(released Thursday 7th May)
Today Bannau Brycheiniog National Park Authority is launching a unique bilingual Visitor Charter entitled “5 ways to Love the Bannau Brycheiniog”. Tourism businesses in the National Park were asked to name their top five issues with visitor behaviours. The results of the survey were then turned into top five ways to love the Beacons aimed at helping visitors to look after our National Park – by encouraging them to preserve the dark skies, eat local food, recycle, use the car less and to keep their dogs on leads around livestock.
The Visitor Charter will be launched at an exclusive Ambassadors event held today (7th May) at Buckland Hall, near Bwlch. With support through Bannau Brycheiniog National Park Authority’s Rural Alliances project, the newly published bilingual Visitor Charter aims to engage visitors in sustainable behaviour while they’re on holiday in the National Park. The messages will be delivered through a leaflet that will be distributed Park wide, a tent card for businesses to display, a bathroom door hanger, posters that can be personalised and through the web and social media.
As well as the launch of the Visitor Charter the Ambassadors event also includes a choice of four wildlife themed workshops for delegates to engage with, a presentation from the all Wales Ambassador network and the Brecon Jazz Festival. Julian Atkins, Director of Countryside and Land Management at Bannau Brycheiniog National Park Authority also presented certificates to the 20 new Ambassadors who gained their Ambassador, Geopark and Dark Skies status.
Andrew Williams, Sustainable Tourism Officer (Rural Alliances Project) for Bannau Brycheiniog National Park Authority said:
“The Visitor Charter will be important to encourage visitors to engage in sustainable and responsible behaviour and hopefully educate them in a subtle manor to help maintain the park as a destination to visit for generations to come.”
Anna Heywood from Drover Cycles and Member of Hay Tourism Group said:
“Social and environmental sustainability are at the heart of our philosophy here at Drover Cycles and we are therefore delighted that the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park has launched the Responsible Visitor Charter. This is a fantastic tool which we believe will help visitors and fellow businesses be more green and at the same time maximise their enjoyment of our wonderful region!”
Cllr Geraint Hopkins, Chairman for Bannau Brycheiniog National Park Authority said:
“This is a creative Charter with simple responsible messages for visitors that demonstrate the how easy it is to help the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park retain its great reputation as a fantastic and sustainable place to live, work and visit. I’m really pleased to see how we have engaged with local businesses and developed a useful guide to help support them and raise awareness to visitors about the National Park.”
The project also includes a social media campaign where businesses and visitors alike will be encouraged to post about their sustainable behaviour using the hashtag #IloveBreconBeacons. If you are a tourism facing business and are either interested in the project or would like to host some or all of the promotional items mentioned above please contact Andrew Williams, Sustainable Tourism Officer, Bannau Brycheiniog National Park Authority on either 01874 620476 or by email andrew.williams@beacons-npa.gov.uk. The resources are also downloadable from http://www.beacons-npa.gov.uk/communities/tourism-new/visitorcharter (URL TBC)
For more information about the Rural Alliances project, visit www.rural-alliances.eu Rural Alliances is a transnational project funded through the EU’s Interreg IVB NWE programme and with Welsh Government support. It supports businesses and communities working together to improve rural vibrancy.
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