The start of 2006 has been a busy period for the Wales Watersports team as we have been promoting Wales at a number of activity, boat and holiday shows.

• London International Boat Show:

Our first show of the year was the London International Boat Show – where we represented over 30 Welsh businesses, with 6 (Pembrokeshire Cruising, All Points West, North Wales Watersports, Cardiff Harbour Authority, Celtic Goodwill Raid and Milford Haven Port Authority) working directly from the stand. We also worked closely with Plas Menai to ensure that the 2 stands were side by side creating a large ‘Wales Pavilion’ at the show.

Despite a fall in attendance figures to the show, the operators on the stand reported a good level of enquiries and business and Wales Watersports used the event to hold a press conference to launch the company, the Wales Watersports and Sail & Cruise Guides to Wales and to highlight the large number of major events taking place in Wales during 2006. The show organiser - National Boat Shows, have spent the 5 months following on from the show to identify ways to improve the show and make it more attractive to the 1^st time visitor. Go to www.britishmarine.co.uk for more information.

• Dublin Holiday World:

Dublin Holiday World is Ireland’s premier tourism and travel show, held annually at the Royal Dublin Show Ground. The show attracts in the region of 35,000 visitors and there is a high level of interest in Wales as a holiday destination.

Working with Visit Wales we took a 3m x 3m stand in the Wales Pavilion – our 2 brochures were the main fulfilment print, but we also distributed for a selection of Welsh watersports businesses and events. Overall there was a good level of interest in watersports breaks in Wales and we also made some good Press and PR contacts for the future.

• Outdoors Show, Birmingham NEC:

This was our first time exhibiting at the show, and we undertook ‘a toe dipper exercise’ to test the market, distributing brochures from a dedicated desk unit on the Visit Wales stand.

It is clear that this show offers huge opportunities for promoting watersports in Wales and we are now in discussions with the show organisers to take a sizeable stand in the watersports section of the show for 2007. We would like to make the stand interactive and offer ‘educational displays’ from the stand so will be approaching watersports operators throughout Wales to see if they would like to offer their skills and knowledge for promotional purposes at the show.

• Irish Afloat Boat Show, Malahide Marina – Dublin:

This small show, held on the quayside at Malahide Marina on the outskirts of Dublin attracted over 5,000 visitors over the course of the weekend.

Wales Watersports took a small stand in the main marquee area where it displayed partners graphic display panels and distributed brochures. The overall feeling around the show was positive and we look forward to the Irish Boat Show, Royal Dublin Showground in 2007.

Other activity:

• Brochure Distribution:

Wales Watersports – The Definitive Guide to Watersports in Wales

50,000 copies of the guide were produced and all but 3,000 copies have now been distributed in the market place. Distribution outlets include:

• London Boat Show
•  Dublin Holiday World
• Outdoors Show
• Irish Afloat Show 
• South Wales Boat Show
• Visit Wales Marketing Activity
• Selected Motorway Service Stations in the North West & Midlands
• Selected Tourist Information Centres in the North West, Midlands, South West and Wales
• Southampton International Boat Show
• Insertion Campaign in Ireland

Sail & Cruise Wales – The Definitive Guide to Sailing & Cruising in Wales

50,000 copies of the guide have been produced with only 5,000 copies left to be distributed. Distribution outlets include:

• Major insertion campaign to subscribers of Sailing Today
• Inclusion in 10,000 Welcome Packs to the South Wales Boat Show
• London Boat Show
• Dublin Holiday World
• Outdoors Show
• Irish Afloat Show
• South Wales Boat Show
• Visit Wales Marketing Activity
• Selected Tourist Information Centres in the North West, Midlands, South West and Wales
• Southampton International Boat Show

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