Wales has been urged to re-market itself as the ‘Land of Dragons and Legend’ in a bid to boost in-bound visitor numbers.
Local daily news website The National reported that tourism experts made the suggestion to a parliamentary committee earlier this week.
The Welsh Affairs Committee is in the midst of an “inquiry” into Wales’ standing as an international tourism destination.
“Wales needs to be brave and grasp its myth, its heritage, its legends,” Annette Pritchard, a professor of tourism management at Leeds Beckett University and a former member of Welsh tourism authority VisitWales, told the committee.
“When you think of Scotland, you’ll think of tartan and you’ll think of whisky – individuals might get annoyed about that, and say it’s very stereotypical, but that’s what tourists like,” Ms Pritchard said.
She also claimed that polling of visitors to Wales showed a desire for experiences immersed in Welsh history and heritage.
“Visitors recommended a Druids Trail, a Dragons Trail, an Arthurian Trail – all of these things are there, and they can all be packaged and developed,” Ms Pritchard told the committee.
The National reported that Professor Dorothy Yen, a marketing specialist at Brunel University London, also recommended the Land of Dragons and Legend approach for Wales, claiming it would allow the country to “differentiate itself against England and Scotland” with a “distinct brand identity”.
“The Welsh dragon is something quite special, because in the world there are only two countries that have dragons on their flag – Bhutan and Wales,” Professor Yen told the committee.
“For a lot of international tourists coming to Wales, to experience the land of dragons – it makes Wales a very interesting, intriguing, attractive international tourist destination.
“Of course, once we’ve got those tourists in Wales, we’re offering more – the food, the beautiful coastline, the scenic landscape – all of that is part of it, it’s just about finding the most attractive way to lure them in,” she said.
The committee also heard a suggestion for Wales to follow Germany’s lead in launching a low-price catch-all travel ticket for visiting tourists. It was also told that public debate over tourism policy had “hindered” ideas for boosting Wales’ tourism offering.
