4. Statement by the Deputy Minister for Housing and Local Government: The Wales Coast Path

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:17 pm on 14 May 2019.

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Photo of Hannah Blythyn Hannah Blythyn Labour 4:17, 14 May 2019

I absolutely join Joyce Watson in thanking the staff and volunteers who keep this wonderful asset of our path open, maintained, sustained, like you said, in all weathers throughout the year. Their work and their commitment are certainly to be applauded, and you're very lucky to represent the area you do and boast such a huge swathe of the coast path itself amongst that.

You talked about, actually, how one of the wonderful things, one of the amazing things about the coast path is it can combine rare wildlife with our rich industrial heritage as well, and, actually, how we bring them both together and promote that to visitors to the coast path. I can see that in my own area alone, where we've now got a new section put in the trail with the old pithead and the Point of Ayr colliery and a model of the old pit pony, and it gives you some boards there with the history of it, but you go just around the corner and then there's the RSPB area where you can look out across the Dee estuary.

So, yes, certainly, it's what we have worked on and we should build on, and one of the things we're looking at—I know the Member said she was going to do the long walks, not the circular walks, but one of the things we are looking at, as I said earlier, in terms of these circuits, is looking at focuses and different themes, and one of them could be wildness and certainly heritage as well, so that's one way we can maximise on those assets as we take this work forward.

In terms of high-end tourism and the opportunities there for us both as a nation, but also those businesses involved, that's why I think the toolkit for coastal businesses is very, very important and to do what we can as Members, too, to promote that to businesses within our own constituencies and our own regions. There's a range of material that these businesses can benefit from. Resources include logos they can use, news items—they can get posters and videos to use on their own online/offline marketing to try and capture that growing market as well. I definitely will be promoting the walking festival. I will be there on Sunday, and I will manage to find a walk that combines two elements of my portfolio, where I'll be going for a walk and also litter picking as well.