7. Delivery, funding and monitoring 7.1
Organisation Management and Delivery
7.1.1 Strategy Implementation Team
Establishing the organisational and management structures and procedures to achieve the Strategy and Action Plan are central to the delivery of this Strategy. Tourism, Arts, Culture, Leisure and Marketing are spread across three Directorates in the Council. Collaborative relationships exist between directorates; however, these could be further embedded by establishing a cross-directorate operational team responsible for the Tourism Strategy 2017-2022 implementation phases. The crossdirectorate team would serve to further connect the tourism, culture and events, leisure and recreation and marketing operations within Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council. They could meet regularly (monthly) to ensure a coordinated approach to the implementation of this Strategy and Action Plan and monitor its progress against targets set. The Tourism, Town Centre and Regeneration Manager would lead the cross-directorate team and facilitate collaboration with, the private sector, Visit Belfast, Lough Neagh Partnership, Belfast Hills Partnership, Tourism Northern Ireland and Tourism Ireland. The Tourism Team should also have an ongoing monitoring and evaluation role in the delivery of the strategy. 7.1.2
Current partnerships
7.1.2.1 Visit Belfast Prior to the Council merger both Antrim and Newtownabbey legacy Councils had partnership agreements with Visit Belfast. Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council established a partnership agreement with Visit Belfast two years ago, prior to the Council merger. This is a bespoke agreement as it reflects the opportunities presented by the Visitor Information Centre (VIC) in Belfast International Airport (BIA); the Belfast Welcome Centre and the wide range of marketing networks and media channels to promote the Borough. The partnership agreement for 2016-17 expired at the end of March 2017, and Visit Belfast submitted a request to Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council to not only renew, but increase the cost associated with this partnership. The additional funding requested centred on the expansion of the VIC at BIA, with an extended desk, additional digital touch screen and additional staffing. The VIC at BIA currently offers the following services: • Free tourist information and advice on Belfast and Northern Ireland; • Accommodation booking service; • Transport tickets for onward travel; and • Tickets for tours. 2016/17 annual partnership agreement (£15,000) • Marketing and promotion: includes ‘gold’ platform promotion in Visit Belfast Welcome Centre, an external advertising screen, internal literature display, dedicated web presence for 7 key attractions, digital marketing channel, defined advertising in Visit Belfast Guide and corporate member benefits. (£10,000). • A presence at Visit Belfast’s BIA Visitor Information Centre located in the arrivals lounge: images on digital screens, Borough branding on the desk, fielding enquiries about the Borough including accommodation bookings and literature. In addition there are ‘destination images’ of the Borough
Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council: Tourism Strategy 2017-2022
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