In reply to richprideaux:
You make a valid point about the locals... things have improved in the past 30 years but I well remember having a flat tyre late one evening in the Cwm Bychan valley. I was driving a full minibus, up from University in Cardiff and it turned out we had no spare wheel. With a friend I walked to a local farm, apologised for the inconvenience, and asked if I could call the AA. The reply was cold, unhelpful and in Welsh. Fortunately my friend was from Camarthen, a native speaker and managed to charm the man into letting us use his phone (in exchange for 20 pence).
I lived for 20 years in Cardiff and have a Welsh heritage, I get the whole thing about protecting our culture, but your comments about wanting the benefits of tourism without the tourists rang a very strong chord with me. Despite the brilliant efforts of many, North Walian hospitality still has a mountain to climb.