Brand New Cadw Hotline

We have set up a bilingual hotline in order to deal more swiftly and efficiently with requests and queries concerning Cadw literature. This 24-hour telephone line will be answered by a real person between the hours of 9am and 4pm on weekdays - an answer-phone facility will be available at all other times. We are hoping that Tourist Information Centres and other operators within the tourism industry will make full use of this service. However, please feel free to ring the number if you have any questions or comments regarding this year’s Cadw brochures.

The new Cadw Hotline number is: 07964 584957

LDS Tourism Win Cadw Contract

We may be entering an “age of austerity” (according to a report by the Economist Intelligence Unit) but life remains as hectic as ever at LDS Tourism Services. Our distributors have been out and about in the snow and ice, servicing our displays and delivering orders to Tourist Information Centres throughout the region. Indeed, new leaflets continue to arrive by the hour, keeping our staff very busy indeed.

Hayley and Diana attended the Great Days Out Fair in Bolton Arena last weekend on behalf of Cadw, the Welsh Assembly government’s historic environment service. The day was a great success with over 200 attractions and destination marketers taking part – not to mention outstanding entertainment from the cast of the West End’s smash hit musical, Mamma Mia. We will certainly recommend that Cadw exhibit at this event again next year!

Incidentally, we can now reveal that LDSTS will continue to work with Cadw, having won the contract to market their literature throughout North Wales and North West England for the next three years (at least). Some time over the next couple of weeks we will set up a bilingual Cadw Hotline for all enquiries relating to their leaflets and brochures – watch this space for further details!

The Holiday & Travel Show

Manchester Central (11th-13th January 2008)

Paula and Diana have just returned from a very busy three days on the Cadw stand at the Holiday & Travel Show, which took place at Manchester Central (formerly the G-Mex) last Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Diana talking to a member of the public

With over 800 exhibitors from the UK and abroad, the event attracted a wide range of people with an interest in travel and sightseeing. The Cadw stand was particularly popular with couples and families looking for things to do on their days off - and also with students studying in the North West.

View from the Premier Lodge hotel room

Over 300 people entered the competition to win a year's free membership of Cadw, and many others picked up leaflets about the individual monuments and castles. The event was a tremendous success for all concerned!

Cadw Sites Offer Gateway to Wales’s Heritage

According to the Welsh Assembly, new research has revealed that almost 75% of all visitors to Cadw sites not only learn something new about Wales’s heritage during their visit but are also encouraged to explore more of its historical wealth as a result.

On their website they say: "An interest in Welsh culture and history was cited as the main motivators for influencing a visit to a Cadw site by over 34% of respondents, with archery demonstrations, re-enactments and falconry displays proving particularly enticing during events. Events at Cadw sites are also more likely to attract local family visitors on day trips. Three-quarters of all respondents also felt current admission prices were about right."

They also found that over 57% of visitors to Cadw sites are female, with 42% of all visitors from Wales stating an ability to speak, understand or read Welsh. It was found that over three-quarters of all visitors came from outside Wales, with European visitors accounting for over half (53%) of those visiting from overseas. Over 55% of all visitors were family groups with this figure rising to 64% during specific event days.

These findings, along with numerous others, will be used by Cadw, the Welsh Assembly’s historic environment service, to guide future marketing and events strategies and better understand the needs of visitors whether according to their gender, age, language use or country of origin. Over 2,500 visitors were interviewed at selected Cadw sites as part of the project undertaken by Beaufort Research throughout August and September 2007.

We will, of course, be working with Cadw again in 2008 distributing their promotional print and representing them at various shows and events.

The Group Leisure & Travel Show 2007

Our Manager, Jennifer Prime, spent two days manning the Cadw stand at the International Group Leisure & Travel Show in Birmingham's NEC (20th & 21st September).

The event provides an opportunity for travel organisers, coach operators etc. to meet suppliers and other organisations involved in the tourism and leisure industry. Basically, it's a chance for them to discuss new ideas and meet other business people face to face.

Although the general consensus among exhibitors this year seemed to be that the show was relatively quiet (following the move from Wembley in 2006), Jennifer made some useful contacts and met a colourful array of characters - from dancing girls to large pink furry monsters and Shakespeare (see pic). Plus, there were free bacon butties in the morning and scones with jam and cream for afternoon tea!

Next year, the show will take place on Wednesday 24th and Thursday 25th September. Hope to see you there.