Observations About Wales:

From Travel To Business & Politics

first published in   March 1997

Ready, Willing and Able -- 

About a year ago in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, my husband and I attended the sneak preview of First Knight, a film that made extensive use of Gwynedd’s rugged natural beauty.

“We were just there,” we boasted at the end of the feature to the couple seated next to us, with whom we’d shared bon-bons earlier. “Where?” asked the gentleman, “London?”

“No, Wales,” we explained. “Most of the outdoor stuff in the movie was shot in North Wales.”

“Wales!” he exclaimed, “Why would anyone go there?”

Unfortunately this is not an unusual reaction to Wales from the average American. Americans can talk a blue streak about England, Ireland and Scotland. This is because these countries continually export their cultures to America through Guinness Stout, smoked salmon, marmalade, woolen sweaters, Waterford Crystal, Masterpiece Theater, The Royal Shakespeare Company and music from symphonic to rock. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

It’s An Image Thing
Americans prize imports from England, Scotland and Ireland as things of quality. After all, we know these are products produced by cultures where small-batch workmanship is still esteemed. Or so the prevailing image tells you. Even Ralph Lauren, that Bronx-born connoisseur of good taste, is making a good living selling world-wide his vision of British haberdashery.

In contrast, when was the last time any export from Wales (with the exception of Tom Jones) caused a frenzy in the USA? The issue is not that Wales isn’t as big or that it might have fewer products to offer than her neighbors. It’s that Americans have not yet learned to perceive Wales as a place that brings desirable goods to market, and as a place that is as fascinating to visit as any other in the British Isles.

I propose that for Wales to prosper into the future she must start fighting now to gain a better recognized, positive image with which to face the rest of the world. This recognition would begin putting her in the running with her nearest neighbors when it comes to tourism, trade and service sector jobs, all potentially good sources of revenue.

A good way to go about this is to get Americans curious about Wales. It will take time, but once Americans are “into” something, it takes the force of a tidal wave to shift their interest. The media provides the most cost effective means of tapping into the great American consciousness.

Importing Tourists
An obvious choice of product to bring to the American market is Wales herself. The gorgeous regions of Wales, green and rolling, sea-fronted or dramatically mountainous, lie awaiting discovery, especially by adventurous Americans.

My husband and I discovered Wales by serendipity. We were each fans of the television program The Prisoner before we ever met. The beauty of Portmeirion (as seen on our little television sets), the North Wales setting for The Prisoner, had captivated us individually. So it was only fitting that when we married, nearly fourteen years ago, we would go there for our honeymoon. This was when we discovered Wales — the best kept secret in all of the British Isles. We have been Cymruphiles ever since, expanding our geographic, social and spiritual reach with each visit. Fourteen years ago you could not find a whole lot of information about Wales in America. Certainly there was no campaign dedicated to educating the American traveling public about Wales. We might have missed some of the loveliest experiences of our lives if not for The Prisoner.

Nearly a decade and a half later, stories about Wales still do not abound in the American media. How can Americans chose to go to a destination about which they know nearly nothing? This is a conundrum as intricate as a Celtic knot.

To begin to unravel this knot, suppose a campaign to raise awareness in the beauty, history and heritage of Wales were initiated by a consortium of Welsh businesses that would stand to benefit directly from American tourism.

Once in agreement with each other on a shared purpose, this consortium (of hotels, resorts, restaurants and other businesses offering amenities to visitors) might find partners in America who could assist them in promoting Wales in ways that would best appeal to the U.S. market. One of the keys for success here is keeping in mind the importance of marketing directly to the potential American visitor, as opposed to marketing to travel agents or tour operators. It is the visitor who makes the ultimate travel decision.

Exporting Products
Along with tourism, Welsh comestibles might be given a push by U.S. food companies who are always looking for something new to sell to the ever-hungry American market. Products could be distinctly packaged as something special from Wales, and stories in the press could bring the products to the attention of the U.S. shopper. Cheese is a pretty obvious choice to begin with, so are relative non-perishables like jam, honey and cookies. In London, Fortnum & Mason, grocers to the Queen and by extension to Americans who love things from the British Isles, stocks a selection of Welsh products. Americans buy these products, so the foundation for a bridge to America exists. A bit of sales know-how and self promotion could conceivably set a shelf or two at American gourmet shops groaning with items embellished with the Red Dragon.

Importing Service Sector Jobs
Attracting service sector jobs takes more than hanging an “open for business” shingle. Wales must pro-actively research and methodically approach and market to companies in North America that would benefit by tapping into a huge resource of English speaking, educated people. 

Ireland and Scotland have business contracted from companies based in America. Many of these are computer and other communications companies staffing customer service telephone support operations serving English speaking customers.

But First Wales Must Face Herself
Reading Ninnau for this past year, one problem that I find is that often Wales is a country divided against herself. For example, in the June 1, 1996 issue editor Clive Betts in his article “New Counties for Wales...Again” refers to the county Rhondda-Cyon-Taff saying that “Neighboring valleys are always more likely to be rivals than friends.” Writing about Neath-Port Talbot he calls their union “an uneasy marriage between rivals...”

If this is so then the first job Wales has is for its people to learn to live and work more comfortably with one another. If accord is not reached, I hardly think a united message to the world that Wales is ready, willing and able to compete into the 21st century is possible.

Yes, using the media to establish a brilliant image for Wales in America as a first rate tourist destination, and a top-notch provider of products and services will take a great deal of time and work. However, this image would successfully address many of the concerns of the Welsh at home and Welsh-American community. The creation of a world-wide identity for Wales would result not only in the preservation of her culture and traditions, but in the universal recognition of them. Gaining such recognition is the very force that will drive Welsh economic independence.