One of Wales’s newest and most luxurious glamping experiences played a starring role in the recent 2018 Wales Tourism Week.

Celtic Escapes, a new £1 million holiday experience developed by the Pendleton family at Noble Court, Narberth, featuring sumptuous safari tents, log pods and grand lodges, was the backdrop for the launch of a week-long programme of events championing Wales’s tourism industry.

Celtic Holiday Parks’ director, Huw Pendleton, welcomed Wales’s Tourism, Culture and Sports Minister, Lord Elis-Thomas, to officially launch the new accommodation.

The minister, who was joined by over 160 people from tourism businesses, caravan and lodge manufacturers and suppliers, was given a glimpse of the latest addition to the Celtic Holiday Parks’ offering.

Mr. Pendleton told the Minister that the company was targeting high-end customers with Celtic Escapes.

“We want to provide sensational holidays for people enjoying the best views in a relaxing space which is a low-density development,’’ he said.

“It is a very exciting time for us at Celtic Holiday Parks and we have been looking forward to welcoming our first guests to the new Hampton Lodges. Our Safari Tents have proved extremely popular this year with bookings outperforming our forecasts.’’

The Pendletons have three holiday parks in Pembrokeshire and employ over 40 staff.

The minister was introduced to several members of that loyal workforce, including head of maintenance Jamie Hancock who, since his appointment some 10 years ago, has mowed and maintained a grassed area that would cover the whole of Wales many times.

“Jamie has also sited and moved over 1,000 caravans, giving a true meaning to the word mobile home,’’ continued Mr. Pendleton.

The Minister met guest services manager, Cat Llewellyn, who has also been with the company for over a decade.

During that time she has welcomed thousands of visitors and taken hundreds of thousands of phone calls.

Head of housekeeping, Giovanna Ravenscroft, loves the company so much that she has returned twice, taking responsibility for making thousands of beds and co-ordinating slick changeovers.

Her colleague, Jane Ritchey, has been with the company for over 10 years, zipping together hundreds of mattresses and ironing enough bedding to cover the entire landbase at Skomer Island.