WHERE TO MEE T


WA L E S


Amy Pay discovers the country offers great facilities, alongside opportunity for adventure and relaxation


A


land of legends, epic natural beauty and unforgettable adventures, Wales is a country with so much to offer. Friendly, patriotic and tenacious, with recent


improvements in its business hospitality offerings and general infrastructure, the country is gaining a reputation for being a switched-on hive of growth, learning and development. “Wales is relatively new to the international


business space, so we’re investing time, resources and budget into the promotion and awareness of Wales as a viable business events destination,” says Heledd Williams, head of business events at Visit Wales. “We have an ambassador programme to attract and target suitable conferences that match the academic and sectoral fit for Wales.” Te recent opening of the International Conference Centre in Wales (ICC Wales; iccwales.com), an £84 million conference centre, is a marker of the country’s ambitions. Te 26,000 sqm world-class venue – located 23km from the capital city, Cardiff – has room for 5,000 delegates, a 4,000 sqm pillar-free


Above: St Brides Spa hotel; Adventure Parc Snowdonia Right: Palé Hall Opposite page: Majestic scenery in Snowdonia


main hall, a 1,500-seat auditorium and 15 flexible meeting rooms. It hosted the UK Space Agency Conference in September, with the newly opened Tŷ Hotel (Welsh for “house hotel”, named aſter its homely vibe) acting as a base for South Wales’ overnight visitors. At the northern tip of the country, Llandudno’s


Venue Cymru (venuecymru.co.uk) has undergone a £3 million redevelopment investment project, increasing the flexibility and flow of the conference spaces and making it attractive to those organising large national and international events.


32 | NOVEMBER 2019 Getting around is ever easier, too. Recent


renovations to Cardiff airport (which has 50 direct services and more than 900 connections), and the establishment of the Wales Way (three road routes that showcase North Wales, the 870-mile coastline and Mid Wales), have made travelling to and around the country simpler and more enjoyable. Breathtaking scenery runs throughout Wales, so,


even when there are important meetings or industry events taking place, there’s a sense of calm and escapism that can be quickly tapped into. Take St Brides Spa Hotel (stbridesspahotel.com), for example, an award-winning cliff-top marine spa hotel with floor-to-ceiling views over the magnificent beaches in Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. On site, it has meeting rooms and event spaces that cater for up to 120 people, a spa and a fine- dining restaurant, plus there’s miles of untouched countryside nearby to explore during downtime. North Wales’ five-star Palé Hall (palehall.co.uk)


recently launched bespoke corporate packages perfect for meetings, conferences, dinners and team-building events in Snowdonia National Park – one of Wales’ best areas for adrenaline-rush pursuits. Te nearby Adventure Parc Snowdonia (adventureparcsnowdonia.com) offers away days that include lessons in the world’s first inland surf lagoon, caving and climbing, and there’s a new lagoon-side Hilton Garden Inn hotel with conference facilities set to open in 2020. Elsewhere in the country, incentives


include soaking up Wales’ rich culture and cuisine in Cardiff, coasteering on the Wales Coast Path with one of the hundreds of qualified guides, powering along MTB tracks at BikePark Wales (bikeparkwales.com), sampling gin at Dyfi Distillery (dyfidistillery.com) and more traditional outdoor activities such as golf, fishing and sailing. Wales is arguably Britain’s best-kept secret


when it comes to meeting and incentives – an adventure playground for all ages, abilities and industries to explore, create and thrive in. With the country’s continuing investment, research and development in industry, enterprise and innovation, it has an exciting future ahead as a first-class business destination.


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REDMARK/ISTOCK


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