Talking Tourism winter 2019 by Business Cornwall

talking tourism WINTER 2019/20 · ISSUE 1

HOW WILL BREXIT IMPACT ON SOUTH WEST TOURISM? INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

• Marketing Devon & Cornwall overseas • The impact of awards • Fighting back against plastic pollution

become a tourism business supporter And help save the lives of residents and visitors in Cornwall

In 2018 more than 15% of airlifted patients were tourists – that equates to 131 adults and 30 children taking the ﬂight they didn’t plan to take when they visited Cornwall. Despite this, less than 5% of donations to the charity came from the tourism sector – with your help we can change this. If you have a business in the tourism sector, we need you to become a Tourism Business Supporter to fund these vital missions. There are many ways you can support us, so get in touch today to ﬁnd out what you can do.

TALLAND BAY HOTEL

I have learned that the Cornwall Air Ambulance responds to a disproportionately large number of incidents involving visitors to Cornwall and that the Tourism sector provides a disproportionately small quantum of the funds required to provide the Cornwall Air Ambulance. I strongly believe that, armed with that knowledge, our visitors would wish to correct that imbalance. It is our job to provide that knowledge and the conduit for their generosity. One day the life they save may be their own. – Kevin O’Sullivan, Hotel Owner, Talland Bay

cornwallairambulancetrust.org/CORPORATE Cornwall Air Ambulance, Trevithick Downs, Newquay, Cornwall TR8 4DY | Registered charity 1133295 01637 889926

corporate@cornwallairambulancetrust.org

Your business can help save lives

@cornwallairamb

CONTENTS & CONTACTS

What’s inside this issue... TOURISM NEWS

EDITOR Nick Eyriey nick@businesscornwall.co.uk

PUBLISHER/ADVERTISING MANAGER Toni Eyriey toni@businesscornwall.co.uk Tel: 01209 718688

VISIT CORNWALL Malcolm Bell mal@visitcornwall.com Tel: 01872 276529

LEADERSHIP

A catch up on current tourism news in Devon and Cornwall

FILM & TV

How Poldark has impacted Cornish tourism

LOBBYING

High-priority areas to make your voice heard Interview with Visit Cornwall’s chairperson Jill Stein

VISIT CORNWALL

VISIT DEVON Sally Everton sally.everton@visitdevon.co.uk Tel: 07976 711785

CHARITY

DESIGN design@businesscornwall.co.uk

LEGAL

PRINT Printed in Cornwall by Deltor

MARKETING OVERSEAS

TALKING TOURISM is published 4 times a year by:

Tonick Business Publishing Pool Innovation Centre Trevenson Road Redruth TR15 3PL

Tel: 01209 718688

A summary of the benefits of membership

Cornwall Air Ambulance appeals for support from the tourism industry Focus on you Terms and Conditions

How tourism in Devon and Cornwall is publicised abroad

AWARDS & ACCREDITATIONS

Stephen Chidgey of the Old Barn Tregothena, reveals how awards have impacted his self-catering business

ENVIRONMENT

How Devon and Cornwall are fighting back against the tide of plastic pollution

VISIT DEVON

How can membership benefit you?

No part of this publication may be reproduced, copied, stored in an electronic retrieval system or transmitted without the written permission of the publisher.

ACCESS FOR ALL

JUST AN OPINION

Stringent efforts have been made by Tonick Business Publishing to ensure accuracy. However, due principally to the fact that data cannot always be verified, it is possible that some errors or omissions may occur.

COMMUNITY

Cornwall Community Foundation (CCF) describes its new tourism and leisure initiative Disability issues for the tourism sector Understanding international tourism opportunities, by Niall MacDougall, MD at Urlaub Cornwall Travel Services

Tonick Business Publishing can not accept responsibility for such errors or omissions. Tonick Business Publishing accepts no responsibility for comments made by interviewees that may offend.

www.visitdevon.co.uk

TALKING TOURISM · WINTER 2019/20

WELCOME

Welcome to Talking Tourism This is the first edition of Talking Tourism which is a collaboration between Tonick Business Publishing (publisher of Business Cornwall magazine), Visit Cornwall and Visit Devon

Although there is so much e-communication, if you are like us it is all getting to “e-much”. Most, if not all, of us are plagued with emails and enewsletters from every angle and all you want to do is give it a quick look and hopefully be able to delete it as quickly as possible, so you can concentrate on the ones that have a direct impact on your bottom line. The beauty of the printed format is that you can place it to one side and then browse and read at our leisure and often keep for future reference – so hence Talking Tourism. We will be producing four editions a year with the cost covered by advertising from suppliers to our sector and we will endeavour to ensure that the vast majority of the content is valued information and insights to help you and your business.

We would welcome your feedback and suggestions for future content

This edition will give you a range of information and updates on some of the activities we are undertaking to not only help get you more customers but give you ideas to grow or support your business. This includes research activities and more importantly key learning points from the research, an update on our activities with regard to the travel trade, overseas markets, representation and lobbying, media relations & PR and much more. We would welcome your feedback on this new publication together with any suggestions for content for the future editions, please provide feedback directly to us at mal@visitcornwall.com or sally.everton@visitdevon.co.uk

TALKING TOURISM · WINTER 2019/20

www.visitcornwall.com

SKILLS HUB

Work Smarter

Staff development has the power to boost efficiency and make your people shine. We can help you nurture your talent and make your business thrive.

Martyn Pipe Jo Downs Handmade Glass Through the Skills Hub we have been able to quickly find courses that are right for our needs and explore funded opportunities – something that would have taken considerable time had we not had the project at our side.

Amanda Winwood Made for Life Organics

Martin Davies Café Tengo

Tor Amran & Lucy Jones The Cornish Food Box Company

We would have invested quite a bit of time in training but being able to instantly access courses that were readily available and suited our needs has been invaluable. Having an affiliation with the Skills Hub fast tracked us to get moving.

I recommend other companies get a Skills Review. It’s good to just get an idea of where you are and where you can be. They have been helpful every stage of the way and the training itself has been top quality.

By investing just a few hours of our time with the Skills Hub, we have saved countless others. The positive effect on staff morale has been instant. We are proud to be offering our team opportunities to develop their career.

Call us or go online:

01209 708660 ciosskillshub.com

Request your FREE Skills Review today

GENERAL NEWS

other to encourage visitors to their region, and to hear of the exciting initiatives ahead. At the top of the agenda was the opportunity to hear more about the new December timetable, which will see the biggest change to GWR services in 40 years. The timetable, launching on December 15, will see faster, more frequent services, and more seats – further supporting destinations across the south west. TARGETING YOUNG VISITORS VisitEngland has launched the next phase of its campaign to get more young Brits to take a short break at home with a series of new short films and images. The new content targets young people with experiences and activities typically taken during a gap year that can be condensed into what VisitEngland has termed a ‘Microgap,’ described as “the best bits of a gap year in a few days in the UK”. The series of five 10-second clips and ten images urge young Brits to ‘Go Wild,’ ‘Learn More,’ ‘Switch Off’ and ‘Give Back’ and are displayed on digital billboards at sites across England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. A longer 30-second clip was used across online channels including social media, digital display and ‘on demand’ television adverts during the six week campaign that runs until the end of October.

TOP TIPS According to latest figures, staycations are up 7%, with seven out of ten Brits holidaying in the UK this summer. Renewable energy provider Opus Energy, share its top five tips on how to market your business to British holiday makers.

TALKING TOURISM · WINTER 2019/20

GWR ON TRACK Tourism chiefs from across the region met aboard Bristol’s SS Great Britain recently as they attended a Great Western Railway partner seminar promoting UK travel. Over 30 tourism partners from across the network, including English Heritage, local tourism boards, and community rail partnerships came together to learn from each

DEMENTIA-FRIENDLY TOURISM VisitEngland has launched a new guide to help tourism businesses become more dementia-friendly. The Dementia-Friendly Tourism Guide, launched in partnership with Alzheimer’s Society, supports tourism businesses in accommodating visitors living with dementia through top tips, case studies and signposts to resources. The guide, developed with England’s Inclusive Tourism Action Group, lists the benefits that businesses will experience alongside the huge impact that these can have on the lives of 850,000 people living with dementia in the UK. Improvements do not need to involve significant investment and the guide highlights the small steps businesses can take, organised around the themes of Information, People and Place. Visitors with dementia face a number of challenges including having the confidence to travel, communicating in noisy environments and becoming disorientated ONLINE Gone are the days where people sit with a travel agent to choose their holiday. These days, most people do their research about a place online. Therefore, it’s important your website looks the part. Make sure it’s easy to use, includes up to date information and good quality images and videos to show your business off. SOCIAL MEDIA Social media is a very cost-effective and targeted way of engaging with potential customers. Before you sign up to every platform though, think about where your audience might be; you might not necessarily need a

Head of marketing and sales for GWR, Amanda Burns, said: “GWR recognises only too well the value of rail to the national and to local economies. The new timetable in December gives us a huge opportunity to invite even more people to visit the south west, both from within the UK, and from abroad – and to take advantage of the full benefits that rail travel has to offer in helping people get to great places.”

when navigating new places or long routes. By becoming dementia-friendly, a business will be able to help people with dementia live better lives. Employers will also experience many benefits, such as increased revenue and competitive advantage, improved customer service and enhanced reputation. It will also improve seasonal spread as tourists with dementia prefer to travel in quieter periods and will future-proof businesses by tapping into a growth market. To download the guide, visit the visitbritain.org website. presence on all platforms. However, according to Facebook, 68% of millennials came across ideas for a trip away on Facebook, so it’s worth investigating which platform is best for you. Make sure you’re posting interesting, creative and visually appealing content that your audience will want to engage with. Tailor this content for each platform you’re posting on, as you can’t expect the same post to work across all channels. PARTNERSHIPS Consider extending your reach by partnering with sites such as Groupon or Vouchercloud. Using sites like these could expose your business to more ready-to-buy customers with

www.visitcornwall.com

GENERAL NEWS

THE CELTIC WAY

FUNDING POT AVAILABLE

The Cornish Celtic Way is a new pilgrimage route in Cornwall that follows ancient saints’ pathways from St Germans to St Michaels Mount.

Cornish hospitality businesses including hotels, restaurants, pubs, coffee shops and cafes, bars, campsites, attractions and B&Bs are being invited to take advantage of a pot of £500k, available through the Together for Tourism Futures (TFT programme).

Championed recently in The Guardian and The Telegraph, it is becoming increasingly popular with locals and visitors alike. The accompanying guidebook has been requested all over the world and traction for accommodation is gaining momentum. Like with the famous Camino de Santiago, the route has stamp locations where pilgrims stop and have their passports stamped and verified. So, if you have a café (or accommodation) anywhere along the route, and would like to be part of this, the Cornish Celtic Way team would love to hear from you.

Stamp holders will be provided with a stamp with a design of their own choosing. Accommodation providers will be included on a promotional list in return for a 10% discount for pilgrims on their standard price. To find out more, please email: hello@ cornishcelticway.co.uk

Businesses that join the European-funded scheme, which is being delivered by Newquay for Excellence Training (NfET), will access a business mentor who will work with internal team members, swiftly identifying key issues faced by the establishment and build a gold-standard tailored development programme. Other support available includes: introduction to trainer skills, workplace coaching and mentoring, workshops tailored to your business needs and business networking with Cornwall’s finest hospitality businesses.

GROWTH IN CAMPING MARKET The UK is world renowned for its beautiful countryside and stunning views, and there is arguably no better way to enjoy the picturesque scenes on offer than to be fully immersed in them on a camping trip.

Additionally, with over 6,200-member holiday parks and campsites operating across the UK accounting for 438,076 pitches, the impact and importance of the camping and caravanning sector of the UK tourism is large and set to continue its growth.

It is unsurprising then that, according to a recent survey, UK residents took 14.76 million camping and caravanning trips and spent a whopping £2.5 billion on those trips in 2018, contributing significantly to the UK’s overall tourism market.

According to the UK Caravan & Camping Alliance, the UK tourism sector is predicted to grow at an annual rate of 3.8% through to 2025, which is faster than the overall UK economy and far ahead of other sectors such as manufacturing, construction and retail.

many on the hunt for local discounts ahead of their holiday. You could also look to partner with other local businesses to promote restaurants or activities within your local area. This is a great way to promote not just your business, but it also helps to generate interest in the community as a whole, giving travellers even more reason to come and visit you. REVIEWS Customer reviews have become the modern-day word of mouth, and recommendations are an important factor when considering who to book with. It’s therefore imperative that you include recent customer reviews on your website and encourage visitors to share their experience on sites such as Trip Advisor. Additionally, make sure you give them a reason to leave a glowing review. Customers want to feel valued, so think about any little touches you can add to their experience.

www.visitdevon.co.uk

A number of well-respected businesses have taken advantage of the scheme. Martin Barlow, MD of the Budock Vean Hotel, said: “I would urge anyone to speak to NfET regarding the TF programme and definitely join.”

For TFT programme details, contact Claire Evans – claireevans@nfet.co.uk or Tel: 01637 871067.

While you’re bound to receive some negative reviews, it’s important to handle these appropriately. For example, by apologising and offering to take the conversation offline, you can try to defuse the situation and show other holiday makers that you take these reviews seriously. THE BASICS Don’t forget the basics; traditional marketing remains important too and local businesses should ensure they have flyers at local tourism offices, are listed in directories, and have up to date information on Google. You could also consider running competitions to engage with your audience in a fun way. These can be promoted on your social channels, website or by partnering with a travel blogger for example.

TALKING TOURISM · WINTER 2019/20

FILM & TV

The Poldark effect Poldark has been a hit with TV audiences across the world. It has been a massive boon for the tourism industry in Cornwall, with thousands of visitors coming from America, Australia, Canada and New Zealand to see for themselves Indeed, research from Visit Cornwall found that 13% of visitors cited the BBC programme as the key, or one of the key, reasons for coming to the region. And while the final episode might have recently hit TV screens, the positive impact is likely to be felt for some time to come. Meanwhile, Poldark tour companies have begun popping up across the county, offering visits to some of the now-famous locations in the show. Places tourists have been particularly keen to see include the quaint harbour at Charlestown (Truro harbour in the series), Bodmin Moor and Levant and Botallack mines, along with a slew of stunning beaches from Holywell Bay to Kynance Cove.

The impact will last for a decade or more going forward

TALKING TOURISM · WINTER 2019/20

Visit Cornwall chief executive, Malcolm Bell, says: “Cornwall is often referred to as ‘one of the stars of Poldark’ - I would say that Poldark is one of stars of Cornwall.

“All my colleagues around the UK are so envious that we have had such an amazing high-quality programme over the last few years, most if not all would cut off their right arms to have the exposure that Cornwall has had across the world. “Although this was the last series, we know the impact will last for a decade or more going forward. Before this latest adaptation, we were getting some Poldark fans from the original shows in the 1970s right up until 2014. So long live Poldark and we will be promoting Poldark for many years to come, if not decades.” John Marshall set up Poldark Tours four years ago during the first series of the programme. Last year nearly 90 tours were largely made up of people from America, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the UK – in that order. “Poldark and Cornwall are synonymous now, it’s enormous business for the county,” he says. “After series one there were already quite a few locations to visit. Now they are using the west coast, north coast, south coast – almost anywhere you stay in Cornwall Poldark has been there. It’s brilliant for tourism. “With the show now going on TV in China and Argentina that could mean even more business coming to Cornwall. We’re already taking bookings for 2020. “They say after a series has ended you have around ten years-worth of tourists still coming in.”

www.visitcornwall.com

LOBBYING

Visit Cornwall chief executive

Hot topics and talking points

Malcolm Bell has listed the high priority areas for lobbying below, which impact businesses both sides of the Tamar. Please let us know if you feel that any of the priorities are wrong or we are missing a key issue by emailing mal@visitcornwall.com or sally.everton@visitdevon.co.uk

As the voice of tourism and most importantly YOUR VOICE, so that members of both Visit Cornwall and Visit Devon, small and large, have their voices heard, we continue to do all we can to make representation to make your lives easier in challenging market conditions BREXIT First of all, with our politicians struggling with Brexit it is hard to be absolutely sure what the impact on tourism will be, negative and positive. It is equally hard to predict the medium and long-term implications of Brexit, but here are some factors to take into consideration. • Exchange rates and a weak pound are and will most probably stay low or even lower and that will make the UK cheaper for overseas visitors and more expensive for UK residents to holiday aboard • If the E111 arrangement ceases that may deter older people and those with health issues less likely to travel to Europe on holiday

• And, of course, staffing issues. Many businesses in the industry rely on recruiting staff from EU countries. Employers can help their European Economic Area and Swiss staff get the information they need to apply for status under the EU Settlement Scheme. This will enable them to secure their rights in the UK. Applicants have until at least the end of 2020 to make an application. Visit gov.uk/brexit and search ‘EU Settlement Scheme Employer Toolkit’ for more information.

• We may miss out on European visitors without passport who have travelled on ID cards who will not want to pay for a passport when they can travel to the rest of the EU on ID cards only • Passports will have to have more than six months left at the time of travel which may well impact on both UK and EU citizens travel intentions • Pet Passports arrangements are uncertain and that may deter UK dog lovers from going to Europe

www.visitdevon.co.uk

TALKING TOURISM · WINTER 2019/20

LEADERSHIP

It began a six-month roadshow of major cities across the UK (including the south west and Cornwall in this) to meet with policymakers, city leaders and local hosts to share the positive impacts of home sharing, listen to proposals for a registration system of short term lets and to discuss how it can work together with everyone to help make home sharing part of the solution to local challenges.

THE SHARING ECONOMY This is mainly addressing the challenges of an uneven playing field with Airbnb (and others). Over the last three years or more, we have made representation that all accommodation providers should compete on even terms and that the safety of our visitors should be paramount. We have worked with other destinations and trade bodies and particularly the Tourism Alliance to get the Government to undertake a formal investigation and review. In addition, along with others we have commissioned a QC Barrister to provide high level legal opinion that platforms like Airbnb have a legal as well as moral responsibility to ensure that the accommodation they promote and most importantly facilitate bookings have a legal responsibility to ensure that accommodation is legal and safe.

Addressing the challenges of an uneven playing field with Airbnb

We are also lobbying that ALL accommodation providers should be legally obliged to register (at no charge) with the local authority and that the public protection services should be notified of all providers so that they can risk assessed and where appropriate inspect them. In addition, the insurance industry, HM Revenue and Customs should also have access to the register to ensure that all are insured and relevant taxes paid. Finally, we are calling on the Government to adopt the recommendations of the All Party Parliamentary Group on tourism which includes a recommendation for a formal consultation on the implementation of compulsory registration of accommodation. We are encouraged, therefore, that in September, Airbnb announced that it will collaborate with hosts, communities and politicians across the UK on proposals for a clear, modern and simple registration system for short-term rentals in UK cities.

TALKING TOURISM · WINTER 2019/20

Airbnb will collate learnings and proposals for a registration system in a white paper that it will present to Government, policymakers, city leaders and other key stakeholders in 2020. Patrick Robinson, director of public policy at Airbnb, said: “We want to be good partners to cities and work together on a host registration system that is easy to follow, gives authorities the information they need to regulate home sharing effectively, and that ultimately makes communities stronger. “Airbnb has long led the way on home sharing rules in London and we want to extend that collaboration across the UK, based on our experience of working with more than 500 governments across the world. We hope that other industry players will join us in this important work.” The UK does not currently have a registration scheme for short-term lets, and some local authorities and politicians have stated that a registration system is essential to regulate home sharing effectively.

IMPROVING DEVON AND CORNWALL FOR LOCALS AND VISITORS All too often it is tourists who are blamed for the challenges of keeping our region clean, beautiful and an attractive place to live and visit. But let us look at the facts. Over the last ten years, staying visitors nights in Cornwall, for instance, has not risen and is at around 22 million – however, day visitor numbers over the same period has grown by over 50% and now stands at around 14 Million, the vast majority being local Cornwall residents. In simple terms we have around 36 million “visitor days” with 39% being local residents - so we need to invest in these vital services as much for the people of Cornwall as for visitors who are vital contributor to our economic well-being. A similar picture can be painted in Devon, therefore it is vital we lobby for making our region better for residents and visitors and we should stop this ‘them and us’ arguments and get on with making the peninsula a better place full stop!

www.visitcornwall.com

LEADERSHIP

GIVE VAT BACK! You may be aware that British tourism is one of the highest taxed tourism industries in the world! So why do we have to constantly fight calls for a tourism tax? Well quite simply it is best summed up as HM Treasury gain and local pain. By local pain I mean the cost of dealing with rubbish, visitor services, beach cleaning, public realm quality and toilets etc all fall locally on Devon and Cornwall and increasingly on town and parish councils. The last thing we need is more taxes and that is why we are calling for a rebate of a small proportion of VAT to cover not only the maintenance of quality services but investment to improve our region for visitors but most importantly for local residents.

We will continue with many others to push for a reduction of VAT on tourism activities, especially after this was an option being investigated in Northern Ireland. This has been a longterm campaign and one we will continue to support and as we exit the European Union, there are more opportunities to amend VAT regulation and applications as well as the absolute rates.

Quite simply it is best summed up as HM Treasury gain and local pain

Here is the logical and the ask: In Cornwall, for example, visitors spend £1.6 billion every year. If half that spend is with VAT registered businesses (a conservative assumption) then 50% of £1.6 billion equals £800 million and at 20% VAT rate that means Revenue and Customs collect circa £160 million in VAT alone! So, let’s have a minimum of 10% of that VAT back = £16million per year. Therefore, what could we do with £16 million rebated and paid to parish, town and Cornwall Council? Well here is a list to start with and it would be a similar story in Devon. Support for • Additional beach cleaning • World-class toilets and showers • Maintenance and improvement to the Cornwall Coast Path and Areas of Outstanding Natural beauty • Support for cultural, arts, food and sporting events - she how Yorkshire has shown what can be achieved with targeting funding • Support for visitor services such as tourist information and advice • Investment is helping businesses to move to sustainable and low carbon tourism • Marketing to grow business in the low seasons especially linked to events • Additional support for policing • Additional traffic management officers to ease the congestion and speed up opening roads after incidents

www.visitdevon.co.uk

BRANDJACKING AND ONLINE TRAVEL AGENTS (OTAS) We are supporting calls in asking the Government to combat the practice of the OTAs in hijacking your name and brand and diverting direct bookings (that were on their way to your business anyway) which ends up with you paying up to 20% commission for business that was yours in the first place. Additionally, we will continue to challenge the Government through the Competition and Markets Authority to review their practices to minimise the costs of distributing availability via these platforms. In addition, we are actively investigating developing booking options on www.visittcornwall.com at far lower rates to just cover the actual cost and not excess rates.

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LEADERSHIP

Recipe for success Visit Cornwall’s chairperson, Jill Stein, has played a key role in developing Cornwall into the quality holiday location it is today

Since opening the Seafood Restaurant in Padstow along with Rick in 1975, Jill Stein has been instrumental in developing the Rick Stein Group into the company it is today.

approached Jill to become its chairperson, taking over from Lord St Levan whose four-year tenure had brought strong leadership and financial stability to the organisation.

As well as accommodation, in recent years the business has expanded beyond its Padstow homeland with restaurants in Porthleven, Falmouth and Fistral and even further afield with establishments in Winchester, Sandbanks, Marlborough and Barnes in south west London.

Jill is seen very much as someone who embodies the brand values of Cornwall as a whole and a person who could be an inspiration to local business.

All this has served to reinforce the growing reputation Cornwall has developed as a quality visitor destination. And this was one of the main reasons that earlier this year Visit Cornwall

TALKING TOURISM · WINTER 2019/20

“Jill along with the Stein team has been at the forefront of changing the perception of Cornwall from a tired bucket and spade only destination in the 1980s and 1990’s to the premier high-quality destination we are today,” says Visit Cornwall chief executive, Malcolm Bell.

www.visitcornwall.com

LEADERSHIP

“Jill brings decades of experience in running and growing hospitality businesses in Cornwall combined with insights into how the market is changing and how support Cornwall keeping ahead of the competition. Myself, the directors and the team welcome and look forward to her input and hand on the tiller over the coming years as we move forward and deliver more for our members and Cornwall.” Jill says she was “very flattered” to have been chosen to chair of Visit Cornwall. “What I hope to achieve is to raise awareness and make Cornwall the top holiday destination in the UK, it has by far the most dramatic coastline,” she explains. “I feel we need more tourism from outside the UK and this is an area I hope to help as chair. “I intend to use the next three years to do everything I can to work on behalf of the people of Cornwall and the businesses of Cornwall so that together we can make this beautiful part of the world even more dynamic and attractive to visitors and to investment.” Cornwall has certainly changed from the place it was 44 years ago when the Steins opened their first business in the Duchy. “Cornwall has become very ‘cool’,” she reflects. “That’s the thing about it now. When I first came down it was like the wild frontier, such a different place. I think that tourism is more sophisticated, no longer just bucket and spade, although this is still very important. “Cornwall has become more upmarket and there’s a wider offering of hotels, B&Bs, attractions and experiences appealing to a wider range of people.” The Steins’ brand has played a pivotal role in growing Cornwall’s reputation, aided by the power of television with the first tv programmes that Rick did all based in Cornwall, opening the county up to a wider audience.

And Jill is as involved in the business as ever, although the spotlight of attention may have shifted a little over the years. “I’m very in tune with this business,” she says. “I understand it because I’ve done it all. I’ve done every job in this place. I’ve worked in the rooms, washed up, been in the kitchen. “When Rick and I worked together, he worked in the kitchen, no one ever saw him. I was the face of the Seafood Restaurant.

Together we can make this beautiful part of the world even more dynamic and attractive to visitors and to investment

“Once he got on TV and people knew who he was, that was difficult because I thought all the work I was doing was immaterial really because it was Rick who everybody saw. And celebrity is a very strange thing, it defeats me a little bit, I don’t understand it. They are normal people with anxieties and faults like everyone else but because they’re on TV, they’re seen as superheroes! So, at that particular time I found that difficult, but I have got over that now, it’s not a problem.” And Jill is fixed on continuing to develop brand Stein and brand Cornwall’s place in the market. “How l look at the Rick Stein brand now is that people know what they’re going to get - very good quality. So, I work for the brand now, I don’t particularly work for myself. And it’s a big business. “Cornwall has become a real foodie destination; at one time it was not at all. Cornwall needs young entrepreneurs to continue to grow as a county to live in and do business in, and with this future growth, Cornwall will continue to develop in all the right areas.”

“We have been in business now for 44 years this year and in that time we have been able to market our business to bring customers down to Cornwall for 12 months of the year,” says Jill. “In the early days it really was all over come September, which is hard to believe now. We added on accommodation and this was crucial to all year-round trade. Other local businesses have worked hard to attract trade outside of the main season as well, and it’s the combined effort of local businesses supporting one another.”

www.visitdevon.co.uk

TALKING TOURISM · WINTER 2019/20

VISIT CORNWALL

VISITCORNWALL.COM LISTING This gives our website users a taste of your product. It should shout about your greatest assets, summarise your offers and tempt users to click through to your own website for more details. We recommend that you make use of the image and video quota and keep it as up-to-date as possible to give visitors fresh and new information. We have a how-toguide to help get you started.

SPECIAL OFFERS AND LATE AVAILABILITY

Fringe benefits Becoming a Visit Cornwall member allows you access to so many marketing opportunities, so that you can promote your business and reach your target market in the most efficient and cost-effective way. Here’s a run through of all the benefits that Visit Cornwall can offer you once you become a member. The following is included in the joining membership fee, which depending on the size of your business can start from as little as £93 + VAT per year.

Feature in the ‘offers’ section of visitcornwall.com by uploading your special offers and late availability. You can have as many offers running at any one time as you wish and uploading them is quick and easy. We also share late availability and special offers via @LastMinuteSW – simply tweet us and we’ll retweet!

MEDIA AND PR While we unfortunately can’t promise to feature every member in our media and PR activity, we will always give you priority, so if you’re up to something newsworthy, which will help to showcase Cornwall, we want to hear about it. Send details into us and we will get promoting!

SOCIAL MEDIA Whether it’s Facebook (there is an additional charge for this), Twitter or Instagram we’re all over it and are using our incredible reach to promote both our members and destination Cornwall. With every post we aim to drive traffic to member pages and there are countless ways that you can help us on our mission. Tag us in your posts, volunteer for an Instagram Takeover...the list is pretty much endless!

BLOGS (SUBJECT TO EDITORIAL CONTROL)

Content is so vital for our marketing, it feeds our website, social media, PR, email newsletters, third-party promotions...you get the picture, we use it everywhere! As ever, members are front and centre of our blog content and we’re always on the lookout for ideas, guest blogs and features. It’s a fantastic way of really showcasing your business and reaching a wider audience. Please send any content pitches in, as we would be delighted to receive them.

TALKING TOURISM · WINTER 2019/20

www.visitcornwall.com

VISIT CORNWALL

The following would all be at an additional cost, please contact us to discuss pricing and how we can best help promote your business:

IMAGE AND FILM RESOURCES

ADVICE AND GUIDANCE

Stuck for a great image of Cornwall or looking for a promo film of your area? Have you tried our image library and YouTube channel, which is bursting with films to share or embed in your own marketing? There’s absolutely no charge, all that we ask for in return is a credit!

We’re here to help and our team comes with a wealth of experience and competencies within the tourism industry. If you are seeking advice, the team are more than happy to help, from PR know-how to funding and planning, just contact us.

RESEARCH

LOBBYING AND REPRESENTATION

• ADVERTISING

Where do our visitors come from? Where does your business fit into the bigger picture? What are the trends to look out for? You’ll find the answers to all this and more in our freely available reports. We commission market research each year to ascertain any trends and changes in the market and can then share this with our members to help you capitalise on this.

Our chief executive, Malcolm Bell, is a highly regarded tourism spokesperson and seen by the media as the go-to representative for Cornwall. We do not shy away from controversial issues and try to find solutions to problems faced by the industry. If you have an area to bring to our attention or would simply like advice, please get in touch.

From digital ads in our email marketing and on our website, to print ads in our guides and leaflets, there are so many ways to amplify your message and get noticed by our audiences.

INDUSTRY COMMS

MAXIMISE VISIT CORNWALL MEMBER LOGO

Consider Visit Cornwall as your go-to hub for all things tourism industry related. From training events and conferences, to the latest news and opportunities, we’re in the know and more than likely involved in one way or another. Stay in the loop by following us on Twitter @VC_B2B and by reading our monthly industry newsletter – if you’re not already receiving it, please get in touch. FEATURE PAGES This constitutes of three new content boxes to the visitcornwall.com homepage. These will be updated weekly in accordance with our refreshed content calendar and will send traffic straight from the homepage to member specific pages. Members can get involved with relevant feature pages, just email us to request the content calendar and see where you might fit in.

We are mighty proud to have you as a member of Visit Cornwall and hope the feeling is mutual. Wear the Visit Cornwall member logo as a badge of honour across your marketing, it is a symbol of quality and impeccable standards and is highly regarded by both industry peers and visitors. The logo is exclusively for member use, so make sure you maximise it. If you do not have a copy of the logo, please let us know.

• EVENTS AND CONFERENCES We host the annual Cornwall Tourism Summit and run various workshops and meetings to share industry info, best practice and expert tips. Nothing beats meeting face-to-face so we wholly recommend joining us whenever possible. Depending on the event there may be a small charge, but it is always more than worth it. Keep an eye out in our industry comms for future dates. • EMAIL MARKETING Email marketing is a core activity for Visit Cornwall. We manage an extensive schedule of email communications, which are designed to inspire and drive visits. Our weekly thematic e-Newsletters go out to our subscribed database of circa 250,000 consumers and they are a great way to reach a wider audience. • PRINT Many visitors still love print and so do we. Our Cornwall Accommodation Guide is distributed directly to consumers throughout the UK and it’s great to see so many of our members involved in it. We are currently selling slots for the 2020 Guide, so please do let us know if you would like to be a part of this.

www.visitdevon.co.uk

TALKING TOURISM · WINTER 2019/20

CHARITY

A call to action Cornwall Air Ambulance appeals for support from the tourism industry

Email corporate@ cornwallairambulancetrust.org for more information.

As a local lifesaving charity, Cornwall Air Ambulance carried out 1,105 missions in 2018 providing urgent medical care to locals and visitors alike in their hour of need. Illness and accidents don’t discriminate, they can affect any member of society at any time. Given the county’s isolated beaches, rural settlements and challenging road networks, Cornwall Air Ambulance is considered a lifeline by both residents and visitors. With the mass influx of seasonal visitors Cornwall receives and the delays this causes on crucial trunk roads, the air ambulance can quite literally be the difference between life and death.

One fifth of our work is to help seriously sick and injured tourists

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This year, Cornwall Air Ambulance has been busier than ever. The high tourism numbers cause a sudden increase in the number of missions flown by the charity. Last year, 16% of airlifted patients were tourists, yet less than 5% of donations came from the tourism sector. To help close this gap, the charity is calling on tourism businesses across Cornwall to get on board and generate more donations through their operations, ensuring the crew can continue to save more lives and more time in the years to come. Cornwall Air Ambulance chief executive, Paula Martin, explains: “The pressure on Cornwall Air Ambulance as a small local charity to deal with serious incidents has increased significantly this year. Meeting this additional cost, at the same time the charity is trying to save for a new generation air ambulance, is very hard, so that’s why your support is needed now more than ever. “While four out of five patients are local people, one fifth of our work is to help seriously sick and injured tourists.” With several tourism business supporters already working with the charity, one business recently trialled a new scheme to ask customers to donate at the point of booking a holiday. More than 40% of families opted to make the donation and Cornwall Air Ambulance is now rolling out this scheme and other initiatives to businesses across the tourism sector.

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CHARITY

One of the tourism businesses supporting the charity is Cornish Horizons. Marketing manager, Harriet Wills, says: “When we met the Cornwall Air Ambulance team we were in complete awe of the amazing work carried out by the charity and wanted to help raise some of the money it needs to keep the service going. “We asked our customers to add £2 to the payment of their holiday to Cornwall so that we can pass on, in full, the total donation to the charity. We initially hoped that the scheme could raise £3.5k for the charity but it ended up raising over £6k That’s over 3,000 holidaymakers who donated!” Another example are The Greenbank and The Alverton Hotel in Falmouth and Truro respectively. MD, Ben Young, says: “We have put together a range of activities in support of Cornwall Air Ambulance and specifically the exciting New Heli Appeal. We have ambitious plans to raise £10k per hotel and hope to exceed this! “Our team is looking forward to taking part in sponsored walks from Falmouth to Truro, hosting grand gala fundraising nights, foodie events, donations, collections and so much more. With over £20k to raise, it’s going to be a huge concerted team effort to maximise impact across both hotels.” There are a variety of ways that your business can show its support, from an optional booking donation, to holding fundraising

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events or simply displaying the charity’s promotional material. In return your business can experience some fantastic benefits from working with the local, lifesaving charity. As well as great brand association and depending on the level of support, you can expect PR, social media exposure and a visit to the airbase.

Last year, 16% of airlifted patients were tourists, yet less than 5% of donations came from the tourism sector

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KEEPING IT LEGAL

Small print BIG DIFFERENCE

Paul Latham, director of strategy and communications at the Competition and Markets Authority explains why you need to check in on your terms and conditions (or Ts and Cs) It can be easy to overlook terms and conditions in the busy day-to-day running of a business. But you shouldn’t assume that just because something is in your Ts & Cs it’s automatically legally binding. The Consumer Rights Act includes specific rules that say that terms must be fair, otherwise you can’t enforce them. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is the UK-wide competition and consumer

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law watchdog and, along with local Trading Standards Authorities, has the power to take businesses to task if they break the rules. We know, though, that most businesses want to do the right thing, and may struggle when it comes to understanding what’s legally ‘fair’. Previous research found that less than half of UK businesses know the rules on unfair terms well, and on average, only review their terms every four years. As a nation, we spend up to £81 billion on holidays in a year, so where the terms governing these are unfair (especially on deposits and cancellations), this can have a big impact on people’s family budget. With Cornwall a particular hotspot for tourism in the UK, and almost 28% of all domestic tourism in 2017 to the south west, it’s important for businesses in the area to make

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KEEPING IT LEGAL

sure they understand what the law means for their terms and conditions. Getting it right also means businesses are more likely to have happy customers who keep coming back, so the small print can make a big difference. To educate businesses in the holiday and tourism sector, and encourage them to get their terms up-to-date, the CMA launched the ‘Small print. Big difference’ campaign in April this year. The campaign encourages companies to ‘check in’ on their terms and review them to make sure they’re clear, transparent and most of all, fair.

WHAT IS AN UNFAIR TERM? A term could be considered legally unfair if it gives the business an unfair advantage. One common area where unfair terms can arise is with deposits and cancellation fees, so you should be particularly careful if you use these. It’s often perfectly right and fair for a business to take some payment upfront to cover their costs: many businesses ask for deposits to make sure they don’t end up out of pocket. But if the company takes a large deposit and refuses to refund any of the customer’s money if they cancel – regardless of why they cancelled or how much the business is actually losing – this may be unfair. For example, if the business could resell a booking and make some money back, then it’s likely that the customer should get some money back too. As a general rule, deposits should be only a small percentage of the full cost, and any money kept should be proportionate to what the business is losing. Deposits and cancellation fees shouldn’t be seen as a way for companies to make extra profit.

But using fair terms will give your business legal protection should anything go wrong. Fair terms are also good for building a good reputation with customers. A survey by Ipsos Mori found that in the south west, 87% people think they should get all, or most, of their money back if they cancel and the business re-sells their booking. And of those with experience of cancelling a booking, one in four felt that they had been treated unfairly. By having fair terms, you can reassure customers that they’ll be treated fairly and boost your chances of repeat business – whereas unfair terms can end up getting you a name for being a difficult company to deal with and could damage your reputation.

The campaign encourages companies to ‘check in’ on their terms and review them to

HOW TO MAKE SURE YOUR TERMS ARE FAIR

make sure they’re clear, transparent

No-one wants to cancel a holiday, but if customers are unfortunate enough to have to, it’s important that they are still treated fairly: they shouldn’t lose out more than is absolutely necessary.

There are many advantages to having transparent, up-todate and fair terms. They can help prevent disputes with your customers, saving time and money, as well as protecting your reputation.

WHY THIS MATTERS TO YOU

To make it easier for businesses to understand the rules on fair terms, the CMA has a range of resources available online.

Having fair terms should be a priority for your business. If you are found to be using unfair terms when dealing with consumers, you could be at risk of legal action – consumers can bring their own legal challenges to unfair terms, as well as Trading Standards and the CMA. Also, unfair terms are not legally binding so they won’t protect your business. Even if a customer has signed to say they accept your Ts & Cs, an unfair term cannot be enforced.

www.visitdevon.co.uk

and most of all, fair

As well as explainer videos and short guides, there is a quiz so you can check how much you know about the Consumer Rights Act, and an online tool to help you see which resources are most relevant to your business.

Visit www.gov.uk/fairterms to find out more and take the pledge to ‘check in’ on your terms.

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MARKETING OVERSEAS

Taking Devon and Cornwall to the world It has been a number of years since Visit Cornwall was active in the travel and groups market. This was mainly due to Cornwall, on the whole, not needing large groups, paying medium and often low rates, combined with the travel trade demanding allocation and then dumping unsold allocation back on the provider at late notice. It was a low-value, high-pain business we did not want and more importantly need.

We have now engaged with tour operators and travel trade partners who service this high value and low volume market

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However, times change and although there are still many tour operators who would like to send that kind of business our way, there has been a significant growth in the FIT (Free or Fully Independent Travellers) who are using the travel trade to source and book their travel. This is particularly true in the overseas markets, especially from the USA, but not exclusively so. For that reason, we have now engaged with tour operators and travel trade partners who service this high value and low volume market who are seeking highquality, great personal service and experiences that perfectly meet their needs.

To this end, Visit Cornwall, along with Visit Devon, is working with the trade to showcase what we can offer and generate valuable new business for the Peninsula and in particular for the spring and early summer period. We have attended Explore GB which is the Visit Britain big showcase event where destinations meet travel trade and tour operators, as well as being involved in organising and leading visits from tour operators from the USA, Germany, Australia and around the world. In addition, along with key partners, we have met travel trade businesses at The Dutch Holiday Show, World Travel Market and ITB Berlin. From these events and the exposure of Devon and Cornwall outside the UK, we have developed and travel trade database of contacts and will be communicating with them on a regular basis and this has already started to generate enquires from these contacts which we are passing on to our members. We have also established a register of our members who are willing and keen to work with tour operators and overseas travel agents and if you are interested to be added to our register please let us know by emailing abi@visitcornwall.com. Visit Cornwall has been working closely with Visit Devon on overseas marketing, especially in the USA market due to Visit Cornwall securing Visit England Discover England Funding on behalf the wider region. Following research in the USA market with a leading expert, combined with his in-depth knowledge of our region, the two organisations have concluded there is significant growth in this market and we have agreed to work together over the next five years to at least double the number of visitors from the USA.

www.visitcornwall.com

MARKETING OVERSEAS

We will focus of those Americans and who are planning to come to the UK to visit our region as part of their stay. We will achieve this growth through working with travel tour operators, key travel agents, travel writers, certain bloggers and build our reputation based on Dr Martin, Poldark but also our unique heritage and culture and in 2020 the Mayflower 400 celebrations and the 75th anniversary of the end of World War Two. Here is an extract from our pitch to the travel trade...

Some of the shows Visit Devon and Visit Cornwall have attended and plan to attend going forward

n– Cornwall & Devoof England a different view

l England, Cornwal f o st e w th u so r Located in the fa ty, booming surf, au e b ild w f o d n la and Devon are a ge. d illustrious herita an s e g lla vi t n ai u q tion. t seafood in the na

freshes g bling into the rollin Gorse clad cliffs tum coast and find s Step away from the uil sheltered cove nq tra n, ous ea Oc tic Atlan s nestled in gorge ite thatched cottage waters lap onto wh und gro er gh ‘hi the where turquoise ed valleys whilst on tam en un gre of es to ath sw me sand; rugged ed moorlands, ho ractions and one uplands’ lie untam att s as d -cl an rld re wo klo d, moorlan eped with fol all wild ponies and ste die scenes. Cornw foo t es fin s in’ ita of Br . e and ancient monuments deniably attractiv and Devon are un ir the by d is abounding with on seduce The whole region all who visit are so d ir the re plo nt to ex diaeval castles an historical sites, me charms and will wa a g tin en res rep ch stately homes, ea hidden secrets. colourful past. d d an an it ng vis ati to cin t fas as of co With its 500 miles w class attractions dra es, houses and stl ca s plu 150 r, Additionally, world tou s nic plu 0 ico 50 , the rs to explore Heritage sites international visito gardens, 2 World two national the d rdens, adrenalin an ga s d he ze ac pri be galleries, beautiful a ring th Wi or. mo Ex r and s as well as explo pumping activitie parks of Dartmoo UK, autiful be the d of an t e res sid the try n the unrivalled coun milder climate tha g area n is an enchantin coastline. Cornwall and Devo London a few hours from ir and located only are famous for the ht. The two counties ride or a 1-hour flig in tra ic ard en aw sc m a r, fro by ca and drink, exceptional food sub-tropical m micro-breweries fro s, ts as ard ntr ey co vin of winning A land try d ere elt sh to wn do ith opportunities to and distilleries (w gardens tumbling t me ain so to Qu ) special tipple s and ocean. making your own turquoise estuarie in lly ny ve ma Clo d., as lan ages such ies in the of the finest eater working fishing vill and highwlyn in Cornwall efs all delivering Ne ch d an rity n leb vo ce De run by North ast and co the ng . alo d ce end regional produ many more scattere the ats land some of it’s here that the bo

www.visitdevon.co.uk

• Dutch Holiday Show – Vacantiebeur in Utrech – Jan 2019 • Go Diving Show – (supported with external EC funding) – Feb 2019 • ITB Berlin – March 2019 • British Travel and Tourism Show – Birmingham – March 2019 • Meet the Media – Trav Media – London – March 2019 • BBC Country File Live – Blenheim – August 2019 • BBC Country File Live – Castle Howard Yorkshire – August 2019 • Vemex – New York – combined with sales mission October 2019 • Dive Show – (supported with external EC funding) – Oct 2019 • World Travel Market – November 2019 • Vacantiebeur – Jan 2020 • Caravan and Camping Show – February 2020 – Birmingham • ITB Berlin – March 2020

TALKING TOURISM · WINTER 2019/20

AWARDS & ACCREDITATIONS

An awarding experience One of the most effective ways of getting the most out of your business is to enter one of the awards schemes Self-catering cottage owner, Stephen Chidgey, who runs the luxury Old Barn Tregothena holiday conversion in north Cornwall, is a strong advocate and testament to the impact it can have. While Stephen has been letting the Old Barn since 1990, it has only been since undergoing a complete refurbishment six years ago that he became interested in entering the Cornwall Tourism Awards. “Having worked hard on a complete re-design that I’d project-managed myself to upgrade the fixtures and fittings and make the building much more energyefficient, I felt confident enough in what had been achieved to knuckle down and submit an application form.” Since then, the Old Barn has gone on win a whole clutch of Gold and 5 Star accolades over the years from the likes of VisitEngland, Cornwall Tourism Awards, South West Tourism Excellence Awards, Green Tourism and Cornwall Sustainability Awards. He says entering an award scheme for the first time was a “milestone moment” and the benefits to the business have extended way, way beyond just the positive PR and certificate on the wall. He says the application process itself has helped focus minds on how to make the business the best it can be. “The questions made me think carefully about every aspect of our offering,” Stephen says, “from the website and the way we handle enquiries through to all the little things we did that I believed made staying with us so special. “It was like carrying out an audit and equally instructive. I could see where we

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were likely to score strongly because the answers came more easily – those where they didn’t clearly needed work. “Getting through the initial entry sifting phase and being shortlisted was exciting. It was also mildly terrifying as it meant being ‘mysteryshopped’. Could they see that we were doing all that we said we were doing, did they agree that our practices were sustainable and what could we improve? Inspections are rarely easy, but the written feedback provided afterwards does identify what’s working well and what could be better.” And while the Old Barn didn’t win gold the first year it entered, Stephen says he learned so much about not only his business, but other holiday accommodation providers as well.

Staying one step ahead is vital for continued business success – becoming complacent in any sense is a dangerous path to tread

“Inevitably I Googled my fellow finalists to see what the competition was and then I actually met them – not just at the awards event but at some of the workshops which Services for Tourism, as the organiser, lays on too. “Like me, many of them work in relative isolation for most of the year because social opportunities in our industry tend, for obvious reasons, to be few and far between. And that’s a shame because, rather than viewing ourselves as competitors, I think we’ve all discovered that there’s a lot to be said for greater collaboration.”

www.visitcornwall.com

AWARDS & ACCREDITATIONS

Stephen says entering awards, as a business, broadens your perspective. Rather than naval gazing, it encourages you to look around for other, new ideas. “The fortunes of the High Street have taught us that even the biggest brands can fail if they don’t keep up to date with shopping trends. Staying one step ahead is vital for continued business success – becoming complacent in any sense is a dangerous path to tread.” As a direct result of this, Stephen has embraced a number of new initiatives and has put sustainability at the heart of the business. “I was one of the first self-catering owners in Cornwall to install electric car charge points, for example,” he reveals.

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“Doing so opened up a new, affluent market segment that directly increased bookings. Installing a ground source heat pump, rainwater harvesting and other environmentallyfriendly features have also helped put us at the vanguard of responsible tourism – together with local purchasing and ‘green’ waste management practices.

Entering awards, as a business, broadens your perspective. Rather than naval gazing, it encourages you to look around for other, new ideas

“Having now won several awards at regional and county level for sustainable and ethical practices, the relevant logos are proudly displayed on my website – independent confirmation of our efforts that continues to garner interest and enquiries.”

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ENVIRONMENT

A rubbish problem Plastic pollution continues to blight the local beaches and countryside, but Devon and Cornwall are fighting back

Visit Cornwall figures suggest that the Duchy hosts 40 million day trips a year. 22 million of those trips are made by visitors who stay overnight in Cornwall, while 19 million are made by locals and visitors who live in - or close enough to - Cornwall to enjoy a day out here before returning home for the night. Across the peak season Cornwall sees a 45% rise in the amount of rubbish and litter created during the spring and summer seasons. Litter is a risk to human health, as well as the health of Cornwall’s wildlife and environment. Barbeques left in the sand can cause burns and other injuries, while plastic litter in particular poses a choking threat to birds and sea life. The Council teamed up with Visit Cornwall, Clean Cornwall and Cornish Plastic Pollution Coalition as part of its #LitterlessCornwall campaign to issue a reminder to residents and visitors alike: no more rubbish excuses leave only your footprints and take your litter with you if the bins are full.

No more rubbish excuses. That was the polite, but firm, message Cornwall Council issued in the summer to the minority of people who litter in our beautiful countryside. The Council invited residents, tourists and visitors alike to help get the message across by joining its Litterless Cornwall campaign. Each year, Cornwall Council’s street cleaning contractor works round the clock to keep our roads, town centres and beaches tidy with more than 200 workers covering 40,000 miles annually – almost twice the distance around the world.

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The campaign asks the majority of people who don’t litter to sign a ‘#LitterlessCornwall’ pledge so that the Council can prove to litterlouts that there really is no excuse for rubbish behaviour. Cllr Rob Nolan, portfolio holder for environment and public protection, says: “Litter is a blight on Cornwall but it’s not something the Council can tackle alone and we are grateful to Cornwall’s voluntary groups who do so much. But they shouldn’t have to. “Responsibility for not dropping litter and making sure it ends up in a bin lies with each of us as individuals. If you can’t find a bin, please take your rubbish away with you and dispose of it at home. It’s that simple.”

And over the last year, Cornwall’s community groups volunteered more than 48,066 hours of their time to picking up after litterbugs, according to data collated by Cornish Plastic Pollution Coalition and Clean Cornwall. If those volunteers were paid, at the very least it would cost Cornwall around £376k-a-year.

The litter blight is felt just as acutely across the Tamar and a number of Devon’s top visitor attractions did their bit this year, joining forces for the annual ‘Clean up the County’ campaign.

During the busy holiday periods when visitors and residents are out and about more enjoying Cornwall’s coastal environment, the Council’s contractor steps up its cleaning and bin emptying in anticipation of a rise in the volume of rubbish, recycling and litter.

Clean up the County was launched five years ago after the attractions noticed there was litter and rubbish strewn across the county and particularly on Devon’s roadsides, verges and hedgerows which didn’t give a good impression to its incoming visitors.

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ENVIRONMENT

Litter is a risk to human health, as well as the health of Cornwall’s wildlife and environment

Unfortunately, the situation hasn’t changed much with the county still littered with rubbish, so the attractions are still out there, with their black bin liners, litter picking. John Rous, owner of Clovelly, took a team of five with him on a litter pick for a mile stretch on the A39 from Clovelly Cross to Hobby Lodge. And in just ten-man hours, filled 23 black bags of rubbish. He says: “Our county has great natural beauty, but roadside litter detracts from it. We have been pleased to be part of this joint campaign since year one and to litter pick ourselves annually along this part of the A39. “We hope that this highlights the sheer extent of the problem and that people will think twice before littering and spoiling our beautiful landscape.” Helen Scott from Cofton Holidays adds: “Team Cofton headed out in force to help clean up Dawlish Warren Beach, staff from all departments got involved, we found that it was not only good for the environment but a rewarding team building exercise and are looking forward to arranging the next one.” Plastic waste has particularly been in the headlines in recent times, with a number of initiatives in the south west set up to combat the problem. Ladram Bay Holiday Park near Budleigh Salterton, for example, involved guests in a

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bid to remove an incredible one ton of waste washed up on its private beach. The growing total of discarded plastics gathered were shown by a rising column of sand on a special display board near the beach path. The park asked guests to bolster the efforts of its staff team by collecting any plastics they find and depositing them in a bin alongside the board. Zoe House, a director of Ladram Bay and a member of the park-owning family, said the scheme wasn’t just help to make the beach more welcoming for families: “Plastics can pose a very real threat to marine and land wildlife, as well as blemishing the beautiful natural environment of our coastlines,” she says. “Guests here love to see the pods of dolphins which often swim in our bay, and they are a constant reminder of how important it is to protect our oceans.”

Across the peak season Cornwall sees a 45% rise in the amount of rubbish and litter

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VISIT DEVON

Visit Devon membership benefits • You will gain a 12-month promotional page of the Visit Devon website • The ability to add all of your events to the Visit Devon website at no cost • The opportunity to be included in Visit Devon’s marketing and PR campaigns • The opportunity to be showcased at international travel trade shows and events (additional cost) • The opportunity to show your accommodation availability online and take booking directly from Visit Devon • The opportunity to sell tickets directly from Visit Devon • You will receive invitations to networking events and conferences through Visit Devon • You will receive monthly newsletters with industry news, events and opportunities • Reduced rate participation in a rage of marketing courses offered by partners of Visit Devon • Add any special offers and late availability offers to Visit Devon

Membership plus... Visit Devon is the official destination management organisation for Devon and as a CIC (community interest company) operates to promote Devon to the domestic and international markets

• You will be offered the opportunity to star in our blogs • You are able to provide for social media campaigns • The opportunity to showcase your business in our consumer newsletters.

International Opportunities As a member of Visit Devon you have the opportunity to be involved in our international marketing activities, these include: • VEMEX – the largest US Media event in New York, plus a week of sales calls on the US East Coast - October 2019 • VIBE – London October 2019 • World Travel Market – London Nov 2019 • Destination Britain China & NE Asia – China November 2019 • IBTM – Barcelona November 2019

For further details of benefits and partnership opportunities, contact:

Sally Everton VisitDevon CIC e: sally.everton@visitdevon.co.uk m: +44 (0) 7976 711785 w: https://www.visitdevon.co.uk t: Follow us on twitter @visitdevon f: Facebook: www.facebook.com/ VisitDevon i: Instagram: visitdevon

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• Vakantiebeurs – Utrecht January 2020 • ITB – Berlin. March 2020 • MeetGB – Cardiff April 2020 • ExploreGB – May 2020 • The Meeting Show – June 2020 • Destination Britain North America – October 2020 • World Travel Market – November 2020 • IBTM – November 2020

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COMMUNITY

Giving back Cornwall Community Foundation (CCF) is proud to be working with Visit Cornwall to promote its new tourism and leisure initiative Cornwall Community Foundation is a key grant-awarding charity which supports vital grass-roots community projects across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. Since 2003, it has invested more than £8 million in life-changing projects run by inspiring volunteers, all working to create positive change in the local community. Its Business Club plays a major role in fundraising, and two key members in the tourism sector are participating in a successful new initiative. At the Headland Hotel in Newquay, an optional £1 donation is added to guests’ bills at checkout. In just over a year, the scheme has raised £10k for the Foundation, and guests are only too happy to contribute to something recognisably local – in that time, only one guest has declined.

It is an easy way for visitors to contribute to the local community

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The Budock Vean Hotel has also adopted the scheme and reports a positive response. It is an easy way for visitors to contribute to the local community, and a good introduction to the Foundation and its work. Is this something that your business could implement? With over four million visitors expected to Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly this year, there is the potential to raise a really significant amount of money.

The Foundation also has a popular Friends scheme for local residents and a vibrant out-of-county support base called the Cornwall Club. Regular visitors to the county pay an annual membership fee to join the Cornwall Club, while those with a second home are encouraged to donate the equivalent of a week’s rent each year. Together, these Cornwall Club funds help projects supporting people in crisis as well as affordable housing schemes, and in 2018, the Cornwall Club raised nearly £100k of the £743k granted in total to local projects.

Not all of us are aware of the level of deprivation that exists in Cornwall, just a few miles inland from its coastal beauty spots. The Cornwall Community Foundation provides a trusted means by which everyone whose heart belongs to Cornwall can give something back to those local communities which need it most and make a real impact across the county. To find out more about what they do, visit www.cornwallcommunityfoundation.com, or contact Jo Riley, Philanthropy Director, on 01566 779333, or jo.riley@cornwallfoundation.com

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ACCESS FOR ALL

How to plan an accessible and inclusive event Disabilities are diverse. Accessibility requirements vary and will also depend on what type of event you’re putting on. You might come across the following accessibility measures while you’re researching: Wheelchair access

Access all areas

Door and hallways need to accommodate the width of a standard wheelchair (70cm). If you need to go up or down stairs, there should be a lift available.

Particularly in the off-season, hiring your space out for conferences and events offers a valuable additional revenue stream. But is your space fully accessible?

Wheelchair-accessible toilets need to have room for turning space, so there can’t be unnecessary clutter. There needs to be grab rails and a lowered sink too.

Accessible toilets

Hearing / induction loop Most event planners will want whatever occasion they plan to be inclusive. But there’s also important legislation which businesses have to comply with. The UK Equality Act 2010 requires all events – including things like conferences and exhibitions – to be accessible and inclusive. As an organisation that puts on or hosts an event, you have to take reasonable steps to find out whether someone is disabled. The UK Equality Act 2010 defines disability as having: “a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on the ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.”

You want people to attend and enjoy themselves. For people with a disability, it can be difficult to find accessible events. Be sure to share your efforts in making yours an accessible one for a wider audience. The 2018 Papworth Trust report discovered 22% of disabled adults in the UK report having little choice over their free time. Many people have difficulties accessing services in towns – especially for leisure. This leaves them feeling like they don’t have enough choice or control over what they can do. In fact, 75% of disabled people have had to leave premises due to the lack of understanding or awareness of their needs. You don’t want people to be unable to attend your event because of a lack of planning.

75% of disabled people have had to leave premises due to the lack of understanding or awareness of their needs

As an event planner, you can have more of an impact than you realise. Of course, it’s important to know your legal responsibilities, but there are many reasons to promote inclusiveness when organising an event.

www.visitdevon.co.uk

Common barriers to accessibility identified in the report include: Inadequate lifts or escalators and handrails, lack of ramps, parking problems and footpath design

With the right planning, you can ensure more people can attend your event. Of course, not every event can be fully accessible, but you’ll notice the benefits if you make reasonable adjustments, remove barriers to movement and inform your audience about the venue and what to expect.

Used by people who have hearing impairments, this sound system can produce an electromagnetic signal received directly by hearing aids. Audio description For blind and visually impaired attendees, you can have a narrator to talk through a performance, tour, workshop or demonstration. This is often pre-recorded so it can be played through headphones in real time. Signed performance For some events, it might be necessary to hire a trained British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter is present the language used at the same time. They usually stand to one side of the stage. Guide dogs & assistance dogs Does your venue allow assistance dogs, and what provisions do you have in place? Are disabled parking spaces available? Getting around the event People need to be able to get around the event safely, so the layout must be planned beforehand with different users in mind. On the day, you then only need to ensure all routes are free from obstacles.

TALKING TOURISM · WINTER 2019/20

JUST AN OPINION...

Opportunity knocks have got more goods and services in the hands of tourists, without having to establish new exporting channels, by focusing on filling their existing capacity. And Cornwall has that capacity too. You need only ask the majority of accommodation businesses if they could fill more rooms throughout the year. Therefore, by developing the demand for Cornwall, via the travel trade in other countries, we can deliver unique economic benefits to the wider economy and local supply chains. Much of this visitor spending drops through to the bottom line as we already have a huge tourist infrastructure in place, resulting in a tremendous gearing of financial returns; while Cornwall always needs new first-time visitors to become our new repeat visitors.

Niall MacDougall, MD at destination management company, Urlaub Cornwall Travel Services, says understanding international tourism opportunities will support the whole economy

So, what can be done to develop overseas tourism? There needs to be targeted financial and structural support for tightly focused, costed and proven projects that can work across the Cornish economy, to lead growth in established overseas markets like Germany and Holland or places with huge potential like the US.

You may have noticed an increase in chatter about exporting in Cornwall as a result of the recent Export for Growth programme.

Cornwall as a destination should be out there communicating more confidently, encouraging and developing contacts and new partnerships. And right now, the very positive news of four daily connections to Heathrow alongside existing direct flights from Germany to Cornwall will be a valuable asset. We’ve seen this step, along with the steady building of relationships with travel operators, allow Cornwall to offer products such as ‘FlyDrive’ trips, encourage alumni groups visits from the US, and get the Isles of Scilly to feature for the first time in international travel brochures.

Administered by the Department of International Trade in partnership with the Chamber of Commerce, it is providing various grants, matched funding deals, social media workshops, as well as business advice. Yet this structure isn’t quite meeting the needs of perhaps Cornwall’s most important economic pillar - bringing in tourists, particularly from overseas. International visitors bring their Euros, Dollars and Yuan here, spending them on our goods and services in Sterling, but there isn’t a formal plan in place to ensure the long-term sustainability of this flow of money. Tourism is perennially seen as the poor relation in economic planning for Cornwall, as there is a drive to reduce dependence on it. That is on the face of it, a sensible move, but when for the very first time, recent EU funds allowed tourism related projects to be considered, the wider benefits of these projects have been overlooked. Take Scotland as an example, which with a very similar offering to Cornwall, where according to Visit Britain overseas visitor spend since 2008 is up 77% vs 15% in the south west and visitor numbers up by 42% vs 8%. This clearly means that local businesses

TALKING TOURISM · WINTER 2019/20

These encouraging signs should energise all private and public stakeholders to grab this opportunity to support tourism as a key part of driving the county’s whole economy forward.

We can deliver unique economic benefits to the wider economy and local supply chains

www.visitcornwall.com

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