Wales Activity Tourism Organisation (WATO)

WATO is a forum that has being piloted to link existing organisations in Wales’ three National Parks, with the aim of sharing ‘best practice’ across the outdoor sector. The Welsh Activity Tourism Organisation (WATO) functions regionally through Snowdonia-Active, Brecon Beacons Tourism, the South Wales Outdoor Activity Provider’s Groups, and Pembrokeshire Outdoor Charter Group.

WATO’s overall objective is to ensure that activity tourism in Wales is high quality, well managed, and appropriately marketed, thereby leading to sustainable development of the sector.

Visit Wales (VW) and the South West Wales Tourism Partnership is sponsoring the joint forum, following on from a series of activity tourism roadshows VW held in 2009.

Key aims include:

  • Maintaining regional databases and regular contact with Activity operators in region, and with Visit Wales.
  • Working with Visit Wales on improving the quality of their data on outdoor businesses across Wales
  • Reviewing activity imagery used by Visit Wales to ensure that campains and publicity is appropriate and up to date.
  • Ensuring that outdoor businesses are aware of the support &  marketing opportunities available through Visit Wales.

Snowdonia-Active’s Chris Wright said: “The national parks are all very different and there is an obvious opportunity for each region to learn from the other, while respecting regional diversity.”

This pilot will run until March 2012 and is independently chaired by Pete Bursnall. Pete has a strong background in the outdoors and is heavily involved with tourism developments in Wales; primarily as the Chair of the Sustainable Tourism Forum and as a member of the Ministerial Advisory Panel on Tourism. From 2012 the group anticipates securing more funding to continue with reviewed objectives suited to each region but embracing the whole of Wales.

Tom Luddington attends from the Pembrokeshire area to represent the Outdoor Charter group.

Click here to read a recent progress report for the Pembrokeshire Region on the agreed WATO workplan.