A group dedicated to promoting and protecting the Welsh language has criticised Gwynedd Council for advertising a tourism job because we have “too many” tourists already.

Cylch yr Iaith contacted the ‘Cambrian News’, questioning the council’s desire to attract more visitors, but North Wales tourism CEO Jim Jones says tourists are Gwynedd’s lifeblood and “people should be careful what they wish for”.

The language group say Gwynedd does not need “someone to beat the drum to attract even more visitors where there are already too many”, stating the council “needs to reconsider its requirements for the Gwynedd Tourism and Marketing Officer post”.

Cylch yr Iaith tourism spokesperson Howard Huws said: “The wording of the advertisement assumes tourism is ‘good’, and we need more of it - but you only need to look at the industry’s side‑effects to see this is far from the truth.

“The nature and intensity of tourism here are more than communities can cope with. It contributes to their breakdown rather than their sustainability. It is over-tourism.

“The advert talks about ‘sustainable tourism priorities’, but how is ‘sustainable tourism’ possible where there is such a gulf between the relative wealth of visitors and the poverty of local people? What exactly is ‘sustainable tourism’? No one has ever defined it or measured it.

“If we are to have tourism, it must be responsible tourism - tourism carefully planned according to the needs and capacities of communities; tourism that contributes rather than consumes. Tourism that forms part of an economic plan with goals and a timetable, with someone responsible for success and accountable for failure. That is the kind of officer Gwynedd needs - not someone to beat the drum to attract even more visitors where there are already too many.”

The statement says the advert mentions a ‘Carbon Management Plan’, but nothing about a ‘Tourism Management Plan’, and “there is no recognition tourism is something that should or could be managed”.

It calls on Gwynedd Council, Eryri National Park and other authorities to acknowledge and tackle “the real effects of over-tourism” to “transform the industry so it helps us rather than harms us”.

North Wales Tourism CEO Jim Jones disagrees. He said: “Tourism is the lifeblood of north wales, supporting thousands of jobs and generating billions. It is needed, especially in Gwynedd.

“It sustains businesses, families and supports communities. This rhetoric from Covid days and language groups is misguided and damaging, undermining livelihoods. Tourism keeps towns and villages alive.

“I know there are issues with Airbnb’s, but painting tourism as harmful ignores the benefits.

“I support sustainable tourism and want to spread that across 12 months. That’s the real challenge, there’s not enough tourists throughout the year.

“There’s not a lot else in Gwynedd people rely on tourism for jobs.

“Yes it has busy days that have to be managed. Car parks and Snowdon do get busy when people flock there and we need measures to deal with it, but people have to be careful what they wish for.”

Gwynedd Council confirmed receipt of Cylch yr Iaith’s statement “and will respond in due course”.