A campaign designed to attract more domestic tourists to a South Wales region has reached almost ten times its original target audience.
The Dramatic Heart of Wales campaign spanned Neath Port Talbot’s five valleys and vales, its country parks, seafront, rivers and towns.
With funding from the UK Government via the Shared Prosperity Fund (SPF), the campaign has contributed to raising the profile of the area by generating greater coverage in the media and on digital channels. Originally aiming to reach 250,000 people through online and offline promotion, the Dramatic Heart of Wales’ tourism campaign has reached more than 2.4 million people to date.
Featuring short films to showcase the dramatic contrasts and undiscovered gems of the region, alongside media visits to the area and targeted, tactical digital advertising, the campaign has successfully raised the profile of Neath Port Talbot by demonstrating the vast range of tourism activities available.
Karleigh Davies, Visitor Economy Manager for Neath Port Talbot Council, said:
“For many years, Neath Port Talbot has been misunderstood and not recognised rightfully for the amazing experiences and dramatic landscape that the area offers visitors. With this campaign, we are showcasing how our iconic landscape of contrasts can offer an adventure playground for visitors seeking active holidays or cultural escapes.
“The results speak for themselves, and we are delighted to continue promoting the area to help more visitors discover our hidden gems. Neath Port Talbot truly offers a microcosm of Welsh tourism with its coastline, mountains, country parks, wildlife, quaint towns and cultural heritage sites. We look forward to welcoming more visitors to discover our area.”
This announcement comes after the council launched the new Neath Port Talbot Culture Strategy, Heritage Strategy, and Destination Management Plan, which have all been developed following extensive engagement with communities, stakeholders, and partners. It is hoped the plans will deliver a cultural transformation in Neath Port Talbot by 2030 through investment and partnership working to deliver the culture, heritage and tourism aims of residents in the area.
Councillor Cen Phillips, Neath Port Talbot Council’s Cabinet Member for Nature, Tourism and Wellbeing, said:
“We are proud to share the news that our tourism campaign is delivering excellent results and making more visitors aware of our beautiful county.
“Sustainable tourism brings great benefit to our area and helps to support local business, allowing our communities to thrive. By attracting more visitors to Neath Port Talbot, we are also supporting Visit Wales’ wider tourism strategy to encourage the spread of visitors throughout Wales as we can accommodate visitors on day trips and overnight stays who are seeking to get ‘off the beaten track’ away from the more saturated Welsh tourist spots.
“I look forward to seeing how the campaign continues to grow and am confident that our stakeholders and communities will support us as we launch our upcoming strategies for cultural transformation.”
