Addo – a pledge to keep Wales safe while staying local

Addo means to promise.  And is about the people working together, making a collective promise to care for each other and our country.  Asking people to make a promise is an engaging way for people to invest emotionally in Wales and to show that they care too. By joining with us, and making a promise, we’ll all be playing our part — in caring for ourselves and others. The virtual pledge can be signed on visitwales.com/promise.

Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism, Lord Elis-Thomas, said: “As we all prepare to explore a little further again, it’s important that we stay local, and that we all play a part to keep Wales safe by not venturing further.  This is the time to make a promise together, to do the little things that will make a big difference and to protect the beauty that’s around us and to respect our communities.

“We all need to stay safe for Wales to stay open and to allow us to move together towards a more normal life. This is within the gift of all of us. No one wants us to have to reintroduce restrictions, to retreat from the progress we have made. Only by working together, can we help keep Wales safe.”

The activity will initially be rolled out within Wales and will include a mix of digital, PR and out of home advertising.  The second phase will include TV, radio and will be extended to target visitors in key markets once restrictions are lifted further.    This is one of the ways in which the Welsh Government is working with the industry and partners on local destination management, and the campaign will be enhanced to promote messages around the importance of respecting Countryside Code, focusing on the benefits of spending time outdoors and help minimise the pressures on our open spaces and landscapes.  Campaign assets will be shared with partners over the coming weeks to ensure consistent messages around responsible behaviour is promoted across Wales.

The Welsh Government has offered financial support to Local Authorities to prepare for the re-opening of the Visitor Economy to enable active management of the Visitor Economy and interventions based on the experience of last year.

Minister for Housing and Local Government, Julie James, said: “I’m very pleased that we have been able to offer funding to the Local Authorities and National Parks through the Hardship Fund to help keep Wales safe as we make plans to reopen the visitor economy - when the public health position allows.  This funding will enable Local Authorities to put in place measures to alleviate pressures and install additional facilities which will help to give everyone a positive experience while discovering Wales.”

WLGA Spokesperson for Tourism, Cllr. Huw Thomas said, “The Visitor Economy is vital to the economy of Wales. Local authorities are supportive of re-opening it safely on a phased and careful basis. Government funding for Councils and National Parks is warmly welcomed. It will enable us to plan and manage the visitor economy to be safe over a busy summer. We will be able to give re-assurance to local communities and benefit the economy, and by working together we can maintain public health and re-open the economy.”

Visit Wales is also working in partnership with the industry on a reconstruction and resilience plan for the future of the visitor economy in Wales.                          

The pledge can be signed on the website www.visitwales.com/promise