American visitors explore their Welsh roots

David Melding AM, Deputy Presiding Officer at the National Assembly of Wales, welcomed visitors from Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania to the Senedd during their recent tour of Wales, which we organised.

Bryn Mawr College is a women's arts college in the town of Bryn Mawr near Philadelphia in the United States. The town of Bryn Mawr takes its name from a house near Dolgellau which was owned by Rowland Ellis, a Quaker who emigrated to America in1686 as a result of religious persecution. Bryn Mawr College itself was founded by Quakers in 1885.

The group travelled all over Wales on a 10 day tour organised on behalf of Academic Arrangements Abroad by Janet Redler Travel and Tourism in Montgomery. As well as the National Assembly and Cardiff, the group visited Swansea, Snowdonia, the Conwy Valley, Llangollen and of course the Bryn Mawr Estate near Dolgellau.

Janet Redler, Chief Executive of Janet Redler Travel and Tourism, said: “We are seeing increasing interest from visitors across the world in coming to Wales. In this case, Bryn Mawr has a deep association with Wales and a history going back over 300 years. It was a pleasure to help bring these tourists over from America to find out more about Wales and their Welsh heritage.”

Visit Wales, the body set up to encourage more tourism to Wales, has offices in the US and works closely with tour operators like Janet Redler Travel and Tourism to bring visitors to Wales to experience the culture, language and historic towns that the country has to offer.

David Melding AM said: “I was delighted to welcome this American delegation to the Senedd and to show them the hospitality that Wales is renowned for across the world.”