Plan to welcome visitors safely to Denbighshire

* Llangollen's Horseshoe Falls is ready to welcome back visitors.

Denbighshire County Council has produced a plan to ensure the county can welcome visitors safely as lockdown restrictions continue to ease.

Denbighshire’s Destination Management Plan has been developed in partnership with tourism businesses across the county and seeks to coordinate activity over the coming months to ensure a positive experience for visitors, residents and business.

Cllr Hugh Evans OBE, Leader of the Council, said: “We have worked in partnership with tourism businesses to produce a plan that ensures key sites and facilities are ready to welcome visitors and that local residents will feel safe and well-informed.

“Tourism contributes £552million a year to Denbighshire’s economy and we want people to come to Denbighshire this summer and return again year after year, so it is important we make the county safe and welcoming to visitors while giving residents confidence that they remain safe.

“To do this we will build on the work we have already undertaken and continue to encourage responsible visitor and resident behaviour, recruit more Tourism Ambassadors and actively engage with existing Ambassadors to encourage visitors and residents to visit sites across the county to help alleviate busy periods at our honeypot sites.

“The Council and its partners will play a key role in supporting the tourism industry, work with it and enable it to re-establish itself over the coming years. It’s very important we continue to work closely together to ensure our sites and facilities are safe and suitable for residents and visitors as we move through 2021.”

Activity across the authority will be coordinated within its Business Recovery Group which has representation from all relevant Council services as well as from North Wales Police and the private sector.

Actions within the Destination Management plan include:

•  Engagement with businesses, communities and with residents and visitors

•  Ensuring that Denbighshire’s facilities, sites and attractions are ready for residents and visitors as the tourism industry gradually moves back to full capacity

• Promoting messages about responsible visits and developing sustainable tourism

The Tourism Strategy Group will monitor delivery and be ready to identify any issues that need to be addressed to ensure that Denbighshire has the most successful tourism season possible.

Work has taken place at sites across Denbighshire, including Moel Famau and Loggerheads country parks, to ensure measures are in place to keep visitors safe.

These include improvements to the car parks at Moel Famau and the upgrading of paths at Loggerheads and works at Horseshoe Falls to improve access.

Ian Lebbon, Chair of Denbighshire Destination Management Partnership, said: “The Denbighshire Destination Management Partnership is pleased to have been closely involved with the county council in the production of the Destination Management Plan.

“We recognise and very much appreciate the importance that the council places upon the tourism industry within the local economy for residents and visitors as well as those working within the sector. Denbighshire has a proud and successful history of attracting and welcoming visitors to our wealth of attractions. We look forward to continuing to work closely in partnership with the council in maintaining and building on that success in the future."