AN INNOVATIVE plan to entice an extra 20,000 visitors to the region is gathering steam.
Independent hoteliers across North Wales have joined together to attract more tourists to North Wales’ borderlands.
In a bid to kick-start the scheme 80 travel industry heavyweights have been invited to a gala dinner and an exhibition of the region’s top landmarks.
The North Wales Hotels working group is the brainchild of Sue Warnock, general manager of the Beaufort Park Hotel, near Mold, and the Rossett Hall Hotel’s Darryl Shaw.
Mrs Warnock, of Pantymwyn, said: “It started from a brainstorming session on how to get more people to the area. We want to show what the area has to offer. This is a major sales opportunity for the tourism industry in North Wales; all attractions and organisations that participate are set to benefit.
“It is great we are all working together.
“The number of tourists who visit the area is already impressive, but we think we can bolster those figures with an extra 20,000 visitors a year – 20,000 visitors who stay in hotels and spend locally, providing jobs and feeding money into the local economy.
“It has been greeted as a breath of fresh air by attractions, hoteliers and local government.”
A one-stop online tourist hub, where visitors can book hotels, check out restaurants, hire cars, reserve theatre tickets and find out about attractions is already in the pipeline.
Invitations have been sent out to more than 150 attractions inviting them to the gala dinner in October to show what the area has to offer.
Mr Shaw, general manager of Rossett Hall Hotel near Wrexham, said: “Due to the present economic climate and public sector spending cuts, all businesses will see a significant reduction in corporate travel and spend.
“However, we all have companies in an area of outstanding natural beauty with some magnificent attractions and we have established this forum as a spearhead for promoting the region locally, nationally and internationally.”
The Beaufort Park Hotel will host the gala event on October 3 and 4 and any hoteliers who would like to join can call 01352 758646.