£4m advertising campaign launch to boost Wales tourism

Castles, beaches and dolphins will star in a new £4m TV advert and campaign aimed at boosting tourism in Wales.

It features music from singer Cerys Matthews and advises visitors to "pack an open mind, a sense of adventure, and an appetite for discovery".

It will be launched on St David's Day as part of Wales Tourism Week and will be shown across the UK and Ireland.

Wales' Economy Minister Edwina Hart said it would tackle misconceptions about Wales.

The advert, which was funded by the European Regional Development Fund, features mountain bike track BikePark Wales in Merthyr Tydfil, Caernarfon Castle, St Davids Bishop's Palace, Abersoch Beach and dolphins at Cardigan Bay.

It was directed by Marc Evans, who worked on Welsh detective series Hinterland, and tells visitors to come fully packed and "ready for anything".

Mr Evans said making the advert was a "dream job".

"It's a big little country Wales, ever changing in terms of weather and light and also in the way it presents itself to the world," he said.

"You think you know it and then it surprised you with another face. There's a lot to be proud of but it can be elusive too. A big challenge to capture in a commercial!"

'Range of activities'

Singer Cerys Matthews provided the music to accompany the TV advert, which is a modern interpretation of the traditional Welsh song 'Mil Harddach Wyt Na'r Rhosyn Gwyn'.

Wales' Economy Minister Edwina Hart, said the campaign was part of the Welsh government's commitment to tourism, which generates £5bn a year to the Welsh economy.

"We're lucky in Wales to have such a huge range of activities, experiences and products to enjoy and share with our visitors," she said.

"Some of our recent consumer research work however suggested that people aren't necessarily aware of all the great things to see and do here in Wales, so this campaign tackles that misconception head on," she added.

BikePark Wales is the UK's first full scale mountain bike park