4 minute read
A BUMPER SUMMER?
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 and staff shortages have been a major issue and still are. Without assistance from Government to enable EU staff back in, this shortage of staff 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 charging points and promoting our eco- friendly 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.
Countryside and Coast
With two national parks, a wonderful coastline and several areas of outstanding natural beauty and sites of scientific interest, it is important that we work together to help preserve and protect this naturally beautiful county. With this in mind, it’s no wonder that so many people are turning eco-tourism, an idea to allow travellers to enjoy natural environments while also supporting conservation efforts. Luckily, Devon is happily embracing this new concept and offering a whole host of eco-friendly places to stay, visit and eat all over the county. Other priority themes other than Zero Carbon are:
• Accessible and Inclusive - to be the most accessible destination in the UK.
• Improving Productivity - addressing seasonality; value per visitor; data and research and collaboration.
• Building Resilience - strengthen business networks; support businesses and protect consumers through a compulsory registration scheme, build community wealth and strengthen the supply chain. • Skills and Employment - Kick start recovery by getting people back into employment; support growth businesses; improve digital skills and provide career paths • Marketing and Communications - promote the region to new and growth markets as a place for business events. • Improve Connectivity - encourage and support digital and transport infrastructure improvements.
Devon and the wider south west has traditionally been a leader in the development of sustainable tourism with its Sustainability South West programme in 2016 and the Discover Devon Naturally Project in 2006. Historically, it has had a relatively high number of businesses belonging to the Green Tourism Business Scheme but this has recently reduced, which is thought to be due to failings in the scheme rather than lack of interest in sustainability. Understanding this further will be key to how we engage our businesses again. Visit Devon will be looking at working closely with our industry partners such as UKinbound, Visit England and Visit Britain to ensure we have a strong presence in the global marketplace, so as the pentup demand from overseas markets is recognised and we can be a welcoming destination with our open space, our beautiful coastal and stunning countryside and exceptional food and drink offering produced within the county.
