"The 'Taj Mahal' of North Wales?" That what some are calling the Pontcysyllte aqueduct after it became a World Heritage Sites designated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (U.N.E.S.C.O.)
Many people may not realise that this designation also applies to the 11 miles canal network stretching from the Horseshoe Falls above Llangollen through to Chirk Bank.
With 250,000 visitors a year and many more envisioned, what does this mean for the economic re-generation of this area on both sides of the border?
I know that the local authorities of Wrexham, Denbighshire and Shropshire are working together on this, but really it's for local businesses to take the initiative and see how they can benefit from this Golden Egg which has landed in our lap after such hard work to win the proposal.
To begin with, local guest houses, B&Bs, caravan parks, hotels and so on, should definately be updating their websites, leaflets and so on to reflect their closeness to the site. This is important from an online and offline marketing point of view.
Next, they may want to attend or get involved with some of the many projects which will be kicking off over the next two years and beyond to promote the site locally, nationally and internationally.
Even groups coming to the area for completely different reasons, say a golfing trip, might be tempted to come you your club because of it's proximity to the site, and they might include a trip their as part of their itinery.
It's sad that the Welsh Assembly have closed down several of their Tourist Info Centres which would form the backbone of visitor information. There's not much point telling a visitor in Machynlleth, that their nearest TIC is in Welshpool!!!
So, if your business touches on tourism in any way, it might be worth finding out how to get involved with what shoul be, if done well, a great visitor boon for the area!
