Welcome Nick Brooks-Sykes Director of Tourism, NWDA
Regional Update David Jackson Visitor Information & Quality Manager, NWDA
Where we were….. The Northwest TIC Network…. • 79 TICs in 2003 • NWTB Transfer • LDNPA – TIC Closures • Visit Britain Customer Contact Services • Visit Britain TIC Standards launched inc supporting Action Plan
What we did‌.. Visitor Information identified as a strategic priority Northwest Visitor Information Framework 2006 Visitor Information Infrastructure project 2006-11 The Vision Our vision is of world-class visitor information services that exceed the expectations of our visitors, provide a competitive advantage to the region, and that make a measurable and valuable contribution to the visitor economy.
£1.5M invested directly in the region’s TICs
£375k in Greater Manchester.. ...inc Manchester and Bury
ÂŁ216k in Cumbria.. ...Keswick, Bowness, Ullswater, Whitehaven and Rheged
ÂŁ216k in Cumbria.. ...Keswick, Bowness, Ullswater, Whitehaven and Rheged
£442k in Cheshire.. …Cheshire Oaks and Chester
£122k in Merseyside.. …Liverpool John Lennon Airport, Liverpool and The Wirral
£214k in Lancashire.. …Lancaster, Blackburn, Garstang, Pendle and Burnley
Northwest TIC Training Programme • £200k investment in staff training and development 2008-11 • 1000 delegates • Almost 400 individual members of staff • Training resources and manual
Investment in DMSs and Digital Innovation
To what effect… VII Project Outputs • 8 jobs created • 38 jobs safeguarded • £2m public and private investment levered • 1000 delegates trained; 400 individual staff VisitEngland TIC Economic Impact Methodology • £30M in incremental spend generated by the region’s TICs
To what effect… Northwest and VisitEngland Mystery Shop • NW - Ave 67.8% in 2006 to 83.7% in 2010 • VE – Ave 71% in 2007 to 79.7% in 2010
Where are we now? • NWDA – Closure in 2012 • Restructuring of the traditional tourism support landscape • Significant reduction in local authority budgets • Biggest change in UK Tourism since Development of Tourism Act 1969 • TIC closures nationwide • Around a dozen TIC closures within the NW region
Reasons for optimism…. • New models and approaches emerging • National leadership, local commitment • Recognition of VI within national Strategic Framework for Tourism • National Modernising Visitor Information Action Plan
A window of opportunity to shape change and revitalise the network ahead of one of the most exciting times for tourism in England….
Thank You