22 • SPOTLIGHT • WINTER 2018
Some of the newer investment from the private sector, such as ZipWorld and Surf Snowdonia, is a large part entrepreneurialism, but also part government strategy. At a national level, Welsh Government have been driving a tourism strategy (2013-2020) anchored by product development. The plan is a product-led approach to developing and marketing tourism in Wales. There has been strategic support for relevant projects, and potential for capital grant funding. This has been coupled with powerful thematic marketing year-on- year – 2016 was the Year of Adventure, 2017 was Year of Legends and 2018 Year of the Sea. Anecdotally, I feel this has helped make a tangible difference for the destination brand of Wales as a whole, and Snowdonia in particular. I increasingly hear it from clients and industry professionals as a point of reference.
And what of south Wales? There has also been a raft of product-led proposals in the adventure activity sector, and certain contextual factors point to some advantages. South Wales has the higher population density (albeit still modest), better road access with the M4 corridor and significant transport plays such as Qatar Airways launching the first long- haul flights from Cardiff Airport (May 2018), and the scrapping of tolls on the Severn Bridge by the end of 2018 will make visiting more accessible.
The challenge though lies in having the right product-location fit. A good example is BikePark Wales, a purpose built mountain bike trail centre near Merthyr Tydfil. With paid access to 28 different trails and paid uplift in vans, it is a category-leader in the UK. It takes advantage of the natural hill-side terrain, is well located between the Brecon Beacons and the day visit potential of residents in south Wales and England.
At less than £2 million capital investment, it wasn’t overly expensive and reports around 70,000 visits per year – which is good going for a paid-entry outdoor activity offer in the UK. The offer is relevant to the place, is affordable, popular and was relatively low risk in development – with modest destination impact.
At the bigger end of the scale are two adventure resort projects looking to make more seismic impacts – Rhydycar West, also at Merthyr Tydfil, and Afan Valley Adventure Resort, both in varying stages of planning and development. The strategy here is to provide a critical mass of adventure activities in an accommodation- led resort setting. The accommodation- approach is essential to overcome the relatively limited catchment sizes available in both locations and has to be viable in its own right. The activity attractions also need to survive beyond their resort populations. For example, Rhydycar West includes plans for the longest indoor snow centre in the UK, a product renowned for its need of a massive catchment and high capital and operating costs – major risk factors in any location. The big projects costing 100s of millions can bring big rewards, but the product-location fit has to be a sure thing to make the level of risk attractive to investors. The ill-fated £430 million Circuit of Wales project is a case in point – but the less said about that the better.
Not every area can be an adventure destination, but the effort to become one is bringing a buzz to many across Wales. Perhaps the OS map sales for the south will catch those of Snowdonia on the back of well-considered, viable product development? But spare a thought for Glens Cassley and Oykel, where no doubt the remote solitude is welcome – the correct product development strategy for that location.
Colliers International
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