Ahead of the 2010 Ryder Cup, Monmouthshire’s towns have been dressed in style as a way of creating a sense of occasion around the prestigious golf tournament.
Prominent locations at the main approaches into Abergavenny, Caldicot, Chepstow, Magor and Undy, Monmouth and Usk all now feature distinctive red banners, which give visitors a warm welcome and unique messages about each town.
Similar banners were erected in Cardiff during last year’s Ashes tournament, creating a great deal of media interest in the city.
It is hoped that the Monmouthshire banners will generate similar levels of interest, as well as giving local residents a sense of involvement in the event, which is being played at the Celtic Manor Resort, Newport.
Messages displayed on the banners range from a simple “Welcome” from the various towns to specific wording about local features, such as the Wye Tour and the Abergavenny Food Festival, treated in a wryly humorous way in line with the Wales brand guidelines.
The banners, which also complement the official on- and off-course 2010 Ryder Cup branding, have been coordinated by Monmouthshire County Council’s Tourism section.
Bob Greenland, Monmouthshire County Council Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Modernisation, Enterprise & Communications, said:
“Many visitors to The Ryder Cup will be staying in Monmouthshire, whilst many others will pass through the county to reach the venue. These banners are a way of creating a warm welcome to Monmouthshire and a sense of intrigue about what the county has to offer to visitors.
“A wide range of community and stakeholder groups was consulted regarding the locations and wording of banners in each town and we hope that local communities are pleased with the result.”
The street dressing project is part of a larger initiative led by Monmouthshire County Council’s tourism team to ensure that local communities realise the maximum possible legacy from the world’s third largest sporting event.
The initiative aims to create as many new ambassadors for the county as possible by providing a warm welcome to visitors and delivering a positive experience during their stay.
Other activities undertaken include the collection of visitors’ contact details, allowing future communications to be made which will provide visitors with plenty of good reasons to return to the area in the future.
Following the Ryder Cup, the new flexi banner arms will remain, allowing communities to use them for the promotion of local events and celebrations.
