Chair: Kathryn Mackintosh

 

1. Overview of the current and potential role of organisations involved in promoting tourism:

A member of each organisation was invited to describe its current and potential role, and to comment of the present status of tourism in and around Hay:

 

Brecon Beacons Tourism (BBT) – the trade association for tourism businesses in the National Park BBT had held a tourism meeting in Hay last April, and this event was the second follow-up meeting from this initiation and had come out of a desire by local businesses to see things progress and for the whole town to be represented.

 

Hay Tourist Information Bureau – The TIB is a company limited by guarantee, run by a Board of Directors which includes representatives nominated by Hay Town Council and the Hay Chamber of Commerce. The company maintains a register of members (advertisers in the guide do not automatically become members) and holds an annual AGM. There was agreement from the floor that there was little knowledge of when the meetings were held. There is no meeting currently planned. Open 7 days a week. Advertising sold for the town guide is the sole funding stream for the TIB. The TIB is not subject to cuts/threats of closure, so in a stronger position than public sector funded info centres. Staff respond to emails/enquires about the town, accommodation etc. Those who do not advertise not excluded. Produce a history trail, which sell for 40p. Will host tours of the town as requested. Respond to enquiries from journalists by answering specific questions and sending out copies of the town guide.

 

Hay Town Council – Their role is to support but not necessarily fund initiatives. Have a committee looking at town improvements/infrastructure (e.g. Benches). Keen to see local businesses work together and ‘package’ their offers more. Hay-on-wye.co.uk had 60,000 hits this January compared to 30,000 last January – sign that Hay may withstand impact of recession?

 

Brecon Beacons National Park Authority (BBNPA) – Keen to support Hay develop its tourism offer / support a tourism group through the Collabor8 project. Nick Stewart is the officer in charge for the Collabor8 project. Extended invitation to all to annual Tourism Conference on March 11th at 10am, Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon.

 

Hay Festival – The festival office has a press cutting service, which tracks all press coverage about Hay. Welcomes the opportunity for improved communication between the festival and tourism businesses in the area.

 

Wye Local Magazine – The magazine is now complemented by a community website, which is being developed to encourage visitors to Hay as well as serving as a community site. This currently covers Gwernyfed's catchment but willing to look at how geographical coverage could be broadened. Has a business directory (£40 per listing – owner log in, text, photos & web link) what’s on guide etc. Planning blogs, newsletters, forum, online shop for local produce, downloads of maps etc – happy to consider new ideas.

 

Marches TV – Online TV station (marchestv.co.uk) covering the Welsh Marches (Powys, Herefordshire & Shropshire) which could feature local businesses, stories etc – will be launched the end of May. Developer of the concept lives in Hay.

 

Community Enterprise – Recently conducted a survey re the cheese market / square and there was overwhelming support for less car parking in the centre of town and more areas for people to sit down and enjoy the environment. Town centre currently geared to cars rather than people. Looking to open the central building as a community space. Also looking to develop a Golden Valley cycle trail between Pontrilas and Hay.

 

Chamber of Commerce – Members are mainly shops and B&Bs in the town. Really need to attract new members - annual membership costs £25. Chamber has a marquee with music/relay from festival site planned for the market square during festival.

 

Pixelshifters – Apologies were received from Giles Morgans who runs the hay-on-wye.co.uk website who will receive comments via the TIB. There was disappointment at his non-attendance.

 

2 . Hay Tourism Strategy

Anna Heywood summarised a strategy that had been done for Hay in 2001. Many of the actions proposed by the report are still current. Recommendations could form a useful basis for efforts to develop tourism in the town.

 

3. Comments from the floor

• The website was identified as the predominant issue despite recent upgrade – consensus that this needed to be addressed by a smaller working group

• Better Press/PR:

• Make a downloadable press pack available to journalists via the town website.

• Is there a need for a designated Press Officer for the town?

• Can we work towards profiling the town on TV (Countryfile, Holiday programmes etc)?

• Infrastructure:

• More benches around the town are needed. Nowhere for people to sit!

• Is a multi-day parking ticket (in addition to the current season ticket scheme) a possibilty?

• Better signage to Hay is required

• Need a two way relationship with the festival & to recognise the profile that they give the Hay area

• The town needs to promote fact that it is “not just a load of old books”. “Town of Books” image is strong but may be damaging tourism prospects. Desire to make more of the diversity on offer in the town & immediate environs.

• Need to define “Hay” in broad terms and avoid parochialism. Take advantage of our unique “gateway” position on the border. Decide how far the Hay “offer” stretches to help define marketing and other strategies.

• Genealogy – create churchyard indexes and open churches to attract visitors. Genealogy growing in popularity and needs to be profiled.

• Is there opportunity to have Hay specific maps – either OS or local walks/trails? Are regular guided walks possible?

• Late night opening once a month could be a popular, regular event and a way to attract additional visitors/spend. This has worked to great effect in other locations.

• Email allows regular press info to be sent quickly & cheaply and more could be done re this if stories / offers were put forward.

 

4. The way forward

A smaller focus group will meet on Tuesday 3rd March to agree how to take forward some of the matters raised & specifically address concerns about the website.

The following were invited to nominate a representative:

Hay Tourist Information Bureau

Hay Town Council

Hay Chamber of Commerce

Hay Festival

Brecon Beacons National Park/Collabor8 Project

Among those present, the following also committed to joining the focus group:

Lisa Marie Badham Wye Local Magazine & wyelocal.co.uk

Karen Clare Tinto House B&B & Sage Femme

Charles Drury Ladywell House B&B (Turnastone)

Carl Durham Black Mountain Activities

Miguel Ferros Marches TV

Pauline Goodwin White Haywood Farm Restaurant and B&B

Jane Gunney Hay Antique Market

Anna Heywood Drover Holidays & BBT rep for Hay & Talgarth

Amy Mackintosh The Swan at Hay

Lyn Parrington

Luke Skinner Drover Holidays

Jim Wesley York House B&B