On Saturday 4th August, Visit Swansea Bay, the Swansea Council’s tourism team, will start their four week Surfari Bus tour of Wales and Ireland to promote the area as a key visitor destination during Wales’ ‘Year of the Sea’.
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First stop on the Surfari Bus tour will be Oxwich Bay, Gower on Saturday and will feature the star of the show – a fully branded Visit Swansea Bay vintage VW campervan – packed full of exclusive Swansea Bay competitions and offers to tempt the lucky beach goers. Take a ‘surfie’ (selfie!) in the giant #SeaSwanseaBay deckchair or try a new activity in the blue waters of Oxwich Bay.
The team from Oxwich Watersports will be on hand to offer visitors free taster sessions of kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding, as well as some high adrenaline donut blasts around the bay. Sign up is on the day, so be sure to get there bright and early to book your spot. Free watersports sessions will be taking place from 11.00am – 4.00pm.
[/aoa]Councillor Robert Francis-Davies, cabinet member for investment, regeneration and tourism, said:
“We’re encouraging as many visitors as possible to head down to Oxwich Bay this Saturday to the first stop of our Surfari Bus tour of Wales and Ireland.
“We are delighted that local businesses have also got on board with the campaign, offering competition prizes and offers – so come along and join in the fun.
“Most people living in Swansea Bay, Mumbles and Gower know just how special the area is and our Surfari Bus tour will help widen the knowledge of local visitors and extol the virtues of our area further around Wales and Ireland and hopefully inspire them to visit.
“Recent figures show tourism was worth £417.85m to our area last year which was an increase of 1.7% on 2016, with over 4.6m visitors enjoying a Swansea Bay break – and, as well as welcoming repeat visitors, we’re also looking forward to welcoming new visitors to the area as they follow the Surfari Bus back to Swansea Bay!”
The Surfari Bus moves onto the popular Gower Show on Sunday. From there, it will embark on a two week tour of Swansea Bay, Mumbles and Gower, taking in the National Waterfront Museum (8th), Oystermouth Castle (11th), Caswell Bay (14th) and Rhossili Bay (19th), among other locations.
Leaving Swansea Bay, the Surfari Bus then continues its adventure, travelling along the Wales Way to seven locations in seven days including Brecon, Aberystwyth, Machynlleth and Portmeirion, before wrapping up the Welsh stage of the Surfari Bus tour in Llandudno, ahead of the short hop across the Irish Sea where it finally completes its journey in Kilkenny on Sunday September 2nd.
Swansea Council’s campaign initiative was made possible by Visit Wales’ Regional Tourism Engagement Fund (RTEF) in support of Year of the Sea. The Surfari Bus will be introducing as many new people to Swansea Bay’s captivating coastline and countryside as possible and local businesses will continue to provide their renowned warm welcome when they visit.
