‘Hwyl can raise the heartbeat or relax the body; it’s your own particular form of happiness,’ says Welsh psychologist

The Danish word hygge, which summons a feeling of cosy, fire-crackling contentedness, has done its fair share for tourism in Scandinavia as well as sparking a string of self-help guides.

Now Visit Wales is aiming to draw tourists to its hills, valleys, coastlines and cities by harnessing the lovely Welsh word hwyl, which it defines as a “deep state of joy that comes from being totally immersed in the moment”, in its 2025 publicity drive.