Wales may be a land of misty mountains, medieval castles and mysterious legends, but it has become a heartfelt mission for Kieren Windsor. Born and raised in Mid Wales, Windsor is the force behind Wales Guidebook, a rapidly growing independent travel platform receiving favourable attention in the U.K. and beyond.

“I’m a Welshman born and bred,” Windsor notes proudly by email. “I’ve lived in Mid Wales, South Wales and North Wales, so I’ve had a taste of every region. But it wasn’t until 2022 that I decided to pursue my passion full time.”

That passionate pursuit has since transformed into a powerful digital presence.

Launched just three years ago, Wales Guidebook now boasts more than 300 travel guides, a mobile app and an increasingly popular newsletter. “In August 2023, during our peak travel season, Wales Guidebook had more readers than any other independent blog dedicated to Wales,” he notes.

Unlike travel brands with full marketing teams and big budgets, Wales Guidebook is largely a solo operation. “I do almost everything myself, from forming a strategy and planning, to writing and photography,” explains Windsor. “But for certain subjects, I do collaborate. I work with a Welsh chef on food features and a Welsh teacher on articles about the language and music.”

This hand-crafted approach gives the site an authentic voice that resonates with readers – from remote routes to hidden hiking trails, every post is rooted in lived experience.

Despite handling all the hard work, travelling for a living is a dream life for Windsor.

“The reward speaks for itself. I get to experience the best activities in my country as my full-time job.”

However, covering a country from coast to castle, the work never ends. “Keeping the content updated while adding new material is the biggest challenge. Wales is a huge and diverse country with new activities, accommodation and restaurants always opening or closing. As a result, existing articles must be kept up to date whilst simultaneously discovering new parts. I plan to double the number of guides, but that will take years.”

While he notes that Wales is a country best visited during summer, Windsor emphasizes that winter also has its charm. “We have holiday cottages with log fires and hot tubs, and three international dark sky parks for stargazing, which offer stunning night skies during winter. There’s even a reindeer safari in North Wales during the holidays, and our waterfalls are actually better in winter, after heavy rain. There’s something wild and cathartic about seeing them at full force.”

Wales, he adds, is gaining ground overall as a tourist spot. “Wales has established itself as a key visitor destination among the British, aided by the pandemic-fuelled interest in the country due to international travel restrictions.”

Despite, the growth, Windsor admits that Wales is still behind in its fair share of visitors from abroad. One of the biggest issues is that Wales is often viewed as a day-trip destination. “This means that visitors aren’t spending a lot of money on accommodation and food.”

He suggests looking north for solutions. “I think we should look hard at Scotland as an example of how to market ourselves. There are many similarities between the two Celtic countries, each with its own national identity and known for outdoor activities. We can follow Scotland’s lead in creating some bucket-list-worthy activities and locations.”

Developing the country’s myths and legends can also improve its allure. “There is a big opportunity to market the legend of King Arthur, particularly, and other Welsh myths around dragons.”

To this end, Windsor has invested in new tools to reach more travellers. “Recently, I launched the Wales Guidebook app for Android and iPhone. It’s user-friendly and ad-free and gives people a way to access information about the best things to do and places to stay.”

He has also started a mailing list with updated information on events and activities, including travel tips and exclusive deals. “Our subscribers are a mixed audience, split equally between those who live in Wales, those who regularly visit and those planning their first trip here.

“Ultimately, my goal is to visit every tourist attraction in Wales and continue to provide free information to those visiting and those living here.”

www.walesguidebook.com
@wales.guidebook