Slate Landscape

• To understand how the Slate Landscape’s World Heritage status affects the younger generation
• To examine local young people’s feelings of place attachment and place identity in relation to the site
• To explore local young people’s views on sustainable and regenerative tourism in the area
• To examine the effects of social media and other online content on visitor attitudes and to gain an understanding of how the slate sites are reflected online.​

• 20 interviews and a focus group were conducted with local 18–25-year-olds from all over the Slate Landscape area (e.g. Dyffryn Nantlle, Bethesda, Abergynolwyn)
• Social media and search engine analysis/ ‘Netnography’

A number of themes were identified through our engagement with young people, such as History of the Site and Slate, Leisure and Social Aspects to the Site, Cultural Values and Heritage and Employment.

Excerpts from the interviews:

“When I was at school, everyone's parents and grandparents had worked in the quarry”​

“Economically, you do need more skilled workers in the area... we've got a massive brain drain in the area”

“The UNESCO status gives us the recognition across the world” ​

“Llyn Padarn…fy hoff le..dwi di byw yma erioed a genai lot o atgofion yma. Lot o hanes a dwi’n prowd o’r lle”

 ​“You’ve got the pride in the heavy industry, in the quarry, pride in the great strike and the heroic failure”

“I enjoy Slate surfing… risk of breaking your legs” 

View on Sustainable Tourism by the participants: 

“Mae’r cyfleon yn cynnwys mwy o swyddi i bobol lleol a cyfle i hybu’r Gymraeg”

“twristiaeth cynaliadawy…yn feddwl cadw swyddi yn lleol a lleihau effaith twristiaeth ar yr economi”

“needs to be like a symbiosis between the community and the business and the environment.” 

“Being resourceful (as a tourist) ...perfect for the environment.” 

“Creating areas that bring in visitors. But within a kind of boundary so that the area doesn't get destroyed.”

“Sustainable tourism is a kind of tourism that considers sustainability issues sustainability of the environment, sustainability of the economic system, local community there and so on.”