South Downs Visitor Experience Development Plan

SOUTH DOWNS NATIONAL PARK VISITOR EXPERIENCE DEVELOPMENT PLAN 1503230, 1400204, 1506714, 1500624, 1502622 MAY 2018

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CONTENTS PAGE Introduction................................................................................................................................................................4 Understanding the Customer..........................................................................................................................6 Experience Development Strategy..............................................................................................................8 Existing Product Audit.....................................................................................................................................10 Stories of the South Downs National Park.........................................................................................12 Story 1: ‘Connect with the land, the stars and everything in between’.......................14 Story 2: ‘Archaeologically affluent - discover the lives that shaped the Downs.....16 Story 3: ‘Be inspired by the rich literacy and artistic culture of the South Downs National Park’ ...........................................................................................................18 Story 4: ‘Thrills on the Hills - The South Downs Way’.............................................................20 Story 5: ‘Back to Nature’........................................................................................................................22 All images within document are sourced from South Downs National Park Authority, 2018.

Experience Delivery.........................................................................................................................................24 Experience Development Plan Summary...........................................................................................28 Further Reading and References.............................................................................................................30

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INTRODUCTION

Located in the South of England, the South Downs National Park (SDNP) is the country’s newest National Park, opening to the public in 2011.

The SDNP stretches from Winchester to Eastbourne, accumulating to 87 miles in length and 1600km2 area. The area covers districts such as Hampshire, Arun and Lewes, as well as many smaller towns and villages, including Midhurst, Alfriston and Petersfield. The park offers rolling hills, breath-taking views, bustling market towns and hidden gems in every corner. Wherever you visit you can discover new dark sky sites, historic landmarks and become immersed in the unique experience of the South Downs.

Every mile of the SDNP holds its own stories and experiences, each with their own chapters for visitors to explore. This document will focus on five of these stories, each with their own hero products (key attractions), allowing visitors to understand some of what the SDNP has to offer.

‘LET THE SOUTH DOWNS NATIONAL PARK SUBTLY SEDUCE YOU’ (SDNP Authority, 2018)

Purpose of document This Experience Development Plan is one way that the South Downs National Park authority can re-strategize their current tourism management plan, putting the focus directly on to visitor experience to achieve a successful tourism destination. With the tourism industry ever-changing, experience management is becoming increasingly recognised as being highly important and valued.

It is vital to recognise the need to deliver and promote a unique experience for all South Downs National Park’s visitors. This Plan has been written in the hope to inspire and assist tourism businesses and stakeholders to deliver new and improved visitor experiences.

Objectives The key objectives of the South Downs National Park Experience Development Plan are to develop signature experiences for the South Downs that will: - Motivate visitors to stay longer and spend more - Extend the length of the season - Align to relevant brand, target markets and segments - Sustain and increase job creation in the local area - Protect the special environmental character of the region

Aims The Plan is supported by recommendations required to create an internationally recognised visitor experience. Through delivery of the Visitor Experience Development Plan, it is also the aim to: - Encourage and engage businesses and local partners - Maintain business engagement beyond the project lifetime - Build lasting links between national partners and local tourism experiences (Fáilte Ireland, 2016)

INTRODUCTION

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What is the South Downs National Park?

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CUSTOMER

SDNP attracts a strong local market. According to recent visitor market research, the segments most valuable to the Park are ‘Local Actives’, ‘Local Potterers’, ‘Local Sightseers’ and ‘UK Actives’ (TEAM Tourism Consulting, 2018). At the park’s current standpoint, the lowest value market segment is ‘Overseas Explorers’ as the market is small and harder to penetrate.

The chosen segments for this project are:

Actives

These visitors seek outdoor activities, fresh air and spectacular views.

Local Actives are the largest segment for SDNP.

Potterers

From surrounding counties, this segment visits for a range of reasons such as meeting friends, dining out or relaxing.

Sightseers

Enticed out of local areas by visitor attractions, events and experiences in the South Downs.

What are their motivations?

When creating this Experience Development Plan consideration was given to the visitor segments with the highest market value within the SDNP. Actives, Potterers and Sightseers and their relation to the National Park ‘stories’ will be referenced throughout this document.

Who’s visiting?

According to data accumulated by TEAM Tourism Consulting (2018) on behalf of the SDNP, the typical visitor has the following qualities...

Visiting for the day (78%) Visits frequently (at least twice a year) Lives in a near-by county Visiting with their partner White British (99%) AB socio-economic groupings

What are the strategic priorities?

Increasing the economic benefits of the identified customer segments is key for SDNP. To do this the Experience Development Plan has drawn upon visitor research to determine the segments that are best targeted by the developed experiences. In order to achieve the economic driven objectives it is essential to understand the ways to increase participation and spend, as well as extending the tourist season.

The South Downs is diverse in its offering.

Despite this, the targeted segments may value different experiences across the Park.

Actives are driven by easy outdoor activities, such as hiking or biking. They enjoy a challenge but also value good food and drink, heritage and quality accommodation, potentially camping or glamping.

Seeking unique and authentic experiences, ‘Potterers’ value independent shopping, and gentle activities. They may be enticed by local food markets, cafés and marketed experiences they consider worthwhile.

The sightseeing visitor’s primary motivation is to enjoy enriching experiences, whether that is a breathtaking view, local wildlife or a visitor attraction. They will also go out of their way for quality food and drink that suits their trip theme.

CUSTOMER

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UNDERSTANDING THE CUSTOMER

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STRATEGY

Experience development is more than a tourism development plan; it is engaging visitors in your story from start to finish. Visitors should be inspired to convert into ambassadors with personal connections to the experience that can be circulated and encourage new visitors to engage with the destination (Fáilte Ireland., 2016).

Today’s travellers are not just looking for something to do, they are looking to be immersed in the culture of a destination, involve all of their senses and create memories that they can treasure forever and share with friends and family.

They want to be blown away and create a

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Source: Adapted from Failte Ireland, 2016

personal relationship with an adventure that they can repeat over and over again.

“Creating tourism experiences is about being absolutely consumer-focused... offering unique and authentic experiences that motivate and fulfil these needs” (National Tourism Development Authority, 2018)

Unique selling points and stepping away from the product versus price mind-set can lead visitors to have revitalising moments that generate an army of advocates.

Could you be a hero product? The hero product is at the heart of a signature experience, and must constantly deliver the brand promise whilst positively benefiting the visitor (social, environmental and economic values). International visitors must engage with the hero product and it should have adaptable and accessible supporting and ancillary experiences.

International importance is essential alongside high market approval.

Brand Promise: Delivering consistent customer experience to the promised standard.

Unique Selling Proposition: What makes your story better than others?

Themes: Your stories that visitors can engage with.

Signature Experiences: The hero products that demonstrate best practise.

Supporting Experiences: The other activities that bring your story alive.

Ancillary Experiences: The refreshments, accommodation and shopping that complete the story.

STRATEGY

EXPERIENCE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

9 Source: Adapted from Failte Ireland, 2016

Supporting experiences aid hero products by being nearby endeavours that can be alternated by visitors depending on their personal interests. They are smaller scale attractions, are usually within 10 miles of the hero product and offer high level service that adapt the experience for each traveller.

The ancillary experiences include accommodation, shops, and pubs, restaurants and cafés. No signature experience is complete without them as they provide options to extend a day trip into a longer adventure. Ancillary products can vary from high end luxury services to lower range products that are not just of economical value but also offer something extra to tourists.

(National Tourism Development Authority, 2018).

Source: Adapted from Failte Ireland, 2016

In order to develop the experience strategy, it was essential to understand the tourism product on offer by the SDNP. In order to do this, an audit of the various attractions and businesses that will enhance a visitor’s time in the National park was completed. Using an application called Zee Maps (2018) and extensive searches within Trip Advisor LLC (2018a), the experience strategy development team co-created an interactive map of the top accommodation providers, food and drink related business, attractions, outdoor pursuits and event locations across the Districts within the SDNP. This analysis forms a reference point for the various experiences and ancillary products within the themed experiential packages to be created.

This map (page 11) also provides the first stage of a stakeholder database that will be used as a reference point for later essential experience strategy training and correspondence (Morrison, 2013).

By identifying these existing products and businesses it is possible to understand the best ways to package experiences in coordination with the SDNPA seven ‘Special Qualities’ and a visitor analysis (South Downs National Park, 2015).

Map Key: Black Pins: Districts Within the SDNP Blue Pins: Food and Drink Businesess Orange Pins: Attractions Green Pins: Outdoor Pursuits Yellow Pins: Accomodation Providors Purple Pins: Events

Zee Maps (2018)

STRATEGY 10

EXISTING PRODUCT AUDIT

STORIES

A destination’s product involves many aspects that is encompassed within the National Park boundary.

The SDNP has strong social, historical and environmental associations that come together as a package for many different visitor types. Due to the large number of communities, local histories and unique landscapes, it has often been the case with the SDNP that the tourism products are fragmented and hard to package.

The SDNPA is responsible for attractive product development that will add value to trips, the satisfaction of special interests and the assurance of consistent trip quality (Morrison, 2013). As a result of developing tourism experiences the SDNPA may be able to attract new target markets, increase visitations in off-peak seasons and add appeal to specific markets (Morrison, 2013).

In an attempt to achieve these associated benefits with the creation of experience the SDNPA has already completed extensive research into visitor markets and the qualities of the SDNP that are prioritised for further development. The seven ‘special qualities’ identified within the National Park have been developed through engagement with stakeholders and technical evidence (South Downs National Park, 2015). These seven qualities have been the foundation for the developed experience strategy.

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Story Development Product diversity is central to the South Downs. This is acknowledged in the Special Qualities the SDNPA (2015) has produced.

These qualities highlight the presence and importance of landscape, flora and fauna, history, activities and culture. The SDNP Stories reflect these aspects in headings that intend to resonate with certain visitor profiles. For example, the first story ‘Connect with the land, the stars and everything in between’ links with Special Qualities 1, 3 and 4. Within each story, ‘hero products’ (H) enable visitors to experience the story, these can be enhanced through ‘Signature experiences’ (S) and ‘Ancillary Experiences’.

The Seven Special Qualities of the SDNP:

SDNP Stories:

STORIES

STORIES OF THE SOUTH DOWNS NATIONAL PARK

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Why ‘Stories’?

Failte’s National Tourism Development Authority has identified that tourism ‘stories’ of the people or place are fundamental to a memorable experience in the destination (National Tourism Development Authority, 2018). Stories help to stir emotions and help the visitor to feel as thought they have learnt something new. The visitors impacted by authentic and effective destination stories will be more likely to share content through social media and word of mouth - this has been dubbed the most effective form of promotion (Kolb, 2017; Morrison, 2013; National Tourism Development Authority, 2018). By developing SDNP stories the authority hopes to achieve more defined products that will shape future marketing of the SDNP’s brand.

“Stories can be the reason an experience will stand out and create a meaningful and memorable journey for visitors. The story very often provides the stimulus that transforms a product into a lasting and memorable experience. stories are not limited to the spoken work, and may entail visual stimuli that tell the story or history of a place.”

(National Tourism Development Authority, 2018).

STORIES 14

The dominant geology of the South Downs is chalk, along with clay and greensands, shaping the land and creating picturesque views. Across the 87 miles of the Park there are diverse and striking landscapes, giving the South Downs its reputation of stunning beauty.

As well as offering impressive views during the day, the SDNP has many dark sky opportunities for visitors to connect with the galaxy above us. In May 2016, the SDNP became the world’s newest International Dark Sky Reserve (South Downs National Park Authority, 2018a).

A treat for the senses await any keen Sightseer visiting the SDNP. This ‘Story’ highlights the both famous and undiscovered landscapes, alongside specialist activities like bird watching and picnic hot spots.

Actives looking for some excitement will be blown away by the these dramatic SDNP settings. There is even a paragliding experience for the more daring Actives.

Hero Product 1: The Seven Sisters

The world famous chalk cliffs are one of the longest stretches of undeveloped coast line on the south coast. There are unspoilt views of the sea that can be seen at all angles. With 500 acres of open chalk grassland, the area is rich with butterflies and downland flowers for visitors to enjoy all year round. (National Trust, 2018b).

S1: Birling Gap The beach below is ideal for seaside picnics with its rock pools and areas of pebbles and sand. It is a first class example of a marine nature reserve.

S2: Belle Tout Lighthouse With 360° views of the English Channel, beautiful landscape, countryside and the enigmatic Seven Sisters.

S3: Cuckmere Valley Flower-rich chalk grassland with stunning views of the Cuckmere River. In 1836, a white horse was cut into the chalk on the steep scarp and it remains a popular natural attraction.

Hero Product 2: Devils Dyke

Devil’s Dyke is an outstanding mile-long view point on the South Downs. Legend has it, the Devil once claimed that he could dig through the dyke in one night to flood the Weald and drown all parishioners, creating the longest, deepest and widest ‘dry valley’ in the UK. S1: Saddlescombe Farm and Newtimber Hill A 450 acre hidden gem. Get back to nature and be greeted by hilly banks carpeted with flowers and teeming with insects.

S2: Dyke Golf Club Situated 650 feet above sea level, the golf club provides panoramic views of the National Park. The par 72 course was created in 1906 and is open for visitors to enjoy all year round.

Hero Product 3: Buster Hill

S3: Natural High Paragliding Experience a new perspective of the South Downs, by peacefully soaring above the Devil’s Dyke on a tandem flight.

The second highest point in the South Downs, standing at 814ft above sea level, is a good place to start and finish the West Sussex part of the South Downs Way. The hill delivers immense views of starry skies and is a perfect place for stargazers to enjoy the natural phenomenons.

S1: Queen Elizabeth Country Park Hampshire’s largest country park,, home to thousands of beautiful woodland and creatures. Visitors are welcome to enjoy the park all year round, with it being a perfect picnic spot or somewhere to enjoy some outdoor activities.

S2: Butser Ancient Farm An archaeological open-air museum that features experimental reconstructions of prehistoric Romano-British and Anglo-Saxon buildings.

S3: Bird Watching Butser Hill provides a vast range of woodland birds for bird watchers to discover and enjoy. There are hundreds of species that have been sited, with the Skylark and Wheatear being two of the summer sightings.

H1:Ancillary Experiences: H2:Ancillary Experiences: 1.Beachy Head Pub 1.Devil’s Dyke Pub 2.The Pilot Inn 2.South Downs Way B&B 3.The Ship 3.Shepherd and Dog 4.Saltmarsh Farmhouse 4.Saxon Cottage 5.Seven Sisters and Birling Gap 5.Rushfields Plant Centre Visitor Centre

STORIES

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Connect with the land, the stars and everything in between.

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H3:Ancillary Experiences: 1.The Five Bells Pub 2.The Hampshire Hog Pub 3.Queen Elizabeth Country Park Shop 4.Langrish House 5.The Trooper Inn

STORIES 16

The South Downs have been shaped by people for over 500,000 years. This rich history is dotted all over the hills from traces of Iron Age forts to Victorian houses (South Downs National Park, 2018b). Materials used to build homes and commercial properties give a deep insight to the lives of the long-gone people of the Downs who have thrived of the versatile land. Ancient Roman roads and prehistoric farming systems are also being continuously discovered.

Hero Product 2: Buster Ancient Farm

A unique experimental site featuring archaeological reconstructions of ancient buildings from the Stone, Iron, Roman and Anglo-Saxon periods built with authentic materials and techniques. The working farm also features rare breeds of animals such as pigs, goats and sheep. (Butser Ancient Farm, 2018).

S1: Queen Elizabeth Country Park 1500 acres of downland and woodland with a play area, dog activity course and bookable BBQ spots.

These historic experiences come hand in hand with quality cafés, quirky gift shops and pleasant views that will tickle any Potterer’s fancy.

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The Weald and Downland Living Museum is a 40 acre site with over 50 historic buildings such as a market hall and a working mill. Historical demonstrations take place throughout the year for example immersive Tudor cooking and blacksmiths forging metal. The recent ‘Gatehouse Project’ has supplied a state of the art café serving local delicacies. (Weald and Downland Living Museum, 2018).

S1: Amberley Museum and Heritage Centre Focused on the industrial heritage of the South East, this site features a bus service which provides free and nostalgic travel around the attraction.

S2: Chichester Watersports A freshwater lake fed by the South Downs is the perfect location to experience paddle boarding and water-skiing.

Hero Product 1: Bignor Roman Villa

Bignor Roman Villa is one of the largest the UK, featuring some of the most intricate mosaics in the country, one being as large as 82ft. Visitors can walk on floors dating from 350AD, allowing them to discover this important aspect of the South Downs’ ancient history.

S3: Fishbourne Roman Palace The largest Roman home in Britain, dating back to 75AD.

S3: West Sussex Falconry Get up close and personal with some of the world’s most majestic birds of prey.

Hero Product 3: Weald and Downland Living Museum

With multiple learning opportunities and historically important views any Sightseer would leave an Archaeologically Affluent Story feeling enlightened.

S1: Stane Street Trail The National Trust’s dog friendly, historical, circular walk passing through the ‘Rise of North Wood’ project, a recreation of ancient woodlands.

S2: Nyetimber Vineyard Taste England’s finest champagne at the estate first mentioned in the Doomsday book.

S2: Uppark House and Garden An18th century National Trust property, with views as far as the English Channel.

STORIES

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Archaeologically affluent: discover the lives that shaped the Downs.

S3: Trundle Hill Climb the Iron Age hill fort to experience amazing views of the Downs and the south coast. The Trundle is allegedly the burial place of a golden calf protected by the Devil.

H1:Ancillary Experiences: 1. Amberley Castle 2. The Star and Garter 3. Queens Room Restaurant 4. The Squire and Horse 5. The Old Printing Works Shopping Arcade

H2: Ancillary Experiences: 1. Wriggly Tin Huts 2. Landfall B&B 3. The Sustainability Centre 4. The Hampshire Hog 5. The Rising Sun 6. Clanfield Shopping Area

H3: Ancillary Experiences: 1. The Goodwood Hotel 2. Amberley Castle 3. The Partridge Inn 4. The Fox Goes Free 5. West Dean Stores

STORIES

The South Downs is home to an array of a rich literary and artistic culture. Many famous artists and writers based much of their work on the landscape and location of the South Downs, such as Jane Austen and Gilbert White. Visitors are able to learn the wonders of the famous composer William Blake, who wrote his well-known song ‘Jerusalem’ about the South Downs. Along with the history of these people and their work, the South Downs offers literary walks, allowing visitors to experience the history alongside the South Downs’ scenery.

Sightseers and Potterers will adore the unsuspected and abundant literary history within the SDNP. The hero products are enhanced with boutique galleries, chocolate making and walks with must-visit quirky food and drink experiences.

S2: The Interactive Park Explorer at Petworth Whilst taking a walk round the Petworth Park, visitors can open an app on their smart phone to discover secrets of the past and history of the town.

S3: Forest Gallery Boutique art gallery in the heart of Petworth displaying a wide variety of local and international original artwork.

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Hero Product 3: Gilbert White House

The home of the naturalist Gilbert White, where he completed his world-famous book ‘The Natural History of Selborne’. The house has the original manuscript of this book, along with his own furnishings and décor. The gardens to the house are also a great experience, with clever plantings and unique displays being enjoyable all year round.

Hero Product 1: Jane Austen House

The house was home to the famous writer for the last 8 years of her life. It was here that Jane flourished and where she wrote and published her major works including Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility. It is considered the world’s most treasured Austen site and has been opened to the public for all to enjoy (Jane Austen House, 2018).

S2: Chawton House Library Also along the Jane Austen Walk, home to her brother and much of her work.

The house is a 17th century mansion filled with an important and extensive art and sculpture collection. Petworth House currently has a William Blake exhibition on display showing much of his work which was inspired by the South Downs. The gardens are also available for guests to enjoy, being home to the largest herd of fallow deer in the UK (National Trust, 2018a; Trip Advisor LLC, 2018b).

S1: Petworth Cottage Museum The Cottage Museum is a West Sussex-style home, giving a glimpse of life in this region a hundred years ago.

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S1: Jane Austen House A literary trail that allows visitors to walk along the writer’s inspiration with a visit to her house on route.

Hero Product 2: Petworth House

STORIES

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Be inspired by the rich literary and artistic culture of the South Downs National Park.

S3: Chocolate Craft Guests can overindulge in this hands-on award winning chocolate making experience.

S1: Gilbert White Circular Walk A literary trail that allows visitors to walk along the writer’s findings.

S2: Writers Way Walk Another literary walk that passes three unique writer’s homes, Jane Austen, Gilbert White and William Cobbett.

H1:Ancillary Experiences: 1. The Greyfriar 2. The Ivy House 3. Alton House Hotel 4. Grayshott Spa 5. Alton Market

H2: Ancillary Experiences: 1. Petworth Antiques Market 2. The Stag Inn 3. Boswside Partnership 4. Orchard Park Farm 5. Tiffins Tea Room

S3: Selborne Pottery The studio shows stoneware that is hand thrown and decorated, available for visitors to buy.

H3: Ancillary Experiences: 1. Feather Down Farm 2. Newbarn Cottage 3. Selborne Tea Room 4. The Fox 5. The Mall

STORIES 20

The South Downs Way is a 100 mile footpath stretching from Winchester to Eastbourne and is a British National Trail. The majority of the path is a bridleway and so can be used by horse riders, cyclists and walkers. The trail passes through many towns and villages which means it provides interesting day trips and short breaks.

(Walk Unlimited, 2018).

The Trail passes through five National Nature Reserves and a large number of Sites of Special Interest where visitors can enjoy stunning wildlife. In order to be effectively sustainable, the South Downs National Park Authority offers a ‘Discovery Ticket’, helping visitors travel by bus in a cost-effective way. (South Downs National Park Authority, 2018c).

The South Downs Way is renowned for its spectacular views. This Story allows Sightseers, who may not typically choose to tackle the entire 100 miles, to experience the South Downs Way in manageable chunks.

Actives will be in their element within Thrills on Hills. These Hero Products break down the South Downs way into the three most enjoyable segments that will provide a unique experience whether on two legs, two wheels or with a furry friend. All levels can be catered for within these experiences, Actives could even plan their trip according to Signature Experiences in the Hero Products if they prefer less strenuous activity.

H2: Cocking Hill to Amberley The fifth leg of the South Downs Way. S1: Bignor Hill The walk up Bignor Hill to the top of the Slindon Estate is steep and may be challenging for some. Experience the views from the South Downs Way and the other footpaths and bridleways around Glatting Beacon are breathtakingly beautiful.

S2: Bignor Roman Villa Bignor Roman Villa is the stunning remains of a Roman home and farm with worldclass mosaic floors in a spectacular Downland setting.

Outside the Roman Villa, walk through the beautiful Nyetimber vineyard and explore the endless footpaths and stunning villages.

H3: Alfriston to Eastbourne via Jevington The tenth/final leg of the South Downs Way.

S3: Amberley Working Museum Amberley Museum is a 36 acre open air site dedicated to the industrial heritage of the south east.

Take a ride around the museum on the narrow gauge railway and historic bus.

STORIES

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Thrills on hills: action on the South Downs Way.

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S1: The Seven Sisters Seven Sisters Country Park is made up of 700 acres of chalk cliffs, meandering river valley and open chalk grassland.

S2: The Birling Gap Birling Gap is a beautiful and tranquil enclosed pebble beach set below the dramatic backdrop of the Seven Sisters cliffs.

S3: Beachy Head An area of spectacular coastline and countryside located on the most southerly tip of East Sussex.

H1:Ancillary Experiences: 1. Winchester Hotel and Spa 2. The Chesil Rectory 3. The Milburys Pub 4. The Shoe Inn 5. The Bucks Head

H2: Ancillary Experiences: 1. Park House Hotel 2. Moonlight Cottage 3. The Blue Bell 4. Amberley Castle 5. The Bridge Inn

H3: Ancillary Experiences: 1. Ye Olde Smugglers Inn 2. Wingrove House 3. The Eight Bells 4. The Beachy Head Vintage Inns 5. YHA Eastbourne

H1: Winchester to Exton

The first leg of the South Downs Way. S2: Cheesefoot Head S1: Winchester Cathedral This viewpoint offers beautiful Explore more than 1000 views and scenic walks across years of history in Europe’s surrounding Hampshire longest medieval Cathedral.

Downs. From this point, views Discover the beautiful can be seen of the New illuminated Winchester Forest, Isle of Wight, and Bible, 12th-century wall Butser Hill. paintings, medieval carvings, contemporary art and the awe and wonder of this magnificent building.

S3: Beacon Hill From the ancient beech trees on the top of Beacon Hill National Nature Reserve, heading along to the summit, at 201metres high you are rewarded by stunning views across the valley.

STORIES

The South Down National Park delivers plenty of iconic, protected British wildlife which benefits the country’s food crops and garden plants. There are a lot of opportunities for wildlife watching and rediscovering nature of the South Downs National Park (South Downs National Park Authority, 2018d).

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All of the visitor segments for the SDNP will have some degree of draw to the environment. This is why 'Back to Nature' will attract all three of the visitor segments identified for this experience plan. Sightseers will enjoy the views and learning experiences associated with this story, whilst Potterers will enjoy a fun day out with wide ranging Signature and Ancillary experiences. Actives may also enjoy interacting with local flora and fauna on walks in Kingly Vale.

Hero Product 2: Shortheath Common

Covering 143 acres in the South East of the country, the Shortheath Common is an important wet valley mire. Visitors can enjoy the common by walking, jogging, and angling with range of habitats which has a rich biological diversity, semi-natural oak and birch woodland.

S1: Alice Holt Forest S2: The Phoenix Theatre S3: Dean Farm Alice Holt is a royal forest and Arts Centre Golf Course which is located on the The theatre delivers diversity A large 29 hole Surrey/Hampshire border of entertainment such as course which is and provides a lot of unique comedy, drama, music and available to nonoutdoor activities. dance. Holiday activities are members all year also provided for children and round. young people.

STORIES

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Back to Nature.

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Hero Product 1: Kingly Vale

Kingly Vale is known for its twisted and ancient yew, which is the oldest tree in Britain. One story suggested that the tree was planted in order to make longbows in the Middle Ages. There are good opportunities to meet and greet British nature whilst walking around the mixed woodland and ancient forest in the South Downs.

S1: West Dean Gardens One of the greatest restored gardens in West Sussex. Visitors can explore its rich heritage and will be impressed by a 300 foot pergola, a spring garden with flint bridges and fibreglass trees all year around.

S2: Fishbourne Roman Palace British historical architecture from the first century that provides a unique, educational experience for all ages.

S3: Goodwood House Goodwood remains home to the current Earl and Countess of March and gives visitors an opportunity to explore the historic architecture and beautiful interiors of the house. There are range of activities and events all year round, including Festival of Speed and Revival.

Hero Product 3: Arundel Wetland Centre (WWT)

The wetland is protected by Wildfowl & Wetland Trust (WWT) and provides lots of opportunities to watch Sussex wildlife in quiet spots.

S1: Pond Slaters & Tree Creepers Playgrounds Two exciting adventures; Pond Slaters for under 8s, Tree Creepers for over 8s. It provides unique activities such as balancing, scrambling, swimming and sliding.

S2: Wetland Discovery Boat Safari 20 minute voyage with an expert guide.

S3: Bird watching Visitors will be able to see diving sea ducks, red breasted geese, great spotted woodpeckers and more.

H1:Ancillary Experiences: 1.The Goodwood Hotel 2.Park House Hotel & Spa 3.The Fox Goes Free 4.Chichester Town Centre

H2:Ancillary Experiences: 1.Chocolate Frog Company 2.The Red Lion 3.Alton House Hotel 4.Stubbs Farm Holiday Cottages

H3:Ancillary Experiences: 1.The Swan Hotel 2.Norfolk Arms Hotel 3.Putting Green CafĂŠ 4.Castle Chocolate of Arundel

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Following this plan may lead to businesses seeing an increase in visitor numbers, an extension of the current season, and a longer stay and spend from visitors. Whilst businesses will cope with this, the growing volume may create a range of challenges, and therefore, opportunities too.

Challenges:

Opportunities:

- Successful communication and engagement with stakeholders – It is difficult for you to engage with every single stakeholder, it is even more difficult to get every single stakeholder to engage with your plan. Be prepared for some businesses not to participate.

- Introducing a new market of visitors to the SDNP – By creating stories with lots of themes, people who may not have wanted to visit the SDNP will be encouraged to visit based on the variety of experiences.

- An overwhelming number of stories available – The SDNP is home to hundreds, if not thousands of stories, with some easily overlapping. It is important to keep your stories simple, yet with an effective synergy between experiences.

- Visitors may focus solely on ‘Hero Products’, forgetting to experience the full story – It is difficult for you to always successfully engage potential and current visitors with your stories.

Be prepared for not all your visitors to want to follow your story as you may imagine.

- Broaden the focus of the SDNP – The SDNP mostly brings in visitors looking for an adventure in the great outdoors. However, by implementing stories, you are able to offer something for all visitors, even those who wish to remain inside!

- Visitors may focus solely on ‘Hero Products’ – Although this was highlighted as a challenge, it is important to recognise that even with visitors only going to your ‘Hero Products’ income is being generated and visitors are engaging with elements of the stories.

For the South Downs National Park to create memorable moments and meet the needs of the target market, ensuring that all stakeholders are engaged and cooperative is an essential requirement. Implementation of the South Downs National Park Visitor Experience Development Plan and delivery of the signature/hero experiences requires each organisation to “make a shift on how they tell their story” (Fáilte Ireland, 2016) and work together to create these experiences to share with customers.

Recommendations To ensure a maximum amount of engagement amongst stakeholders and visitors, the following recommendations have been created, each with their own enablers of success, designed to make the process of experience management simple and effective.

Recommendation #1:

Develop stories that will resonate with visitors and generate business income.

Most visitors fail to see everything your location has to offer due to them visiting for a specific attraction, so ensuring they are aware of supporting and ancillary experiences can really increase income and visitor numbers.

Enabler of Success #1: When first beginning to design and implement your stories, developing a realistic time line to achieve goals is a must. To ensure successful implementation, there are three components that are necessary to consider: budgets, motivating the team, and feasibility (Kolb, 2017).

Enabler of Success #2: Follow the step-by-step guide to creating stories, found on page 27 of this document, to create memorable experiences for visitors., following the experience development triangle found on page 10.

DELIVERY

DELIVERY

EXPERIENCE DELIVERY

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Ensure that all stakeholders are fully engaged and prepared to become part of your ‘chapter’. Stakeholder engagement is essential for a successful story, as every ‘character’ needs to play their part in creating the visitor experience. Some stakeholders will be easy to engage with, whilst some may require some more work for them to fully understand what the benefits of becoming part of the story are.

Enabler of Success #1: Hold a workshop for all the relevant DMOs to meet and discuss ideas about experience development. From this, training programs can be made for DMOs regarding how to publish stories and use the new improved SDNP website (Recommendation #3).

Enabler of Success #2: Hold workshops for SMEs throughout the SDNP to discuss how they can create/ be a part of stories in their area. From this, training programs can be made for SMEs regarding how to get involved and engage with stories e.g. businesses on the South Downs Way can engage in a ‘Muddy Boots Welcome’ scheme and having a ‘Water Bottle Refill Station’ for walkers to use.

Recommendation #3:

Develop the SDNP website to make it more user friendly and accessible for visitors. The website also needs to allow newly developed stories to be published for visitors to browse.

Enabler of Success #1: To ensure that the website includes the stories of the South Downs, a re-design will need to be implemented, with a designated page for visitors to browse a range of stories. From this redesign, an itinerary planner will be added to maximise customer experiences on the website.

Enabler of Success #2: There will also be an ‘Industry Resource Section’ of the website, containing information for DMOs on how to create stories, guides on copy write and a photo store that will be free to use for industry professionals.

Enabler of Success #3: Finally, the website will give access to ‘story tellers’ (one from each DMO). This content management system will allow these people to upload stories from their DMO to the SDNP website, meaning visitors will have access to new and exciting stories regularly. There will be a workshop on how to use this system for ‘story tellers’ to attend.

How to Develop Your Own ‘Story’ STEP 1: FIND YOUR THEME.

To create a story that resonates with your customers, you need to find a theme that will interest them. This will be dependent on what you have to offer on your doorstep; that may be breath-taking views or rich history and culture. Find what visitors come to your location for. This can be done by seeing what the most visited sites are, or generating a questionnaire that can be asked to visitors when (if) they visit your TIC. This research should generate a number of themes that you will be able to turn into stories.

DELIVERY

DELIVERY

Recommendation #2:

STEP 2: WRITE YOUR TITLE.

Once you have found a theme, you need to make a title that will encapsulate your audience. Be creative! Use your theme as the main focus of your title and begin to tell your story, for examples see SDNP stories.

STEP 3: FIND YOUR ‘HERO PRODUCTS’.

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Once your story title has been created, find attractions in your location that fit with this theme. These can be anything from excellent dark skies spots, to a historical cathedral.

We would recommend three hero products for your story to appeal to a wider audience.

STEP 4: FIND YOUR ‘SUPPORTING EXPERIENCES’.

For each of your ‘Hero Products’, you should aim to find three ‘Supporting Experiences’. These can be smaller attractions such as museums or designated trails to capture all customer needs.

These need to be in close proximity to your ‘Hero Product’ so the visitor can use your story as an itinerary if they wish to.

STEP 5: FIND YOUR ‘ANCILLARY EXPERIENCES’.

For each of your ‘Hero Products’, you should aim to find three ‘Ancillary Experiences’. These are different to your ‘Supporting Experiences’ in that they are businesses such as accommodations and food outlets. These also need to be in close proximity to your ‘Hero and Supporting Experiences’ for the benefit of the visitor. You can chose your ‘Ancillary Experiences’ by through either engaging with business owners or listening to customer feedback to select the best.

STEP 6: PUBLISH YOUR STORY.

After completing your story, you need to make sure that all visitors are able to see it. Contact the SDNP Authority to publish your story on their website (if you don’t have access) and/or brochures.

SUMMARY

The objectives of the Experience Development Plan were to: - Motivate visitors to stay longer and spend more - Extend the length of the season - Align to relevant brand, target markets and segments - Sustain and increase job creation in the local area - Protect the special environmental character of the region But how do we know if these have been achieved?

We need to look into KPIs that should be reported annually to ensure responsible and sustainable tourism growth in the South Downs National Park. These KPIs can be broken down using the VERB model (Clegg and Gutic, 2013) to categorise.

The Future

In the future, the SDNP aims to expand further with the use of drone video footage being incorporated into stories and experiences., to make the stories more intriguing and less text-orientated.

A future recommendation would be to apply for funding opportunities, for example from Discover England, to increase budgets and take the concepts of stories to a bigger scale. For now, funding may be limited, so a final recommendation would be to link with local universities and colleges, and use their students to aid you with marketing, design and content.

Conclusion

To summarise, the purpose of a Visitor Experience Development Plan is to maximise visitor experiences, with the creation of exciting stories aiding this. It is important to remember that stakeholder engagement is key and without it you may struggle to have a complete experience triangle (see page 10). Designing stories is a new and exciting way to communicate to your visitor and increase expenditure, so make sure to follow the step-by-step guide to complete them efficiently. Please feel free to contact us at the SDNP Authority if you have any queries.

SUMMARY

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EXPERIENCE DEVELOPMENT PLAN SUMMARY

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Further Reading: • Bignor Roman Villa. (2009). ‘Visiting’, Bignor Roman Villa. Available at: http://www.bignorromanvilla.co.uk/Visiting/index.asp (Accessed: 5 March 2018).

• Brfc.bmfa.org. (2018). Brighton Radio Flying Club. Available at: http://brfc.bmfa.org/ (Accessed 2 Mar. 2018).

• Brighton-hove.gov.uk. (2018). Devils Dyke | Brighton & Hove City Council. Available at: https://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/content/ leisure-and-libraries/parks-and-green-spaces/devils-dyke (Accessed 2 Mar. 2018).

• Brown, A. and Rowan, T. (2016). South Downs National Park Authority Visitor Survey 2015. Available at: https://www.southdowns.gov. uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Visitor-Survey-2015-Final-report.pdf (Accessed 5 March. 2018) • Butser Ancient Farm. (2018). ‘Home’, Butser Ancient Farm. Available at: http://www.butserancientfarm.co.uk/ (Accessed 10 March 2018).

• Culture24.org.uk. (2018). Bignor Roman Villa | Culture24. Available at: http://www.culture24.org.uk/am9516 (Accessed 30 Apr. 2018).

• Day Out With The Kids. (2018). Amberley Museum and Heritage Centre | Day Out With The Kids. [online] Available at: https://www. dayoutwiththekids.co.uk/amberley-museum-and-heritage-centre (Accessed 30 Apr. 2018).

• Discoveringfossils.co.uk. (2018). Beachy Head (East Sussex) fossils | Discovering Fossils. Available at: http://www.discoveringfossils. co.uk/beachy-head-east-sussex/ (Accessed 30 Apr. 2018).

• Gilbert Whites House. (2018). Gilbert White’s House & Gardens to Visit in Hampshire, Near Portsmouth, Southampton & Basingstoke. Available at: http://gilbertwhiteshouse.org.uk/ (Accessed 4 Mar. 2018).

• Hants.gov.uk. (2018). Cheesefoot Head. Available at: https://www.hants.gov.uk/thingstodo/countryside/finder/cheesefoothead (Accessed 30 Apr. 2018).

• Hants.gov.uk. (2018). Shortheath Common Local Nature Reserve. Available at: https://www.hants.gov.uk/thingstodo/countryside/ finder/shortheathcommon (Accessed 30 Apr. 2018).

• Jane Austen’s House Museum. (2018). Jane Austen’s House Museum. Available at: https://www.jane-austens-house-museum.org.uk/ (Accessed 30 Apr. 2018).

• Lewes.co.uk. (2018). Lewes Hotels. Available at: http://www.lewes.co.uk/hotels (Accessed 30 Apr. 2018).

• National Trust. (2018). Cuckmere Valley. Available at: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/cuckmere-valley#Overview (30 Apr. 2018).

• National Trust. (2018). Devil’s Dyke. Available at: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/devils-dyke#Overview (Accessed 30 Apr. 2018).

• National Trust. (2018). Harting Down. Available at: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/harting-down (Accessed 30 Apr. 2018).

• National Trust. (2018). Monk’s House. Available at: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/monks-house#Overview (Accessed 30 Apr. 2018).

• National Trust. (2018). Things to see and do at Saddlescombe Farm and Newtimber Hill. Available at: https://www.nationaltrust.org. uk/saddlescombe-farm-and-newtimber-hill/features/things-to-see-and-do-at-saddlescombe-farm-and-newtimber-hill (Accessed 2 Mar. 2018).

• Nationaltrail.co.uk. (2018). Route Description & Downloads | National Trails. Available at: https://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/southdowns-way/routes (Accessed 30 Apr. 2018).

• PonyAxeS (2018) The South Downs Way. Available at: https://ponyaxes.com/contact/south-downs-way/ (Accessed: 26 February 2018).

• Saltmarsh Farmhouse. (2018). Saltmarsh Home. Available at: http://www.saltmarshfarmhouse.co.uk/ (Accessed 2 Mar. 2018).

• Tripadvisor.co.uk. (2018). The 10 Best Things to Do in Petworth - 2018 (with Photos) | TripAdvisor - Must See Attractions in Petworth, West Sussex. Available at: https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attractions-g504229-Activities-Petworth_West_Sussex_England.html (Accessed 30 Apr. 2018).

• Upperparsonagefarm.co.uk. (2018). Upper Parsonage Farm | Luxurious Bed and Breakfast | Petersfield, Hampshire. Available at: http://www.upperparsonagefarm.co.uk/ (Accessed 2 Mar. 2018).

• Visit Chichester. (2018). Kingley Vale Trail. Available at: http://www.visitchichester.org/activity/kingley-vale-trail (Accessed 30 Apr. 2018).

• Visit South East England. (2018). ‘Bignor Roman Villa’, Visit South East England Available at: http://www.visitsoutheastengland.com/ things-to-do/bignor-roman-villa-p1132881 (Accessed 10th March 2018).

• Visit-hampshire.co.uk. (2018). Accommodation Hotels, B&Bs, Guest Houses in Hampshire. Available at: https://www.visit-hampshire.co.uk/accommodation/ searchresults?sr=1&producttype=RETA&rprodprox=on&proxdist=10&prox=478601&proxbands=10%7C5%7C2%7C0.5 [Accessed 30 Apr. 2018].

• Westsussex.info. (2012). Bignor, West Sussex. Available at: http://www.westsussex.info/bignor.shtml (Accessed 30 Apr. 2018).

• Winchester Tourist Information. (2018). Winchester Cathedral. Available at: http://www.visitwinchester.co.uk/winchester-cathedral (Accessed 30 Apr. 2018).

• Wwt.org.uk. (2018). WWT Arundel - Arundel Wetland Centre. Available at: https://www.wwt.org.uk/wetland-centres/arundel/ (Accessed 30 Apr. 2018)

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REFERENCES • Butser Ancient Farm. (2018). Butser Ancient Farm. Available at: http://www.butserancientfarm. co.uk/ (Accessed 10 March 2018).

• Fáilte Ireland. (2016). Skellig Coast Visitor Experience Development Plan. Dublin, Fáilte Ireland • Jane Austen’s House Museum. (2018). Jane Austen’s House Museum. Available at: https://www. jane-austens-house-museum.org.uk/ (Accessed: 30 April 2018).

• Kolb, B. (2017). Tourism Marketing For Cities and Towns. 2nd ed. Oxon: Routledge.

• Morrison, A. M. (2013) Marketing and Managing Tourism Destinations. Oxon: Routledge.

• National Tourism Development Authority (2018) Experiences Explained: A Guide to Understanding and Developing Memorable Tourism Experiences. Available at: http://www. failteireland.ie/FailteIreland/media/WebsiteStructure/Documents/4_Corporate_Documents/ Strategy_Operations_Plans/Experiences-Explained.pdf?ext=.pdf (Accessed: 30 April 2018).

• National Trust (2018a) Petworth. Available at: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/petworth-houseand-park (Accessed: 28 February 2018).

• National Trust (2018b) Birling Gap and the Seven Sisters. Available at: https://www.nationaltrust. org.uk/birling-gap-and-the-seven-sisters (Accessed: 2 March 2018).

• South Downs National Park Authority. (2015) South Downs National Park Special Qualities.

Available at: https://www.southdowns.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/SDNP-SpecialQualities.pdf (Accessed on 25 February 2018) • South Downs National Park Authority (2018) Technical Toolkit for Designers. Available at:: https://www.southdowns.gov.uk/communicating-south-downs/technical-toolkit-for-designers/ (Accessed: 15 March 2018).

• South Downs National Park Authority. (2018a) International Dark Skies Reserve. Available at: https://www.southdowns.gov.uk/communicating-south-downs/dark-night-skies/introduction/ (Accessed: 30 March 2018).

• South Downs National Park Authority. (2018b) Schools Celebrate South Downs Built Heritage.

Available at: https://www.southdowns.gov.uk/schools-celebrate-south-downs-built-heritage/ (Accessed: 30 March 2018).

• South Downs National Park Authority. (2018c) Discovery Ticket. Available at: https://www. southdowns.gov.uk/enjoy/plan-a-visit/getting-around/discovery-ticket/ (Accessed: 30 March 2018).

• South Downs National Park. (2018). Wildlife. Available at: https://www.southdowns.gov.uk/ discover/wildlife/ (Accessed: 30 April 2018).

• TEAM Tourism Consulting (2018) South Downs National Park Visitor Market Proposition.

Internal Report. South Downs National Park. Unpublished.

• Trip Advisor LLC (2018a) Home Page. Available at: https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk (Accessed: 15 February 2018).

• Trip Advisor LLC (2018b). Petworth House and Park - 2018 All You Need to Know Before You Go (with Photos) - TripAdvisor. Available at: https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Reviewg504229-d2319072-Reviews-Petworth_House_and_Park-Petworth_West_Sussex_England.html (Accessed: 30 April 2018).

• Walk Unlimited (2018) The South Downs Way. Available at: https://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/ south-downs-way (Accessed: 26 February 2018).

• Weald and Downland Living Museum. (2018). Weald and Downland Living Museum. Available at: http://www.wealddown.co.uk/ (Accessed 10th March 2018).

• Zee Maps (2018) South Downs National Park. Available at: https://www.zeemaps.com/ map?group=2896880 (Accessed: 24 February 2018).

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