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Tourism Business Update - 10 February 2025

Latest news and information for local tourism and hospitality businesses.

Croeso returns to city centre to celebrate St David's Day

This vibrant, bilingual festival showcases Welsh culture with food and drink, cookery demonstrations, live music, and evening fringe events.

Families will be able to enjoy a children's trail, street entertainers, arts and crafts, sporting activities, and a dragon parade.

Croeso will take place on February 28 and March 1 from 10am to 4pm, with the festivities spanning from Oxford Street to St David's Place.

Headline cooking demonstrations will be led by Great British Bake-Off Winner 2024 and Carmarthenshire-born Georgie Grasso, Jonathan Woolway from The Shed in SA1 Swansea, and Matt Waldron from The Plantagenet in Tenby will also make a return.

Look out for further information, including more cooking demonstrations and live music acts, to be announced soon.

Do you have any St David's day events planned? If so, let us know so that we can include them under the Croeso umbrella, and you will benefit from the extensive marketing campaign associated with this event along with branding and support to promote your celebrations.

Email Special.Events@swansea.gov.uk

HMRC webinars - Feb

Statutory Maternity and Paternity Pay 

  • Qualifying conditions 
  • How much to pay - using the online calculator 
  • How to claim back these statutory payments 
  • Keeping in touch days 
  • Record keeping 

Statutory Sick Pay 

  • Qualifying conditions and entitlement to receive Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) 
  • How to calculate and pay SSP 
  • The effect of company sick pay, as well as agency, casual and term-time employees, on SSP  
  • Essential record keeping 

Business Swansea Power Hour: How Artificial Intelligence (AI) can work in your Business - 11 Feb (11am-12noon)

Dr Tim Bashford, Research Lead at the Welsh Institute for Digital Information, will share his expertise with handy demonstrations of where AI can take your business and practical talk-throughs of tools available in the public domain that can support your day to day activities.

Don't miss this interactive online workshop to find out more about AI tools and their potential value to your businesses.

Book online now

Be Mighty. Recycle. food waste prevention and recycling webinar - 11 Feb (11am)

The Be Mighty. Recycle. campaign is Wales' largest and most ambitious recycling campaign, contributing to the Welsh Government's goal of becoming a zero-waste nation by 2050 and boosting Wales to no.1 in the world for recycling.

Food waste is where we can make the biggest difference!

Join the WRAP partner webinar on Tuesday 11 February at 11am to learn how you can get behind the mighty mission to get Wales to No.1 in the world for recycling and help drive positive change in Wales.

Register now

Come As You Really Are: Swansea Open 2025 Exhibition Opening - Sat 15 Feb (1pm-4pm), Glynn Vivian Art Gallery

Glynn Vivian Art Gallery, alongside award-winning artist and Spider-Man enthusiast Hetain Patel and Artangel, is delighted to present Come As You Really Are - Swansea Open 2025.

This exciting exhibition will run from 15 February - 27 April, showcasing unique hand-crafted objects, with contributions from hobbyists including collectors, costume and cosplay makers, painters, crocheters and knitters, model makers, robotics engineers, origami specialists and many more.

There will be a public programme alongside the exhibition, including talks, events, performances and workshops, running from February to April.

Find out more about Swansea Open 2025

Global Tourism Resilience Day - 17 Feb

On 17 February, the world celebrates Global Tourism Resilience Day, designated by the United Nations General Assembly.

Sustainable tourism, including ecotourism, is a cross-cutting activity that can contribute to sustainable development by fostering economic growth, alleviating poverty, creating full and productive employment and decent work for all.

It can also play a role in accelerating the change to more sustainable consumption and production patterns by promoting the sustainable use of oceans, seas and marine resources, promoting local culture, improving the quality of life and the economic empowerment of women and young people and local communities, as well as promoting rural development and better living conditions for rural populations.

This day emphasises the essential role of resilient tourism in facing and overcoming various global challenges. It highlights the importance of preparing the tourism sector to effectively respond to crises, reflecting the sector's vulnerability to emergencies such as environmental disasters, economic fluctuations, and health crises.

Not sure where to start when it comes to sustainability? Download this handy resource pack for top tips and funding advice: Sustainable Tourism Wales | Business Wales

Global Tourism Resilience Day 2025 | Business Wales

Business Engagement Event: New visitswanseabay.com and TXGB - 18 Feb (2pm-4pm), The Guildhall SA1 4PE

Are you a tourism or hospitality business / organisation based in the City and County of Swansea? 

Swansea Council's Tourism Team will be demonstrating the new and improved VisitSwanseaBay.com - the official destination website - and how it is used in our year-round marketing campaigns to attract visitors to our beautiful area.

Join us in the Guildhall on Tuesday 18 Feb (2pm-4pm) to find out how YOU can benefit from it and promote your products, services or events with us for free and reach out to millions of potential visitors!

You will also hear from a guest speaker on the benefits of signing up to the online booking platform TXGB. 

This event is open to all but registration is essential by emailing Geraldine.Williams@swansea.gov.uk

Wales Week London: 20 Feb - 08 March 

Wales Week London will take place over the period of St David's Day week in London and is the annual showcase of activities and events that celebrate and promote everything that is great about Wales.

A calendar of events is planned from 20 February to 8 March 2025, with great opportunities for exhibitors and sponsors.

Further details can be found on the Wales Week London website.

The Wales Food and Drink Awards 2025 - closing date 21 Feb

The Awards see hundreds of Welsh producers and suppliers from across the sector, and every corner of Wales, join together each year to celebrate the achievements of businesses and individuals who make the industry what it is today.

Back for its fourth year, the event is attended by more than four hundred people, including leaders and pioneers who are driving further growth within the Welsh economy.

The closing date for applications is 21 February 2025 with the awards ceremony taking place on 22 May 2025 at Venue Cymru, Llandudno.

For further information please go to 2025 Awards - Food and Drink Awards

The Small Awards 2025 - closing date 28 Feb

The Small Awards celebrates the UK's finest small businesses across the UK, from service legends and CICs to Net Zero heroes, digital trailblazers, legendary family-run businesses, innovative start-ups and high street champions.

Entries close at midnight on 28 February 2025.

Judging will be done based on a number of criteria relevant to the specific award, whilst also looking for strong performance as an on-going business. The judges will be looking for evidences of strong community engagement from small businesses. Judging will be completed by the end of April, 2025.

All finalists will be invited to The Small Awards ceremony, a black-tie dinner, to hear all the Award winners announced live.

Don't miss out and get your application in now - entering is free. 

For further information please select the following link: The Small Awards

It's Your Swansea Conference - 6 March, Swansea Building Society Arena

Visit Swansea Bay are excited to be exhibiting at the 'It's Your Swansea Conference 2025' which is being held at the Swansea Building Society Arena on Thursday 6 March. 

The conference is a fabulous opportunity to meet local businesses, connect with local organisations, find out about the ongoing regeneration of our city, and hear about the opportunities on our doorsteps. From employers recruiting staff, to exciting community projects to get involved in, and small businesses to support - there is something for everyone and it is free to attend.

Be sure to look out for us and stop by our Visit Swansea Bay stand to say hello. See you there!

Find out more and book your free ticket

UWTSD Free Short Course - Immersive technology 

Unlock the potential of immersive technologies for your business with this free, self-paced online short course available for all businesses.

The course covers what the technology is, what is available from low-tech to high-tech, and how it can be implemented within your business.

Upskill your knowledge on Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality and Virtual Tours to enhance consumer engagement and provide development opportunities for your workforce.

Register now

'City on the Beach' - A new city vision for Swansea

Swansea Council is working in collaboration with regeneration specialists Urban Splash on the transformation of seven key sites across the city.

Following the release of their 'City on the Beach' sketchbook in December, Urban Splash will start with a 47,964 sq ft public sector hub of shops, restaurants, and commercial office spaces. 

'City on the Beach' is a simple statement of fact, a claim that Swansea can make that few UK cities can, but it is also shorthand for the fact that Swansea has everything a city should have - and all within easy walking distance: from the train station to the Wales Coastal Path in 20 minutes, from work to the market in 10 minutes and from the city centre to the beach in 5 minutes. You can cycle to open country in your lunch break, swim in the sea after school or catch a concert without catching a taxi. 

Want to be part of the wider conversation? Download the 'City on the Beach' sketch book now

Business Wales - information, guidance and support for businesses in Wales

Business Wales provides specialist advice and guidance to support people running and growing businesses in Wales.

This fully funded service is available across Wales and will support the individual requirements of businesses through bespoke packages of activity.

Relationship Managed support forms part of the Business Wales service and is available to businesses with strong growth aspirations.

Business Wales is here to help your business through networking, workshops, help develop your business skills and by identifying funding opportunities.

They have a range of resources available and provide specialist support in the following areas: 

  • Marketing
  • Business ideas and innovation
  • Business finance 
  • Export
  • Technology
  • Recruitment and training
  • Sell2Wales tendering

A representative from Business Wales will be present at our business engagement session in the Guildhall on 18 Feb - feel free to have a chat and introduce yourself if you need any business support.  

Find out more on the Business Wales website

Sustainable Tourism Wales - Toolkits

Not sure where to start when it comes to sustainability? Maybe you've started making changes but want to take it to the next level?

Download these short, handy resource packs which include top tips and funding advice for five core topics:

Find out more at Sustainable Tourism Wales

Free cybersecurity toolkit for small businesses

The National Cyber Security Centre is offering our newsletter readers invite-only beta access to My Cyber Toolkit — a free UK government service helping small businesses protect themselves against cyber criminals. 

My Cyber Toolkit is being designed with input from businesses like yours and offers simple step-by-step guidance tailored to small businesses. Get your toolkit today to protect your business and have your say in shaping the tool for millions of small businesses across the UK. 

Find out more and try My Cyber Toolkit

Don't forget to pick up your free Swansea Bay Visitor Maps  

We are delighted to announce the return of our popular A3 visitor maps. These double-sided, tear-off counter-top maps feature Swansea city centre on one side and Gower and the wider area on the other. 

They are perfect to hand out to visitors to help them make the most of their stay and explore everything our area has to offer.  

Maps are available free of charge to local tourism and hospitality businesses - they can be collected from the Guildhall on request.

Please email Tourism.Team@swansea.gov.uk to request a supply. 

Great events in 2025:

15 Feb: Come As You Really Are - Swansea Open 2025 Exhibition Opening, Glynn Vivian Art Gallery, Swansea
6 Mar: It's Your Swansea Conference, Swansea Arena
2 Apr: Swansea Sports Awards, Brangwyn Hall
25 May: Swansea Triathlon
26-31 May: Eisteddfod yr Urdd, Margam Park
8 June: Swansea Half Marathon
5-6 July: Wales Airshow
13 July: IronMan 70.3 Swansea
6-14 Sept: Gower Walking Festival
14 Sept: Swansea Bay 10k
5 Nov: Swansea Council Fireworks Display

Find out about more events happening in Swansea

Found this tourism trade update useful? Pass it on or contact Geraldine.Williams@swansea.gov.uk

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Last modified on 10 February 2025