A search is underway to find German speakers in North Wales.
The hunt has been launched by Cruise Wales, on behalf of the Welsh Government in partnership with Tourism Partnership North Wales.
They’re looking for people who can work with tour guides to make German visitors feel at home and explain the delights of the area in their own language.
An increasing number of tourists from Germany are coming to the north Wales through cruise ships docking at the Anglesey port, Holyhead.
The cruise ship market is big business – and Cruise Wales and partners are working at increasing the market.
The number of passengers arriving here is set to increase from 9,000 this year to 13,000 in 2014.
Among the biggest cruise ships expected to drop anchor next year is the 2,500-passenger German luxury liner, the Mein Schiff 1.
Edwina Hart, Minister for the Economy, Science and Transport, said: “The cruise market has been identified by the new tourism strategy for Wales as one way of growing the tourism industry in Wales by 10% by 2020, Germany has also been identified as one of our key overseas markets.
“The experience that our cruise passengers have in Wales will be enriched if their off shore based itineraries are led by a German speaking tour guide, we are keen to work in partnership to ensure that we have the correct skills in place to provide this service for our overseas visitors.”
Dewi Davies, the Regional Strategy Director of Tourism Partnership North Wales, is working closely with the Welsh Government to build on the momentum.
Tourism Partnership is looking to recruit around 40 German speakers and will be organising a three-day training course from Monday to Wednesday, February 24-26.
The course will be delivered by the tourism and marketing team at Grŵp Llandrillo Menai.
Mr Davies said: “An increasing number of the cruise ship passengers are from Germany and we know that overseas visitors spend a lot more than those from the United Kingdom.
“On average a German visitor will spend between £80 and £90 a day on a shore visit whereas the UK visitor might spend between £40 to £50 a day.
“Attracting more German visitors is therefore a priority for the Welsh Government and a priority for us as they are definitely our biggest spenders.
“When the they dock many go on planned excursions on a coach which takes them to some great places.
“They will visit places our castles, Bodnant Gardens, Plas Newydd, Portmeirion, Snowdonia or possibly the Froncysyllte Aqueduct and Canal – or they might enjoy a trip on one our great little trains.
“We’ve got a great deal to offer them so the challenge for us of course is to ensure they’re all escorted on their excursions expert guides.
“A fly in the ointment is that the guides don’t always speak German, and therefore the German visitor isn’t getting the best they can do of their experience.
“That’s why we are launching the recruitment drive to find German speakers to work with the tour guides.
“We want our German visitors to return home talking excitedly about our heritage and culture and to do that we need to improve the guiding experience and the sense of place that they will get from it.
“We want help from German speakers based here or near North Wales to help out with our linguistic expertise and skills.
“In late February we will be running a three day course and we’ll be inviting German speakers to come so they can be given the skills to support the guides on the coach in order to make it a very memorable in depth experience for our German visitors.
“We’d like to please these customers because the more pleased they are the more they spend, and the more they talk to their friends and relatives about what a brilliant experience Wales offers.
“I would say that the value of cruise market via Holyhead to North Wales is well over £500,000 of income coming in each year and we want to capitalise on this opportunity.
“We are working with the Welsh Government to deliver the Cruise Wales initiative because it brings spending into North Wales, it improves wealth and helps grow our visitor economy whilst at the same time supporting jobs.”
Any German speakers interested in signing up for the course should contact Sian Canty at Tourism Partnership North Wales either by emailing her at [email protected] or ring her on 01745 585440. Anybody who is interested should make contact before January 31.
