THE Deputy Minister for Culture, Tourism and Sport has used local businesses as the launchpad for next year’s Great Weekend of Adventure, aimed at boosting tourism.

Ken Skates was in Glasbury-on-Wye to issue the invitation to Welsh tourism to become involved in the initiative where locals and visitors will get the chance to try something new with some of the exciting packages on offer in Wales.

The Deputy Minister made his invitation while visiting an innovative business in the Brecon Beacons – River Café, Wye Valley Canoes and Bunkhouse, which offers the chance to hire not only canoes but also a fleet of Vespa scooters and bikes. The Deputy Minister took the opportunity to try out the slide - installed to give guests a fun alternative to get down from the top to the ground floor of the former Baptist Chapel - which is now a five-star bunk house and won a National Tourism Awards for Wales.

Mr Skates said: “We want businesses across Wales to take advantage of this international marketing opportunity Visit Wales are offering and promote their organised events, offers, adventure packages and special activities for this particular weekend just after Easter next year. The ideas can be ground breaking or very simple, we need to make sure that as many people as possible get a taste of adventure in Wales during this weekend. We hope that businesses will get involved by using the #WalesAdventure hashtag on their social media activity.

“Tourism in Wales is about experience and adventure. Holidays here are not just about appreciating a wonderful view and our amazing landscapes but about the adventures which can be had within our landscape and make Wales an engaging place to visit.

“Over the last few months, I have had the pleasure of taking part in some incredible Welsh adventures and learnt first hand, that Wales’s strength is the fantastic range of adventures we have to offer visitors of all ages and abilities. We can offer high-adrenaline of course, but also a variety of physical, cultural and natural adventures. Wales is epic for everyone – and that’s a great message for all of us to get behind.”

Mel Doel, Chairman of the Brecon Beacons National Park Authority, also sits on the steering group for the Year of Adventure and added “ We are really excited about the Year of Adventure – the Brecon Beacons National Park has been the setting for some amazing Welsh adventures – everything from wrapping up warm to enjoy the Dark Skies to seeing the Park from the back of a horse, or going caving. Using funding from Visit Wales, the Brecon Beacons National Park Authority will be launching some adventures of our own including a new Cycle Route – “Across the Beacons” and an event to give people a chance to “Walk behind the Waterfall”. Knowing how innovative they are, we can’t wait to see what the businesses will come up with for the Great Weekend of Adventure.”

Jane Hughes the owner of the River Café and Wye Valley Canoes and Bunkhouse said: “We are getting involved in the Great Weekend of Adventure. All our instructors will be on hand in the Café to chat and give advice to anyone who has ever thought they might like to get on a mountain bike or take a canoe down the river but feels a bit nervous about it. Our friendly instructors will be able to talk people through the activity and then we will offer free sessions to anyone who feels inspired to have a go. We want to get as many people on the water and out on their bikes as we can.”

The Great Weekend will take place next year, from April 2-3.