A Catbrook woman who was honoured with a Medal of the Order of the British Empire (BEM) in the King’s Birthday Honours List 2025 for Services to Tourism in Wales has been given her award at a ceremony at County Hall this week.

The medal was presented by the Lord Lieutenant of Gwent, Brigadier Robert Aitken,as the King's representative, and the image also shows County Councillor Peter Strong.

The citation was read by army cadet Morgans, chosen by Brig. Aitken and said that the award was for Meritorious Service to Tourism in Wales.

Fiona Wilton has spent a lifetime in the industry.

A Fellow of the Institute of Travel and Tourism before retiring she worked “at the coal face” in travel companies, gained extensive tertiary lecturing experience in Tourism to students, and became an International Tourism Consultant specialising in Tourism as a lever for Economic Development.

Having founded Monmouthshire Cottages near Tintern in SE Wales with her husband in the 1990s, she joined the board of Wye Valley and Forest of Dean Tourism, later becoming Chair, served as a Director of Capital Region Tourism, Chaired the South East Wales Tourism Forum for Visit Wales for two separate terms, and currently serves on the Destination Partnership group of Monmouthshire Tourism.

She says “Tourism is an eco-system. Small businesses like ours work hand in hand with big ones and with all levels of Government. We are interdependent and it’s important that everyone contributes as when tourism is well managed it’s certainly about the enjoyment of visitors to Wales- but it also provides huge economic and social benefit to local residents-and that’s all of us. It has been a pleasure and privilege to offer my time within Wales, where we chose to make our home and set up our business.”