Programme 10.00
Registration and Tea/Coffee
10:30
Welcome & Update Nick Brooks-Sykes, Director of Tourism, NWDA David Jackson. Visitor Information and Quality Manager, NWDA
11:00
National Modernising Visitor Information Action Plan Tracey Taylor, VisitEngland
11:20
Towards 2012 Sarah Case-Upton, NW Inspire Programmer 2012 Games,NWDA
11:35
Welcome to England Julia Stuckey, SWRDA/VisitEngland Peter Shaw, Kent Greeters Building on Liverpool 08 – Neil Peterson Morning Session Q&A
12:20
Lunch (& optional MOSI Tour)
13:30
Manchester VIC Paul Simpson, Managing Director, Visit Manchester
13:50
Workshop Session 1
14:40
Refreshment Break
15:00
Workshop Session 2
15:50
Close Optional Visit to Manchester VIC (includes coach from/to MOSI)
Workshops A. Alternative Delivery Models – This workshop will provide an opportunity to hear how traditional delivery models of TICsand Information Services are changing and evolving, including lessons from a range of casestudies from around the country. B. Marketing and PR Best Practice – Blue Sail director Lorna Easton will lead a lively, interactive workshop for people working at the sharp end of tourism. Starting from the role TICsplay in the visitor journey, the workshop will explore what kind of marketing and PRactivity TICs could or should engage in to help them deliver for their destination.
Speakers Nick BrooksSykes, Director of Tourism at the Northwest Regional Development Agency will open this year’s Conference with an update on the emerging tourism landscape both nationally and regionally and what this means for tourism in the Northwest. David Jackson will then provide a summary of the region’s achievements in driving improvements to the Northwest’s visitor information services over recent years, and a ‘where are we now’ update on the region’s TIC network. The Strategic Framework for Tourism in England 20102020, launched last April, identified key drivers for the industry going forward. A series of Action Plans outlining shared priorities for the next three years have now been developed, including a new national Modernising Visitor Information Action Plan. Following the recent consultation period, Tracey Taylor from VisitEngland will update delegates on the Action Plan and what this means for TICs and Visitor Information Services in the future. With less than 500 days to go until London 2012, Sarah CaseUpton will provide an update on how the Northwest is working hard to make the most of the Olympic and Paralympic opportunities. The Welcome to England initiative is closely related to 2012, having emerged from the wider Welcome to Britain programme. Julia Stuckey from the Southwest Regional Development Agency is working closely with VisitEngland on Welcome to England – a programme that seeks to improve the domestic and international visitor welcome (customer experience) at key touch points across the visitor journey. Julia will provide an overview of the Welcome to England initiative and the emerging national Action Plan. One of the priority actions identified within the Welcome to England Action Plan is to build on and learn from the best practice at a local level – in particular the Welcome Greeters network that has been successfully developed in the South East. We will be joined by Peter Shaw who will present a case study of the successful Greeters programme in Kent and how their model can be replicated in other destinations. Neil Peterson from Liverpool City will then present how Liverpool is continuing to build on the legacy of its year as European Capital of Culture in 2008, including new initiatives to harness the potential of local volunteers in providing a visitor welcome and information service in the city. Since opening in May 2010 the new Visitor Information Centre in Manchester city centre has received plaudits from the industry and has been described by many as an example of a TIC of the future. Ahead of the tour later in the day, Paul Simpson, Managing Director at Visit Manchester who operate the centre will present the inside story behind this award winning VIC.
Workshops A. Alternative Delivery Models This workshop will provide an opportunity to hear how traditional delivery models of TICs and Information Services are changing and evolving, including lessons from a range of case studies from around the country. Speakers within this workshop include Philip Johnston, Director of Coniston TIC Ltd who, following the Lake District National Park’s decision to withdraw funding from the TIC at Coniston in 2006, now operate a very successful communityled centre with no public funding. Steve Kessell from VisitCornwall will also share his experience of developing a new publicprivate partnership model in Newquay that has established a coordinated approach to marketing and visitor information services in the resort.
B. Marketing and PR Best Practice Blue Sail works with the people who shape and invest in destinations and who manage and market them. Bringing an indepth knowledge of visitor markets, their needs and requirements, Blue Sail director Lorna Easton will lead a lively, interactive workshop for people working at the sharp end of tourism. Starting from
the role TICs play in the visitor journey, the workshop will explore what kind of marketing and PR activity TICs could or should engage in to help them deliver for their destination.