Year of Croeso: the latest news - June 2025

As we approach the key summer season we’re keeping Wales front of mind with a range of campaigns and promotional activities to capitalise on last minute bookings and conversions for the UK and in-Wales market and more long-term consideration for international markets. 

We’ve launched the second phase of our "Hwyl" campaign, featuring targeted digital activity across all platforms - including paid search, Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), programmatic advertising, and PR activations.

For phase 2 we’re concentrating on the following target audiences:

• people who love culture,
• families looking for fun,
• those who enjoy the outdoors.

Knowing your audience is key, read our information on understanding our target audience.

As well as our main "Hwyl" campaign, we are running Wales by Tails - a fun campaign for couples and families with dogs. It shows that Wales is a great place for dog-friendly holidays all year round.

More people want to go on holiday with their dogs, and we’re using this chance to show that Wales is a great place for dog-friendly trips.

What we’re up to:

• TV advert - the advert is on TV (ITVX) and online in May and June. It’s made to catch the attention of both dogs and their owners, using bright blue and yellow colours and fun sounds like panting, whistling, barking, and jingling keys.
• Sharing messages - encouraging people be good dog owners. We are reminding them to follow countryside rules and act responsible, ensuring dogs are kept on a lead in agricultural settings.

If you offer pet-friendly experiences and are part of our Visit Wales grading scheme, you can get a free Welcome Award.

Season 4 of Welcome to Wrexham started on 16 May, and we are we’re pleased to be partnering with Disney to promote Wales, with ad placements and programme sponsorship targeting viewers in the UK. Visit Wales was one of the first travel brands to advertise on Disney + and this additional sponsorship opportunity aligns perfectly with the Cymru Wales brand enabling us to further promote Wales and reach new audiences. 

To capitalise on the enthusiasm of US-based fans of Welcome to Wrexham and the launch of Season 4 mid May, we are running a targeted Reddit campaign in the US positioning Wrexham and the surrounding area as a must visit destination for travellers showing an intent to visit Wales.

The campaign will feature:

• Short video - a short, engaging video showcasing Wrexham and nearby attractions.
• Special webpage - including a dedicated itinerary-style landing page to help visitors plan their trips.  
• PR plan - we’re also working on a PR plan to target US consumers.
• Working with Wrexham AFC - We’re working together with Wrexham AFC on wider Wales promotion opportunities and collaborating with them to bring the unmistakable spirit of Wrexham and Wales to fans across Australia and New Zealand for the pre-season summer tour in July. 

Our Expedia campaign launched in April and will continue until November, targeting US and German consumers. Feel the Hwyl continues to be the key message for our Expedia campaign and activity includes on site banner advertising, paid social, we are seeing positive results so far and the campaign will move into the next conversion phase in next few weeks.  Wales being visible on a platform such as Expedia in the US is invaluable for us in terms of awareness of Wales.   

We work very closely with VisitBritain to ensure that Wales is featured prominently within the latest campaign to launch which is Starring Great Britain.  House of the Dragon features within the main hero film and extra footage promoting the beaches of Wales was filmed by VisitBritian in North Wales last year. 

Find out more on how to get involved in the 'Starring GREAT Britain’ campaign.

The "Hwyl" campaign launched in Germany on 6th May, targeting 3 key audience demographics:

• outdoor enthusiasts,
• families, 
• cultural city breakers.

This first phase of activity will run until 30th June and includes a range of activities including; hero video content, a Facebook Page Likes campaign and Facebook and Instagram ads and stories.

We are currently working in partnership with 4 key German Tour Operators (DERTOUR, Wolters Rundreisen, Eberhardt and Travelling Britain) to promote their Wales tour packages both to German travel agents and German consumers, with the aim to increase 'Wales' tour bookings.

The marketing activity will take place between May - July 2025 and includes a variety of digital elements - social media ads across Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest, B2C and B2B newsletter content, Wales landing page content and digital display ads. 

In 2025 and 2026, we are focusing our media visits on promoting the Year of Croeso.

What we’re up to:

• Journalists and Influencers - we are inviting over 100 UK travel writers and influencers to visit Wales and share their stories. We want them to experience the unique feeling of hwyl – a deep state of joy and enthusiasm that comes from being fully engaged in the moment. From our beaches and mountains to festivals and warm Welsh welcomes, we will show them what makes Wales special and secure great PR coverage.
• International groups - we are inviting groups of journalists from other countries to visit Wales. We run about ten group trips each year and many more trips for individual visitors. These trips help show off the best parts of Wales to people from around the world.

Take a look at some recent media coverage in the UK: 

The best beaches in Wales: 16 spectacular spots

A good walk: Mynydd Garthmyn and Capel Garmon, Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park

The South Wales mining village that made Richard Burton a global icon.

We host a variety of press trips all year round, often working with VisitBritain.

Themes for these trips this year include:

• Luxury
• Golf
• Literature 
• Sustainability
• Health and wellbeing 
• Food and drink 
• TV and film locations
• Dog friendly

On 29 April 2025, a Celebration of Wales took place at UK Pavilion at Expo 2025, Osaka as part of the Year of Wales and Japan 2025.

Thousands of visitors experienced an immersive showcase of Welsh culture - the sights, sounds and tastes of Wales in a celebration of creativity and innovation – with performances of music and dance, samples of Welsh food and drink and special commissions of Welsh craft to celebrate the connection between our two nations. 

Expo visitors also had the unique opportunity to collect a special set of Eki stamps featuring the Draig Goch, representing a variety of connections between the two nations, from the mountains of Fuji and Eryri to the twinned castles of Himeji and Conwy. They were created by renowned Welsh illustrator Jonathan Edwards.

Performances by musicians from Calan, Taff Rapids, and NoGood Boyo and dance troupe Qwerin took place outside the Pavilion, drawing in crowds to celebrate the cultural tapestry of Wales. Urdd youth ambassador and Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama student, Owain Rowlands, performed a specially commissioned version of the traditional Japanese song, Furusato, and joined Tim Rhys-Evans (RWCMD musical director) as he led the Japanese crowds in a sing-along of Calon Lân. Mistar Urdd also made an appearance alongside Expo 2025 mascot Myaku-Myaku.

Each digital display at the Wales showcase will be Powered by Raspberry Pi; the pocket-sized, revolutionary computing device, that’s manufactured at the Sony UK Technology Centre in Wales. The showcase also featured key messaging around Wales Wales' commitment to sustainable innovation and the National Forest of Wales, to coincide with the celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act.  

Take a look at this video capturing the Celebration of Wales at the UK Pavilion during Expo 2025 in Osaka.

The Visit Wales travel trade team celebrated the Year of Croeso visiting Himeji and Osaka in Japan, building new connections and strengthening established relationships as part of the Year of Wales and Japan.

They were delighted to take part in VisitBritain’s UK Tourism Day at Expo 2025 Osaka where they connected with key members of the Japanese travel trade. Together with partners North Wales Tourism and Celtic English Academy, they showcased everything that makes Wales a must-visit destination. 

The Visit Wales travel trade team also visited the beautiful Himeji castle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site (WHS) twinned with our own WHS Conwy castle, and were privileged to meet with representatives of the City of Himeji’s International Exchange Centre including Director Masahiko Yokota. Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning Rebecca Evans took part in an MOU renewal ceremony between Himeji Castle and Conwy Castle in April.