They're pretty good at smiling at people and being polite and friendly which is all customers want really Cabbie Mark Roberts

The cruise liner Golden Princess is set to bring thousands of north American and Canadian visitors over the summer.

The island's county council says all kinds of tourist operations can benefit from the extra visitors.

It has launched a programme to allow the "Anglesey Ambassadors" cabbies to pick up visitors portside at Holyhead.

The Golden Princess liner, more used to sailing around the sunny Caribbean, is heading to Europe this summer to give travellers views of north Wales and other European ports.

The liner, which will arrive in Holyhead for the first time on 21 May, has 1,200 rooms spread over seven decks and can cater for up to 2,600 passengers.

She is expected at the port four times between May and August but visitors are also cruising in from Europe - 20,000 in all over the summer.

The authority's principal tourism officer Aviva Pearson said: "These cruise ship visits offer accredited local taxi and limo operators a unique opportunity to provide a service for many of the visitors who may wish to see Anglesey, or further afield, at their own pace rather than on the organised coach tours."

'Little things'

But only those drivers who have undergone the approved training programmes behind held at Llangefni in April will be allowed access to the disembarking passengers from overseas.

So far three-quarters of the island's cabbies have registered for the free training.

She says it is the little things which can help cabbies to impress their paying passengers, like keeping bottles of water in their cabs.

Caernarfon Castle is a popular stopping off point for visitors

"Everyone will benefit from this," said Ms Pearson.

"Every single attraction or accommodation provider on this island will benefit".

Friendships

"And the taxi drivers probably more than anyone because we're hoping they'll see an increase in tips."

Taxi driver Mark Roberts has been showing visitors around Anglesey and north Wales for 26 years.

He said he regularly finds himself booked for the day to take American visitors to Caernarfon Castle and has developed some long-distance friendships with some.

"A few families do like you to go with them and taken them round the shops and the castle," he said.

"They like hearing you talking Welsh to the various shopkeepers and they enjoy videoing you," said Mr Roberts.

But he believes drivers do not need any special training at picking up people.