Senedd Member urges North Wales tourism businesses to enter 2024 Awards

Sam Rowlands, Member of the Welsh Parliament (MS) for North Wales, is calling on tourism businesses in the region to participate in this year’s Go North Wales Tourism Awards.

The event, which highlights excellence within the local tourism industry, will be held at Venue Cymru, Llandudno, on Thursday, November 21.

Mr Rowlands, who chairs the Cross-Party Group on Tourism in the Welsh Parliament, has long been an advocate for the tourism sector in North Wales.

He expressed his enthusiasm for the upcoming awards, stating, “Everybody knows how passionate I am about encouraging and promoting tourism in my region of North Wales, and I am delighted to see the prestigious Go North Wales Tourism Awards being held once again this year.”

The tourism sector has faced significant challenges in recent years, particularly during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mr Rowlands has been vocal about the difficulties faced by the industry and has criticised the Welsh Labour Government for its lack of support.

He noted, “Tourism was one of the hardest hit industries during and post-Covid with very little help coming from the Welsh Labour Government, which continues to chip away at this sector.”

Reflecting on last year’s awards, Mr Rowlands shared his experience of attending the event, saying, “I was lucky enough to attend the award ceremony held at Venue Cymru last year when it was really great to see so many businesses receiving the recognition they deserve after what has been an extremely tough few years.”

Mr Rowlands also highlighted ongoing concerns regarding government policies affecting the tourism sector, including the 182-day holiday let regulations and the proposed tourism tax.

“Time and time again, I have raised tourism issues in Welsh Parliament, yet my calls always seem to fall on deaf ears,” he said.

“Tourism is big business in North Wales, in particular, yet the Welsh Labour Government continues to hamper its growth with its crippling 182-day holiday let regulations and the soon-to-be-introduced tourism tax.”

Despite these challenges, Mr Rowlands believes the North Wales tourism industry remains robust, as evidenced by the continued success of the Go North Wales Tourism Awards.

“Against this adversity, our tourism industry is still strong, and these awards demonstrate how important this sector is to North Wales,” he added.

The Go North Wales Tourism Awards aims to showcase and celebrate the achievements, hard work, and dedication of those working in the industry.

For the first time in several years, winners from certain regional categories will also be eligible for the national Visit Wales Awards, set to take place in Spring 2025.

Applications for the awards are open until Monday, October 7, 2024.

Businesses involved in the region’s tourism industry are encouraged to apply. More details on the application process can be found at Go North Wales Tourism Awards website.