GWYNEDD Council and Snowdonia National Park Authority have committed to working together to ensure that the communities of the area benefit from all aspects of the visitor economy.

This week, both authorities have formalised their commitment by signing a Memorandum of Understanding on sustainable tourism for the future that will benefit the people, environment, language and culture of Gwynedd and Eryri.

This follows years of collaboration in the field - both before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The partners will continue to work together on this key agenda and stage a conference at the end of the month to discuss the next steps to embed the vision.

Leader of Gwynedd Council, Councillor Dyfrig Siencyn, said: "Any visitor economy must ensure that the people and communities of Gwynedd are central to it and benefit from it.

"I am delighted that the council and the park have agreed a joint vision for sustainable tourism for the future, with a particular emphasis on our language, culture and heritage.

"We want to ensure that the visitor economy benefits our communities and protects our environment and wildlife, while maximising the benefits to Gwynedd's communities and businesses.

"The last 18 months have highlighted the need for us as authorities to continue our joint working to ensure that our area benefits from tourism - on our terms.

"What is key is that we are able to secure truly sustainable tourism and that the area is in no way losing out from the visitor economy.

“We want to see local people benefit from good sustainable jobs in the field all year round.”

Councillor Wyn Jones, chairman of Snowdonia National Park Authority, added: “It is very important to see local authorities working together to protect our communities by nurturing our economy and local businesses.

“This work will conserve the core features that define the national park through its wonderfully unique qualities.

“The authority and Gwynedd Council are committed to doing the best for the people who live and work in the area by promoting sustainable tourism which also in turn addresses the effects of climate change.”

As part of ensuring a shared vision of a sustainable visitor economy for Gwynedd and Eryri, the authorities are staging a virtual conference on November 30.

It will welcome representatives from the area’s communities, businesses working in the field and experts on sustainable tourism.

The conference will include presentations by international tourism expert Professor Terry Stevens, along with a representative from the Isle of Arran to highlight how to balance community, environment and the visitor economy.

The latest available figures (before the COVID-19 period) show that the tourism sector contributes more than £1.35 billion to Gwynedd's economy and employs more than 18,200 people in the area, with 7.81million visitors annually.

But research shows that:

• Wage levels are far lower within the sector in Gwynedd compared to other sectors and other areas.

• The county's rural economy lacks diversity with over-reliance on tourism in some areas.

• There are concerns in some parts of Gwynedd about the imbalance of tourism, which creates increasing pressure on the main honey pots and the impact on communities and the Welsh language.