VISITOR numbers at a council-run farm attraction have “sky rocketed” following a £3.7 million refurbishment.
Greenmeadow Community Farm reopened in September last year after closing three years earlier for a major overhaul which was then redesigned on cost grounds during the extended closure period.
But Torfaen Borough councillors were told the Cwmbran attraction has seen a surge in visitors, though no figures were provided at the meeting discussing a plan intended to guide the development of a tourism and visitor economy locally.
The economy and environment scrutiny committee were discussing the latest report on the destination management the council is drawing up when Panteg Labour councillor Norma Parish asked if it is confident it has the required capacity and expertise in place to deliver the plan.
Deputy chief executive Dave Leech said the plan will shape the council’s approach to attracting visitors and it would then understand the “appropriate level of” promotion and support required.
Social media creators
But he also said it can learn from the success it has had in promoting the community farm in Cwmbran, incuding using social media creators.
Mr Leech said: “It’s clear we need to do a lot more around marketing and promotion but it doesn’t always need to come as a significant resource. There are smart ways we can achieve it as in the work we are doing around Greenmeadow Farm. We’ve seen great engagement with some of the influencer days we’ve ran on the farm and painting activities.
“Turning some of our day-to-day activities into a more engaging and interesting marketing product has really started to get through into some of those target markets we’re looking at.
“As a consequence of that we’ve seen visitor numbers sky rocket compared to where they were before the renovation works took place. That’s all about being smarter in the way we market rather than putting more resource into it. There’s definitely ways we can work smarter not harder.”
Visit Wales
The senior officer also said the farm has been accredited, following a mystery shopper style exercise, by Visit Wales and said seeking similar accreditations is another way local tourism businesses and visitor attractions can promote themselves.
When the draft plan is produced it is intended to cover both Torfaen and Blaenau Gwent, as the two councils have an agreement to work together, and a joint director for economy and place, who is due to be appointed, will have responsibility for overseeing it.
In response to comments from the committee Mr Leech said the council would also look to work with other Gwent councils and is working with the Cardiff Capital Region and the Torfaen Tourism Alliance.
Torfaen, Mr Leech said, has heritage assets, such as the Big Pit mining museum, that make it attractive to tourists as well as the potential for activities such as walking, cycling and water-based activities which he considered to have been “underplayed”.
The plan is intended to consider what attractions and activities would draw visitors, and the mix of holidaymakers and day trippers, to the area and how they would be targeted.
Local residents
The aim of attracting visitors would also be considered, with Mr Leech insisting it is intended to benefit local residents, including by highlighting local attractions that are available such as the community farm.
“We need to understand what is the purpose of attracting visitors , is it more spending and supporting jobs? Absolutely. Is it attracting people to town centres, is it promoting Torfaen so it is more associated with tourism in the way Cornwall is?”
The deputy chief executive said it is “critical” the plan has benefits for residents and supports the council’s Marmot objectives which is its approach to tackling health inequalities.
It should also support the way both councils work with communities, named The Deal, and Mr Leech said the example of the Bridge 46 canal volunteers, who have placed QR codes along the canal guiding people to local attractions and detailing its history, demonstrates how that could be done.
The committee said it wanted to see more detail on how the plan could support destinations other than Pontypool Indoor Market, Blaenavon’s World Heritage Centre and the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal already identified as “key sites” and the establishment of a working group or forum with residents, businesses and community councils.