Welsh stars from all walks of life gathered today to herald the launch of Wales’s newest and most exciting tourist attraction - it’s very own version of Hollywood’s Walk of Fame.

The Welsh National Walk of Fame, in association with Lloyds TSB is to be situated in Cardiff Bay, the heart of the Welsh capital, and will pay tribute to the creme de la creme of the nation’s historical figures and celebrities. Backed by Cardiff Harbour Authority, Cardiff Council and visitwales and offering opportunities to a host of Welsh businesses, the Walk will showcase a series of individual Welsh slate plaques honouring the great and the good of Wales. Running from the water’s edge to the Roald Dahl Plass it will create a brand new landmark for Wales.

The Welsh National Walk of Fame Academy, consisting of prestigious Welsh figures, will draw up the nomination list of stars from Wales’ past and present across five categories, Business achievement & Politics, History & The Arts, TV & Film, Music and Sports.

Celebrities including singing sensations Tom Jones and Charlotte Church, former Prime Minister David Lloyd George, actors Catherine Zeta Jones and Anthony Hopkins, and rugby legends Gareth Edwards and Neil Jenkins are just a few of the famous names all hotly tipped to feature in this exciting new visitor attraction in the heart of Cardiff Bay.

Councillor Nigel Howells, Executive Member for Sport Leisure and Culture, added, “Cardiff Harbour Authority has been keen to support this project from the very beginning. With the Walk of Fame being situated at Roald Dahl Plass, in the centre of Cardiff Bay, this will provide a year round visitor attraction, which I am sure will be popular with both Welsh and International visitors alike.”

The whole nation will then be invited to choose their heroes with the public voting process opening next April and the first 30 plaques, celebrating five stars from each category, will be laid in October 2007 following a star-studded induction ceremony.

Huw Morgan, Lloyds TSB's Area Director for Wales said, “We are delighted - and proud - to support the Welsh National Walk of Fame. Lloyds TSB has long been at the heart of the Welsh community not just as a bank but as a leading employer. We are excited that people across Wales will get the chance to vote for their favourite heroes.”

The first of its kind to be launched in a UK capital city, the national attraction has been developed by Brighton-based Walk of Fame Ltd. the trade mark copyright owners of the cultural attractions in the UK. Unlike its LA counterpart, the Welsh National Walk of Fame honours achievement from all genres and will see an additional five stars being inducted once a year for the next decade.

Wales has proven to be a fountain of talent and the Welsh National Walk of Fame will recognise the stars that the country has produced throughout its history. We expect a fantastic response from famous Welsh faces who would be honoured to be receiving such an accolade.