this period please follow the link and complete the form, if you have an offer etc please also add this to the form https://yourhomeyourcounty.wales/login-registration/
If you prefer to send your details to be inputted by us please provide the following information and email to digital@gonorthwales.org.uk:
- Business name
- Contact details
- Description of business and promotion
- Image
- Opening Hours
For a pdf downloadable version of this newsletter click on the download button below.