VISIT DEVON
Beautiful opportunities! As we gallop towards what we hope will be a bumper season for 2022 across the south west, Visit Devon director Sally Everton forecasts it will be much more of a ‘normal’ year.
We are mindful that the international markets are opening up, and that competition for Mediterranean climates might appear more appealing but think there is still some wariness amongst some travellers about journeying overseas. Alongside Cornwall, Devon is still listed as the top destination to visit in England and we are working hard with our marketing campaigns to encourage visitors back to Devon to explore the wonder and diversity that Devon has. As mentioned in the last edition of Talking Tourism, recruitment Plan a great and staff shortages have been a major issue and still break away whilst are. Without assistance from Government to enable EU staff remaining clean and back in, this shortage of staff green! is likely to continue. There are not the applicants coming through to fill the vacancies, and seasonal workers that are normally recruited for the high season are struggling to find anywhere to live due to the housing shortage. Eco Friendly Devon A key strategy for us moving forward is to strive towards the carbon neutral target and thus having a dedicated area on our website to actively promote sustainability, for example, electric car
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TALKING TOURISM
charging points and promoting our ecofriendly members to enable our visitors to plan a great break away whilst remaining clean and green! From only using local, sustainable produce in their menus, to cutting down on their single use plastics, to powering their accommodation with solar or wind power, there are a whole range of ways to cut down on your carbon footprint and it is something that more and more businesses in Devon are offering. It isn’t just cafes with bamboo or paper straws or hotels with solar panels on the walls, many of Devon’s top attractions are working towards creating a more sustainable future for the region, including the National Marine Aquarium in Plymouth which not only introduces visitors to a whole host of marine life, but also works as a conservation charity dedicated to helping us all understand more about the ocean. Other attractions, such as the region’s open farms or places like Pennywell Farm are also great places to visit for a green day out – these farms will often serve food grown on their own land and also feature education facilities to help the younger generations learn more about how they can keep natural open spaces healthy.
SPRING 2022
