Yesterday, a new campaign was launched to promote the Valleys as the heart and soul of Wales. The reaction has been interesting, with many people from North and Mid Wales up in arms asking – what about us? Many already think that a lot of schemes and so on are far too South Wales centric, and see this as yet another kick in the teeth for the rest of Wales.

Personally, I welcome this campaign and think its a great idea. There are plenty of misconceptions about the Valleys out there and its good to see a focused campaign intent on tackling those head on. It’s an area of Wales that I’ve only recently started getting to know, and I must admit I’ve been impressed by the surprising beauty as well as the warmth of the people. It’s about time the rest of Wales and the world saw a different side to the Valleys as well.

Obviously, I’d like to see tourism develop in Wales as a whole and I would personally dispute that the Valleys are the ‘heart and soul’ of the country. I think every single area in Wales has an unique contribution to make to the essence and spirit of the country. But as a marketing campaign, I think it’s clever. Let’s just hope it has a positive impact and attracts more people to visit Wales, thus giving a much needed boost to the local economy.