Ceredigion businesses are being encouraged to provide their views to develop ‘guided cultural adventures’ to help attract visitors to more rural parts of the county as a pilot is launched in Llandysul.

Cynnal y Cardi has commissioned Wales Best Guides Enterprises Ltd to explore the opportunities that could be created to get more visitors into the rural areas of the county.

The researchers are keen to speak to local businesses to scope the opinions of the tourism and service sectors in Ceredigion for developing the guided cultural adventures.

Cynnal y Cardi is working with Llandysul a Phont Tyweli Ymlaen with the focus initially being on the areas surrounding Llandysul.

The overall aim of the research is to transfer the model to other Ceredigion towns.

The main principle behind the feasibility study is to identify opportunities and approaches for visitors to be brought to the inland rural areas from the busy coastal belt, either by physical, digital or other promotional means.

Some of the current ideas include; tour buses collecting families and individuals from accommodation based on the coast to take part in a day tour; self-guided digital motoring tour of things to do for families, and local events such as village shows.

The researchers will be talking to visitors over the summer and early autumn, and businesses to discuss what experiences might be developed.

Cllr Rhodri Evans, Ceredigion County Council Cabinet member with responsibility for economy and regeneration said: “We encourage businesses to come forward and help Wales Best Guides Enterprises Ltd with their invaluable opinions and ideas for us to develop guided cultural adventures.

“As the economy recovers from Covid-19, we want to help develop a model will not only benefit the rural areas of Ceredigion, but support the tourism and service sectors in Ceredigion, as we look ahead to a new tourism boom.”

The project is supported through the Welsh Government Rural Communities – Rural Development Programme 2014-2020.