Thursday, March 6, 2025

Bearded Men team in quest for top tourism awards

A Llangollen outdoor pursuits company will be given its chance to shine in prestigious tourism awards later this month.

The Bearded Men - Jason Rickwood and Hugh Luckock - are up for Best Activity for their mix of outdoor activities in the Dee Valley and 18-year-old employee Hugh Owen is in the last four for the Rising Star award.

The Welsh Government is staging The National Tourism Awards for Wales to showcase the best of the best in the industry that employs nearly 12 per cent of the Welsh workforce and pumps £3.8 billion into the nation’s economy every year.

The ceremony takes place for the first time in six years at Venue Cymru in Llandudno on Thursday, March 27, when a total of 48 finalists have been shortlisted in 12 categories ranging from Best Hotel to Best Event and including awards for Sustainable Tourism, Accessibility and Inclusivity and Dog Friendliness.

The event will be hosted by Aled Rhys Jones, a well-known broadcaster who’s also the Chief Executive of the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society.

Entertainment will be provided by the popular Welsh of the West End group who reached the semi final of Britain’s Got Talent and Band Pres Llareggub (Llareggub Brass Band) with their exciting blend of Welsh language pop, traditional New Orleans jazz and New York Hip Hop.

Tickets are available from https://www.walestourismawards.co.uk/the-awards/

Llangollen outdoor pursuits specialists The Bearded Men have already done the double at the North Wales Tourism Awards.

Jason said: “Hugh Owen started with us at 16 and has earned his spurs and is now a fully-fledged guide and takes a range of courses including canoeing, rafting and archery.

“We’re now in our seventh year, starting just before Covid hit and while we were one of the first to close we were the first to re-open and we turned that into a positive.

“We now employ between 20 and 30 people, 11 of them full time and have just taken on a hotel in Llangollen.

“We get people from all over the country coming here and increasingly from the USA and Canada thanks to the Ryan Reynolds factor at Wrexham Football Club.

“We believe in working with local businesses because we really love the town. It’s a great location for us because we’re within an hour of big population centres and people can be on the river or outdoors very quickly.”

The event has been welcomed by the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning with responsibility for tourism, Rebecca Evans.

She said: “We’re proud to support The National Tourism Awards for Wales in this Year of Croeso as they provide an opportunity to recognise and celebrate excellence in an industry that is crucial to the Welsh economy.

Congratulations to all who have been nominated for an award. Wales has so much to offer visitors – and the positive, high-quality experiences you provide for your guests contribute immensely to our attractiveness as a destination.”

Jim Jones, the Chief Executive of North Wales Tourism, who are organising this year’s event, said: “It’s wonderful to be hosting The National Tourism Awards for Wales here in North Wales.

“It is an opportunity to celebrate the best of the best in the tourism and hospitality sector in Wales and the exceptional job these businesses do in putting Wales on the international map.

“The sheer volume and quality of entries this year has underlined why Wales is a truly world class destination and showcases what we have to offer visitors from home and abroad.

“Tickets are available to all for what promises to be wonderful evening with fantastic entertainment and, most important of all, an opportunity to celebrate all that is best in Welsh tourism.”

 

The National Tourism Awards for Wales shortlist

 

Best Hotel

 

Gwesty Plas Dinas, Bontnewydd, Caernarfon, Gwynedd

 

Llangoed Hall, Llyswen, Brecon, Powys

 

Tŷ Milford, Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire

 

Llanerch Vineyard, Hensol, Vale of Glamorgan

 

Best B&B, Inn & Guesthouse

 

The Bull's Head Inn, Beaumaris, Anglesey

 

Plas Llangoedmor, Llangoedmor, Cardigan, Ceredigion

 

Glangwili Mansion, Llanllawddog, Carmarthen, Carmarthenshire

 

Gellihaf B&B, Blackwood, Caerphilly

 

Best Self-Catering

 

Hafan y Môr Holiday Park, Pwllheli, Gwynedd

 

Bryn Tanat, Llansantffraid-Ym-Mechain, Powys

 

Clyne Farm Centre, Mayals, Swansea

 

Wonderful Escapes Wern-y-Cwm Farm, Llandewi Skirrid, Abergavenny

 

Best Caravan, Camping, Glamping

 

Go-Below Underground, Snowdonia, Gwynedd

 

Meadow Springs Country & Leisure Park, Ffinnant, Trefeglwys, Powys

 

Pembrey Country Park, Pembrey, Llanelli, Carmarthenshire

 

The Roost, Troedyrhiw, Merthyr Tydfil

 

Best Attraction

 

Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railway,  Porthmadog, Gwynedd

 

Dan-yr-Ogof The National Showcaves Centre for Wales, Abercrave, Swansea


Carew Castle & Tidal Mill, Carew, Tenby, Pembrokeshire

 

Tredegar House, Pencarn Way, Newport

 

Best Activity, Experience or Tour

 

Bearded Men Adventures, Llangollen, Denbighshire

 

Mountain Bike Wales, Llanbrynmair, Powys

 

Savage Adventures, Mayhill, Swansea

 

Rock UK Summit Centre, Trelewis, Treharris, Merthyr Tydfil

 

Bro a Byd (Those going the extra mile on Environmental Sustainability)

 

Hafan y Môr Holiday Park, Pwllheli, Gwynedd

 

Dan-yr-Ogof The National Showcaves Centre for Wales, Abercrave, Swansea

 

Cambrian Cottages, Berllan, Gwyddgrug, Pencader, Carmarthenshire

 

Penhein Glamping, Chepstow, Monmouthshire

 

Accessible and Inclusive Tourism Award

 

Tŷ Pren, Bylchau, Conwy

 

Canvas & Campfires, Llanwnnen, Lampeter, Ceredigion

 

Stangwrach Cottages,Llanfynydd Carmarthen, Carmarthenshire

 

Techniquest, Cardiff

 

Best Place to Eat

 

The Gunroom, Plas Dinas, Caernarfon, Gwynedd

 

Y Talbot, Tregaron, Ceredigion

 

The Plough, Rhosmaen, Llandeilo, Carmarthenshire

 

The Sorting Room, The Parkgate Hotel, Cardiff

 

Rising Star

 

Hugh Owen, Bearded Men Adventures, Llangollen, Denbighshire

 

Abbie Woods, Llangoed Hall, Llyswen, Brecon, Powys

 

Charly Dix, Lan y Môr, Coppet Hall Beach, Saundersfoot, Pembrokeshire

 

Charly Hayes, Fonmon Castle, Barry, Vale of Glamorgan

 

Best Event

 

Gwyl Fwyd Caernarfon, Gwynedd

 

Royal Welsh Show, Llanelwedd, Builth Wells, Powys

 

Wales Airshow Swansea

 

Royal Mint Christmas Experience, Ynysmaerdy, Pontyclun, Rhondda Cynon Taff

 

Best Dog Friendly Business

 

Waterloo Hotel, Betws-y-Coed, Conwy

 

Plas Llangoedmor, Llangoedmor, Cardigan, Ceredigion

 

Clyne Farm Centre, Mayals, Swansea

 

Parkway Hotel & Spa, Cwmbran, Torfaen

 

No comments:

Post a Comment