TRADe ASSOCIATIONS
This section of the website provides a list of Welsh tourism organisations/ associations. They can provide useful support on key issues and can help you network with other operators. You may also find it useful to speak to the tourism officer in your unitary authority or your Regional Tourism Partnership or Regional Tourism Company to identify any additional groups who can offer you support.
Tourism Training for Wales (TTfW )
www.ttfw.org.uk
Tourism Training Forum for Wales (TTFW) was founded in February 1998 to promote and guide education and training industry. A voluntary partnership for its first three years, it was incorporated in November 2001 as an independent body with its own Board and Executive dedicated to pursuing its goals. VW provide core financial support, supplemented by funding for specific projects.
Wales Tourism Alliance (WTA)
www.tourismalliance.org.uk
Wales Tourism Alliance Ltd was formed in 2002 to bring together a wide-ranging group of tourism industry associations and representative organisations to assist the development of the industry and ensure its concerns were represented in the post devolution climate.
WTA has since then become recognised by decision makers as the voice of the industry in Wales.
The following organisations are the sectoral and regional membership organisations that form the Alliance.
Association of Welsh Agents
The Association includes virtually all the Wales-based Agencies (plus one just over the border!) and collectively its members market in the region of 2,500 self-catering units.
The group aims to facilitate communication between the Self Catering Agents, Visit Wales and the WTA.
Group Secretariat - Barbara Griffiths barbara@nwhc.co.uk
British Hospitality Association (BHA)
www.bha.org.uk
The British Hospitality Association is the national association representing the hotel, restaurant and catering industry. It is active in Whitehall and Westminster, in Brussels, and in the devolved administrations of Scotland and Wales on a range of issues from employment Directives to classification and grading.
The BHA Wales Committee represents hoteliers, restaurateurs and caterers in Wales. In addition to being a founder and active member of the Wales Tourism Alliance, the association maintains close contact with the Wales Tourist Board and counts the Regional Tourism Companies as affiliated members.
British Holiday & Home Parks Association (BH&HPA)
www.bhhpa.org.uk
The British Holiday & Home Parks Association (BH&HPA) is the representative trade body for the parks industry in the United Kingdom. BH&HPA has over 300 members in Wales.
BH&HPA lobbies extensively on behalf of its members, whilst providing wide-ranging advice through a 'members only' website, handbook, bi-monthly Journal and a network of retained, specialist advisers. A public website, along with specialist directories and guides, promote the industry to the public. Advantageous rates for members have been negotiated with leading insurance and financial institutions.
The Camping and Caravanning Club
www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk
The Camping and Caravanning Club is the oldest such Club in the world with a history going back to 1901.
Today it has 400,000 members and offers them everything they need for great camping holidays.
Our network of nearly 100 award winning sites includes six in Wales. The Club also has special planning exemptions which allow it to give Welsh farmers and other landowners permission to set up small caravan sites without the need for planning permission.
The Club has a number of other services such as caravan insurance, road side recovery and other financial services as well as offering technical advice and help to its members.
We also organises overseas holidays through our Carefree travel service to most of the countries in Europe as well as far afield as New Zealand and Canada.
Organised in a number of Regions the Club's local branches (known as District Associations) cover the whole of Wales and offer inexpensive weekend camping in some of the loveliest corners of the land.
The Club is particular keen to encourage camping by young folk and has a large voluntary countryside care movement which works on environmental projects, putting something back into the countryside from which members get their pleasure.
The Club promotes caravanning and is often asked by Government departments and official bodies to advise on camping and caravanning issues, including issues specific to Wales.
For further information contact Peter Frost, Director of Communications on 024 7646 5030 or peter.frost@campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk
The Caravan Club
www.caravanclub.co.uk
The Caravan Club is Europe's premier touring organisation, representing the interests of 850,000 caravanners, motor caravanners and trailer tenters. With the largest private network of quality sites in the UK and 2,700 Certificated Locations (CLs - smaller 5-pitch maximum sites on farms, stately homes etc), it provides the equivalent of 18 million 'bed nights' per annum.
The Caravan Club has 18 Caravan Club Sites in Wales, including its Golden Jubilee site at Pembrey Country Park. Non-members are welcome at 14 of these sites. There are also 320 CLs in Wales.
The full range of Caravan Club services and activities, covering: practical caravan courses; caravan, motor, home and travel insurance; breakdown services, technical advice and details of all Club sites can be found at our web site.
Farm Stay UK
www.farmstayuk.co.uk
Farm Stay UK is a farmer owned consortium aiming to promote the concept of farm tourism in the UK; to help businesses through proactive marketing/ sales support and to assist farmers in broadening their income base through diversification.
Federation of Small Businesses (FSB)
www.fsb.org.uk
The FSB (National Federation of Self Employed and Small Businesses) is a lobbying and campaigning business organisation regularly consulted by the Government and National Assembly. In Wales the FSB regularly lobbies MP’s and AM’s on changes to employment law and business regulations. The FSB also responds to consultation documents ensuring that the voice of the small business proprietor is heard. It is also represented on a number of public bodies.
It provides its members with a wide range of benefits including a free legal helpline and advice for in-depth investigations by the Inland Revenue and Customs and Excise.
Small Serviced Accommodation Forum for Wales
The Forum was set up in May 2004 under the auspices of the WTA to represent the collective opinion of bed and breakfast and small guest house operators in Wales with 10 letting bedrooms or less.
It operates to debate all issues of interest to this sector of the industry and to exchange views from both within the industry and with organisations such as Visit Wales.
Membership of the forum consists of two representatives each from North Wales Tourism, Mid Wales Tourism, FarmStay Wales, SW Wales Tourism Associations and the SE Wales Tourism Forum.
Contact: Forum Chairman - Tony Milan guidfa@globalnet.co.uk
Mid Wales Tourism (MWT)
www.tourismwales.co.uk
Mid Wales Tourism (MWT) was formed in 1991 and is the main regional membership organisation (circa 600 members) supporting the industry throughout Powys, Ceredigion and the Meirionnydd area of Gwynedd.
The organisation, which represents tourism interests at local, regional and national levels, offers comprehensive marketing and membership services to tourism businesses throughout Mid Wales.
In 2004, MWT extended its activities to South East & South West Wales and, in partnership with its sister company North Wales Tourism, introduced the 'Tourism Wales' brand to reflect both organisation's wider appeal.
Contact: Val Hawkins valerie.hawkins@tourismwales.co.uk
National Caravan Council (NCC)
www.nationalcaravan.co.uk
The National Caravan Council was originally formed in 1939 as the trade association for the UK Caravan Industry. With a membership in excess of 500, the NCC represents the manufacturers, dealers, park operators and supplies and services providers throughout Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
The NCC also has strong links with the caravanning public through its presence at both national and regional exhibitions. Many of the services provided by the NCC are directly relevant to caravanners and are explained in greater detail through the recently launched web site - www.thecaravan.net
North Wales Tourism (NWT)
www.northwalestourism.co.uk
North Wales Tourism (NWT) is the lead membership body for the tourism industry in North Wales, providing a united voice for tourism operators in North Wales
NWT represents over 1200 businesses is the principal deliverer of support for the tourism industry in the region working on a partnership basis.
Membership is comprised of accommodation operators such as hotels, guest houses, inns, self catering property owners, caravan and camping parks plus visitor attractions, restaurants, retailers and many others.
Contact: Esther Roberts esther.roberts@nwt.co.uk
South West Wales Tourism Associations
The three local tourism associations of South West Wales (Carmarthenshire Tourist Association, Pembrokeshire Tourism, Tourism Swansea, Neath & Port Talbot Tourism) provide the tourism and hospitality industry of South West Wales with organisations which it, the trade, owns and directs and which participate in the partnership delivery of local, regional and national strategies for tourism.
Contact:
Carmarthenshire Tourism nia@visitcarmarthenshire.co.uk
Pembrokeshire Tourism rachel@pembrokeshire-tourism.net
Tourism Swansea Bay tony@castlehotelneath.co.uk
Wales Association of Self-Catering Operators
www.walescottages.org.uk
WASCO acts as a voice of self catering in Wales and works through WTA as a focus- pressure- group in advancing the needs of tourism and in making local authorities, National Assembly and Westminster aware of the needs and problems of tourism.
Contact: Graham Tayler grahamtyler@btinternet.com
Wales Official Tourist Guides Association (WOTGA)
www.wotga.com
The Wales Official Tourist Guides Association was formed in 1983 to promote and represent the interests of qualified (self-employed) tour guides in Wales.
Now with over one hundred members and strong links to the Institute of Tourist Guides we operate throughout Wales with the active approval of the Wales Tourist Board.
With bi-annual professional development training events we maintain our knowledge and skills at the highest level so that we continue to offer the best possible service to clients.
Contact: David Durrington daviddurrington@yahoo.co.uk
Welsh Association of Visitor Attractions (WAVA)
WAVA brings visitor attractions together to act in the common interest providing advice to Visit Wales on the development of practical and realistic services, grading schemes and marketing opportunities.
WAVA meetings provide a forum to meet with operators from across the country to network and discuss many of the current issues and concerns and provides a representative voice nationally through membership of Wales Tourism Alliance.
Contact: Ian Rutherford info@kingarthurslabyrinth.co.uk
Youth Hostels Association
www.yha.org.uk
YHA offers affordable accommodation at 36 youth hostels across Wales mostly located in the national parks of Snowdonia, the Brecon Beacons and the Pembrokeshire Coast.
