Wales plans £1m Euro tourist push drive

The Wales Tourist Board (WTB) is planning a £1m advertising campaign to promote Wales to European tourists.

WTB has traditionally promoted itself in Europe through British Tourist Authority (BTA) campaigns. However, the organisation has now received separate European funding, enabling it to produce its own independent advertising and direct marketing campaigns.

The WTB is now looking for a full-service agency to create the work and handle media planning and buying. The first markets to be targeted will be Germany and the Netherlands, and the appointment will be overseen by head of international marketing Eirlys Thomas.

The project does not affect WTB’s domestic advertising contracts – Red Cell handles creative work, and media planning and buying is through Media Insight.

A spokesman for WTB says that the organisation will co-ordinate its planned campaign with the BTA and will continue to be involved with BTA activity to promote the UK as a destination.

The foot-and-mouth crisis last summer hit Welsh tourism badly – WTB has estimated that the principality lost £450m in tourist revenues last year. The organisation aims to increase Wales’ revenues from European visitors by six per cent a year.