Official new tour guides are set to welcome cruise ship visitors on to Anglesey as part of a project led by the county council.

The tour guides - all of whom are local residents - were recently provided with a bespoke training programme, which included a foundation course in guiding.

This qualification will allow them to become self-employed guides as well as ambassadors for Anglesey and North Wales. Each of the new tour guides will be based locally.

Anglesey’s Visitor Economy and Coastal Areas Manager, Gwenllian Owen, said, “The cruise ship industry provides Anglesey and North Wales with significant economic benefits.”

“There are around 44 cruise ship visits planned for the port of Holyhead during 2022 with passengers staying locally and others visiting different parts of Anglesey and North Wales. This generates around £5 million towards the North Wales economy annually.”

The project was funded by the UK Government through the UK Community Renewal Fund and is aimed at developing the cruise ship industry in North Wales.

Anglesey Council Deputy Leader, Councillor Carwyn Jones, and Mayor of Holyhead, Adrienne Edwards, recently presented the tour guides with their certificates.

Cllr Jones added, “This is an excellent project that empowers local people with the skills and knowledge required to provide cruise ship visitors with a good experience. Additionally, it will help generate some potential personal income for the service provided.”

“Who better to provide a guiding service to cruise ship visitors than local people with a real passion for the local area and plenty of stories to tell.”

Ends 21 June 2022