The training day consisted of presentations from Alison Kidd – last year’s winner of the green Dragon’s Den competition held at the Hay Festival – on visitor travel patterns in the National Park and Trip Advisor research and Annie Lawrie from Bannau Brycheiniog National Park Authority who delivered news of a new transport website and the upcoming Travel Challenge competition and gave practical travel tips for businesses to give their guests. Tourism businesses finished off the training day by trying out some electric bikes and the new electric b-bugs which will be trialled in the National Park this summer.
Annie Lawrie, Visitor Transport Officer for Bannau Brycheiniog National Park Authority said: “A recent survey showed the very high mileages visitors can clock up while holidaying in the National Park – the miles they drive once they’ve arrived can equal their journey to and from the Bannau Brycheiniog. So we’re trying to encourage them to park up their cars, enjoy the local attractions and try a different way of getting around.”
The idea of the Travel Challenge competition is to get as many visitors as possible to either leave their cars behind or arrive by bus, coach or train or to try another form of travel once they’ve arrived. They could walk, cycle, ride a horse, paddle a canoe, take the Beacons Bus, or take a trip on a barge… anything but the car.
The competition runs from 1st May – 30th September and entry is via a leaflet which will be available throughout the National Park or online at www.travelbreconbeacons.info. A range of prizes are up for grabs, including a walking/cycling weekend for up to 2 adults and 2 children, staying at the Bridge Cafe in Brecon and including the services of guides from Drover Holidays, vouchers from Herbfarmacy, the organic skincare company, copies of Clean Breaks by Richard Hammond, Countryfile magazine subscriptions and Bannau Brycheiniog DVDs. Businesses across the Park are being asked to pledge their support and get behind the Challenge by encouraging their guests to take part and if they do, they could win one day’s website consultancy for their business.
The transport training day is the latest in a series of measures from the National Park Authority which informs tourism businesses how they can help their guests discover the joys and benefits of trying sustainable transport. The new interactive transport website www.travelbreconbeacons.info has all the information needed to plan a journey without the car and lots of ideas of things to do, days out, walks by bus and more.
For more information on any of the projects above please contact Annie Lawrie, Visitor Transport Officer for Bannau Brycheiniog National Park Authority on 01874 620 476 or email annie.lawrie@breconbeacons.org
Pictures: Copyright of Bannau Brycheiniog National Park Authority
Tourism businesses pictured with the new electric b-bugs at the Transport Training Day on Thursday 24th March.