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Issue 39 March/April 2011 £2.75
Film fans are boosting UK attractions By Christina Eccles A DESIRE to see the places where their favourite films were made is encouraging more tourists to UK visitor attractions. According to the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions – whose members include the British Museum, the V&A, Westminster Abbey and the Tower of London – popular films, television and radio programmes are raising the profile of its members’ attractions and drawing more visitors through the doors to follow in the footsteps of the stars. A survey of ALVA members revealed visitor figures for 2010 were up by 0.38 per cent – with over 50 per cent of attractions experiencing an increase in numbers. Several of the attractions have been used in successful films and TV programmes including National Trust property Antony, in Cornwall, which saw numbers rising from 25,000 to almost 100,000 following its use as a location in Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland. The Natural History Museum also experienced a boost in visitor figures of 13.2 per cent helped by the broadcast of BBC Two series Museum of Life and The Old Royal
Naval College in Greenwich gained national coverage when Johnny Depp filmed there for the latest Pirates of the Caribbean film. Director of ALVA Robin Broke said: “If you are thinking about marketing somewhere, then you are constantly looking for different angles and this gives sites a particular angle to exploit. With good marketing they are able to get the benefits. Everyone has a desire to get out to places but you need to provide that catalyst.” Top of the list of visitor figures for the fourth year running was the British Museum, helped by its displays of the objects used in Neil MacGregor’s BBC Radio Four series A History of the World in 100 Objects. And Robin added that the trend is set to continue this year, not only with film tourism but with major events like the Royal Wedding. He added: “The Royal Wedding could produce some uplift, certainly after the event as wonderful pictures of the country will be beamed around the world. “We are cautiously optimistic for this year. It should be a good year, particularly for those attractions which have a high quality offering and make it interesting for visitors.”
Two thirds research breaks on the internet
A luxury UK hotel has launched the most expensive first date package ever created – costing a whopping £45,000 per couple. The package was launched on Valentine’s Day at von Essen’s Amberley Castle in West Sussex – the wedding venue for TV presenter Holly Willoughby. It includes a helicopter or private jet to land the couple in the hotel grounds, a makeover from a team of stylists, hairdressers and beauty therapists, 10 course dinner menu and exclusive hire of the 19 bedroom castle. Picture: ITV Pictures
THE way which Brits plan their holidays is changing – with over two thirds of online holidaymakers now using the internet to research their breaks. According to a study, conducted by Memonic and YouGov, only 15 per cent of British travellers now use travel agents to research their holidays, with many turning to the web to make their choice. CEO of Memonic Dorian Selz said: “According to ABTA itself, over three quarters of the UK workforce holidayed in the 12 month period to September 2010. “UK workers also took an average of 3.2 holidays; two in the UK and 1.2 abroad. Our research has found that 74 per cent of online Brits that research holidays online are spending anywhere from at least two hours upwards researching each holiday online, with 20 per cent spending eight or more hours, the equivalent of an entire working day, conducting research.”
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Entertainment news in Centrestage starting on Page 13
How you can use the Olympics as a spring board Page 12
Destination Oxfordshire
Pages 6&7
Destination Scotland
Page 8
Contacts EDITORIAL
Jeff Brazier
The stars of The Only Way is Essex
Hit show boosts Essex tourism HIT TV show The Only Way is Essex is boosting tourism in the county – with internet searches up by 140 per cent on last year. The show, which follows the lives of club promoter Mark Wright and friends, put the Essex towns of Brentwood, Chigwell and Basildon on the map since its launch last year. And according to figures from Hotels.com, Brentwood has
experienced a surge of 103 per cent in hotel searches, alongside Basildon, which has seen searches rise by 94 per cent. Communications director at Hotels.com Alison Couper said: “It’s great to see Essex back on the tourism map as Brits rush to visit the county currently enjoying its spot in the limelight. Not only famous for The Only Way Is Essex, the county also benefits from having the longest coastline
in the country, as well as a variety of historic attractions from Audley End House, one of England's grandest stately homes to the world’s longest leisure pier in Southend-on-Sea.” Other celebrities who are currently flying the flag for Essex include Brit award winner Jessie J, Stacey Solomon, X-Factor singers Matt Cardle and Olly Murs and Dancing on Ice star Jeff Brazier.
Andrew Harrod group editor 01226 734639 ah@whpl.net Louise Cordell reporter 01226 734694 lcordell@whpl.net Christina Eccles reporter 01226 734463 ce@whpl.net Dominic Musgrave reporter 01226 734407 dm@whpl.net
PRODUCTION Judith Halkerston – group deputy editor – jhalkerston@whpl.net Stewart Holt – studio manager – sth@whpl.net Kyle Wilkinson – graphic designer kw@whpl.net Laura Blackburn – graphic designer lb@whpl.net ADVERTISING Andrew Loades assistant product manager 01226 734482 Tony Barry sales and marketing director 01226 734605/01226 734333 CIRCULATION
Zoo’s right Royal wedding offer
Kelly Tarff 01226 734695 kt@whpl.net
ZSL Whipsnade Zoo is marking this year’s Royal Wedding by offering a discount to any couple that wants to share the date with William and Kate. The zoo is offering 25 per cent off room hire, plus a free glass of
Web: www.destination.uk.com
champagne for every guest to couple who book for 29 April 2011. Patrick Shelvey, operations catering manager, said: “We are really pleased to be able to offer this for couples who want to share their wedding date with the young
royals. “With the royal wedding date being confirmed as a national bank holiday, we think a lot of people will want to make the most of the extended weekend and celebrate their big day in this unique setting.”
Fax: 01226 734477
Excellence awards recognise the UK’s best THE best of the UK’s hotel industry have been recognised at the 2011 HRS Hotel Excellence Awards. The awards contained eight categories – recognising everything from environmental responsibility and innovation, to staff training and internships. The winners, a mix of small (less than 50 rooms) and large (more than 50 rooms) hotels, were chosen based on a number of key criteria set by the judging panel, which included a line up of hotel and tourism industry experts such as the senior travel editor of The Independent and TV and radio
presenter, Simon Calder.
Large – Weetwood Hall, Leeds
Sofitel London Heathrow
Director, UK and Ireland, HRS Jon West said: “The standard of entries to this year’s awards was exceptionally high. The judging panel had to make some difficult decisions but were particularly impressed with the lengths that hotels have gone through to improve their social responsibility whilst remaining profitable in these tough economic times.”
Excellent Customer service Small – Loch Melfort, Oban Large – The Balmoral, Edinburgh
Excellence in Marketing Small – Best Western Wroxton House, Banbury Large – The Cumberland, London
The winners are: Excellence through People Small – Dartmouth Golf and Country Club
Excellent Social responsibility Small – The County, Chelmsford Large – Westport Woods Best Family friendly Hotel Small – Loch Melfort, Oban Large – Park Plaza County Hall, London Best Value for Money Hotel Small – The Townhouse, Kingston upon Hull Large – The Cumberland, London Excellence in Meetings
Business Management Small – Rothay Garden, Cumbria Robert Ragge Award for Innovation Citizen M, Glasgow Jon added: “We are very proud of the growing success of the HRS Hotel Excellence Awards as they do an important job in reliably benchmarking quality service and innovation within the industry.”
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Latest survey reveals value of day trip VISITENGLAND has revealed details of a new survey to better understand the value which day trips bring to the English tourism industry. According to the organisation, day trips in England are currently valued at over £45b and represent half the country’s tourism spend. The Day Visits Survey – announced at the English Tourism Intelligence Partnership’s national conference – has now been created to gather more information on this important area of the tourism mix. The survey will form part of a National Research and Intelligence Programme championed by VisitEngland on behalf of the tourism industry. Working in partnership with the other national tourist boards, VisitEngland has already begun the field work for the survey – with the first results scheduled for early 2012. VisitEngland’s chief executive James Berresford said: “Never before has the need for accurate tourism data been so prevalent as it is now. “The industry is entering a significant time of change and with a host of once in a lifetime events around the corner such as the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and innovative global competition we need to ensure that our business plans are underpinned by robust research and incisive analysis. “ETIP’s programme of work has been second to none and has provided a strong foundation for the industry to build on.”
The Hogmanay celebrations in Inverness are popular with both residents and tourists
Year-round events keep visitors coming to the Highlands By Christina Eccles A YEAR round calendar of popular festivals and events is keeping visitors flocking to Inverness. Close partnership working between the Highland Council, local businesses and other promoters staging events in the area means there is always something going on in the city whatever the season. A dedicated events website and online calendar also helps visitors to plan their stay around an event and allows local hotels and businesses to join in promotions. The Highland Council’s events officer Gerry Reynolds explained: “Quite often councils can get distracted by why they are doing
events. The strategy we came up with was to strip it down to the basics and stage annual events and festivals to engage with the people of Inverness. “Inverness is a really popular tourism destination and we want to make sure that people have a great time. We know that events are a great way to attract people to the city. “Now we are planning ahead – this means that hotels can organise promotions around them and people are starting to see a pattern. We also have other groups coming to us asking if we can help them to promote their events.” The 2011 events programme in Inverness includes the Inverness
Half Marathon, Inverness Highland Games and Armed Forces Day, Rudolph's Winter Wonderland and The Red Hot Highland Fling Hogmanay Party. The area is also home to a number of major festivals including Rockness and the Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival, which also attract visitors in their thousands. Gerry added: “We have always done big events here but we didn’t have so many of them clearly visible. Events are now growing in numbers and are better promoted. “The Highlands know how to party. There is a lot of energy up here and we are just starting, which is a great thing.”
Hotel celebrates customer care win
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A LAKE District hotel has won a coveted award for best customer care. The Best Western Castle Green Hotel in Kendal picked up the trophy at the company’s awards gala dinner, held at the Don Carlos Resort in Marbella. The award was assessed from customer letters to Best Western Hotels’ central office, internal customer feedback auditing and Trip Advisor ratings from the whole of the brand in Great Britain. The Hotel beat off competition from 270 other hotels in the Best Western group to win the award.
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Campaigners fight to save ravaged pier By Christina Eccles A CAMPAIGN has been launched to save an iconic seaside landmark which was devastated by fire last year. The campaign is calling on readers of Coast magazine, and anyone in the UK who would like to see Hastings Pier restored, to take part in a sponsored Great Pier Promenade to return the attraction to its former glory. The aim is for people to walk as many British piers as possible over the spring and summer to highlight the campaign and raise money towards restoration work. The Great Pier Promenade will launch on March 12 by Hastings Pier, during a Party on the Prom, which will include a market, and performances by local poets, musicians and comedians. This event also will coincide with VisitBritain’s UK-wide celebration of piers, Party on the Pier, at the start of British Tourism Week.
Co-chair of British Tourism Week Patricia Yates said: “I am delighted that Coast magazine has really got behind this year’s British Tourism Week and ‘Party on the Pier’ which celebrates our much adored piers in Britain. “Tourists just love these most precious seaside attractions and we would like to see them preserved to highlight what they can offer the local area. Coast magazine has really led by example with its fantastic campaign to restore Hastings Pier and its tourism legacy.” The Hastings Pier and White Rock Trust will use the money raised by the event to restore the Grade IIlisted curved building – the only surviving structure on the pier – which dates back to 1907. The building is likely to become a restaurant as part of the pier’s redesign and once restoration work is completed, a plaque will be unveiled in honour of Coast readers and the Great Pier Promenade.
Colchester Zoo is maintaining its reputation as home to one of the most successful aardvark breeding groups in Europe. The zoo’s group is celebrating the birth of a sixth new youngster and is still the only group in the UK to produce offspring. Although the birthing burrow is not on show, visitors will be able to watch the progress of mum and baby through a closed circuit television link to a large screen in the main viewing tunnel.
Especially for mums ... AN Edinburgh hotel has created a selection of special packages to celebrate Mothers’ Day. The Sheraton Grand Hotel and Spa’s Number One Mum
packages include a day in the spa, lunch in the terrace restaurant or a Spa, Spoil, Sleep package including one night’s accommodation.
Training leaves staff ‘brimming with ideas’
Emma Eccleston
LANCASHIRE and Blackpool Tourist Board is leading the way in customer service training in the north of England – taking more participants through the Welcome Host Gold training than any tourist board outside the South East. Welcome Host Gold, launched in June 2010, is now part of the Welcome to Excellence suite of training courses delivered by LBTB to around 2,000 delegates a year. The one-day course can be tailored to include content specific to the destination and business and uses the latest techniques and practices to build confidence and skills, vital to the customer-facing environment. Six participants from Stanley House have recently completed the course and examination. Meetings and events manager Emma Eccleston said: “Sometimes it’s good to remind yourself that what you are doing is right and that there are good reasons why we have certain procedures in place. “However, I can honestly say that we took a great deal more from the course and we’re now brimming with ideas that can be easily adopted, to further enhance the customer experience of Stanley House.”
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Win a day out for a group of twenty TO celebrate the launch of the new groups itineraries in Oxfordshire, VisitOxfordshire is offering one lucky organiser the chance to win a day out for a group of 20. The prize includes a river cruise with Oxford River Cruises, taking in one of the busiest and most colourful stretches of the Oxford Thames around Iffley lock. The group will then visit Oxford Castle Unlocked, revealing the history of the city within the walls of the castle and prison. Finally, the party will be taken for morning coffee at the five star Macdonald Randolph Hotel before going on to The Old Swan and Minster Mill in Minster Lovell for an afternoon in the Cotswolds countryside with lunch and afternoon refreshments included. For your chance to win, send your name, address and telephone number to: VisitOxfordshire Competition, Destination UK Magazine, 47 Church Street, Barnsley, South Yorkshire S70 2AS. The deadline for entries is 15 April 2011.
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VisitOxfordshire launches its first itineraries VISIT Oxfordshire has launched its first itineraries aimed at the group and travel trade market. The schedules range in length from one to three days and are designed to showcase the diversity of the county – with themes including glorious gardens, art
lovers and literary fans. The itineraries can be downloaded from the Visit Oxfordshire website, which also provides information on the walking tour programme in the city of Oxford, where over 20 themed tours are available for group organisers
to choose from. Oxfordshire attraction Blenheim Palace has also created a new selection of tours for this year – with new additions including Odd Men and Necessary Women and Creating an Architectural Masterpiece.
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Oxford hotel restored to former glory A HOTEL in Oxford has refurbished its oldest wing to restore the building to its original glory. Each of the 12 new rooms at the Oxford Thames Four Pillars Hotel has been named after Oxford Colleges such as Christchurch, St John’s, Trinity and Magdalen. Colour schemes in the rooms also reflect the hotel’s sense of history and status, with rich ruby and amethyst tones, and also include Clarins toiletries, Divine chocolate bars, complimentary drinks tray, robes, slippers and newspapers. General manager Rameth Kurdi said: “We are absolutely delighted to unveil the newly refurbished College House wing of the hotel. “We are keenly aware of the hotel’s status within local history, with the site linked with the Knights Templar of the Holy Crusades, and have gone to great lengths to retain historic character within the rooms. “These 12 bedrooms are all individual in style, yet they all echo the College House’s historical roots, and we hope that our guests will enjoy this nod to our place in history.”
Oxfordshire attraction Bicester Village celebrated the Chinese New Year in style by offering additional savings at a selection of its designer boutiques. To mark the Year of the Golden Rabbit, Chinese visitors could take advantage of special offers at stores including iconic British labels Mulberry and Matthew Williamson and European brands such as Armani. On site Thai restaurant Busaba EatThai also served a special Chinese New Year menu during the festivities.
Olympic celebration A SERIES of events will take place along the River Thames next year as part of the Cultural Olympiad, celebrating the London Olympic Games. Five spectacular events will take place in the Thames region giving more than 1,000 participants from Oxford, Reading, Henley, Windsor and Slough the chance to take part in all the excitement of 2012.
The centrepiece of the project will be a giant sculpted Tree of Light lit by low energy LED light and powered by sustainable energy largely generated by cyclists and rowers from each local community. The organisation behind Tree of Light – Thames Arts – has been awarded a grant of £750,000 by Legacy Trust UK to deliver the project.
AN Oxfordshire music festival has won a prestigious event industry award. Fairport's Cropredy Convention, billed as Britain's friendliest music festival, scooped the editor’s award at the Total Production International awards. The trophy was accepted by festival director Gareth Williams (pictured) on behalf of Fairport Convention, the folkrock group which hosts the event.
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Over 200 New faces for Meet the Scots businesses sign up to exhibit at Expo By Christina Eccles
MORE than 200 Scottish tourism businesses have signed up to exhibit at this year’s VisitScotland Expo. Organised by VisitScotland, the event takes place in Aberdeen on April 13 and 14 and is the only flagship business to business event for the travel trade that is entirely Scottish. Exhibitors for 2011 include Scottish Thistle Awards winners for Innovation, Rabbies Trail Burners, Sustainable Tourism winners EAE Leaflet Marketing Specialists and Young Entrepreneur twins Guy and Jamie McKenzie, who run Fifebased land-yachting company Blown Away. Around 800 buyers from diverse markets throughout the world including Europe, the USA and the Far East, as well as the UK and Ireland are expected to attend the event.
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VISITSCOTLAND has brought four new faces on board to help head up its major European tourism campaign, Meet the Scots. The campaign has already delivered almost £97m in additional tourism revenue for Scotland and the four new recruits joining the £900K marketing campaign include Hazel Campbell, a landscape artist from Dumfries and Galloway, Sheila Fleet, a jewellery maker from Orkney, Donald John Mackay, a Harris Tweed weaver from Luskentyre in the Outer Hebrides and Stevie Christie of Wilderness Scotland who offer Scottish adventure holidays. They will join 14 other Scots chosen for last year’s campaign in the marketing push that has inspired thousands of visitors from Europe to visit the country. Photographs of the participating Scots feature heavily on the campaign’s European websites
and across a wide range of promotional material. Each person photographed represents their particular passion for Scotland – each introducing a different theme which helps to bring Scotland to life for potential European visitors. The latest themes include traditional art and creativity, pre-history and adventure travel. Other ongoing themes include wildlife, island hopping, food and drink, fashion, music, gardens and golf. VisitScotland's head of international marketing Denise Hill said: “The “Meet the Scots” campaign approach certainly appears to be working, with almost £97m delivered to the Scottish economy at a time when tight budgets are impacting on the plans of holidaymakers all over the world. “Introducing Scots as ambassadors is a great way to reel in potential visitors. “European visitors are
particularly keen to engage with the locals when in Scotland and it is the type of insider knowledge delivered via the campaign that really helps them to make the most of their own adventure in Scotland. “Using our Scots to front the campaign allows us to provide consumers with a greater depth of information and insider tips – the kind of things you don’t find in the guide books and the real gems you discover by meeting local people.” Working in partnership with low cost airlines, ferry companies and accommodation providers, the campaign harnesses the enthusiasm of tourism businesses across Scotland to target potential visitors in Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Sweden, Belgium and the Netherlands. The campaign runs until June 2011 and is designed to promote Scotland as an ideal touring destination, every month of the year.
Setting sail on an unforgettable journey CALMAC has served the islands off Scotland’s beautiful west coast for over 150 years and our modern and comfortable ships will offer your group an unforgettable journey. From the moment you step on board you’ll be able to sit back,
relax and enjoy our selection of onboard services. Sailing to 24 destinations from Arran in the south to Lewis in the north, each island offers a unique visitor experience and whatever your chosen destination, large or small, you’ll find the
traditional Scottish island welcome awaiting your group’s arrival. So, when you’re planning your trip, get in touch and we’ll be happy to help you in any way we can.
Contact details: 0800 066 5000 Website: www.calmac.co.uk
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Trust pushes the great outdoors By Louise Cordell THE National Trust has launched a new drive to get more people experiencing the great British outdoors. A focus on walking, cycling and camping will help get more people visiting the land it looks after and get closer to nature. The charity will promote activities including walking, mountain biking, kayaking and surfing. Fiona Reynolds, director general, said: “For too long it’s felt that outdoor spaces have been the Trust’s best kept secret. “We want to play our part in helping to reconnect the nation with outdoor spaces, whether in the Lake District or a local park. “Over 100 years ago one of the Trust’s founders, Octavia Hill, argued that quiet, air and exercise, together with the sight of sky and growing things, were human needs common to all people. “A growing body of research backs her intuition, but over a century later we still don’t seem to value enough of the physical and spiritual refreshment we get from our surroundings.”
The main outdoors activity for the Trust this year will be focussed on walking and on creating 100 miles of new community walking routes as part of a major outdoor celebration planned for October. It’s hoped that thousands of members of the public will be involved in helping design local routes, clear undergrowth and tread the walking routes for the first time. Jo Burgon, outdoors programme director, said: “It is clear that people simply love being outdoors surrounded by nature and walking is the easiest way to do that. “We want to work with our local communities to help shape and create new walking routes on our land for people to explore.” The Trust also currently has more than 50 campsites on its land and other plans for the year include creating a network of new, simple campsites in stunning locations. For example, in Snowdonia, the Trust has recently launched green yurt holidays and is also promoting its 30 bunk houses as great places to base walking weekends.
The Heritage Motor Centre has launched ‘Sci-Fi at the Movies’, a new exhibition featuring props and costumes from some of the genres most famous films. Displays from films including Star Wars, E.T., Harry Potter, Aliens, Batman and Superman will be on view from now until September. The artefacts are on loan from the private collection of ‘Skywalkers Promotions’ and would not normally be available for the public to view. Visitors will be able to move through six different zones including the ‘Creature Zone’, the ‘Star Trek Zone’, the ‘Star Wars Zone’, ‘Alien and Predator’ and ‘Comic Book Heroes’.
Best budget brand chosen PREMIER INN has been named the Best Budget Hotel Brand at the Business Travel Awards for the second year running. The brand was praised for its clever use of social media, great customer feedback programme and ongoing levels of expansion. Steve Conway, head of marketing, said: “We are absolutely delighted to win this top industry award.
“Premier Inn prides itself on providing high quality accommodation at great value prices, making it perfect for business guests.” In 2008 Premier Inn launched in Dubai and is now open in Bangalore, India. In the UK, the brand is set to be the largest provider of budget hotels in London by 2012.
New website targets overseas tourists
Kids’ favourite visits zoo BLACKPOOL Zoo has received a visit from children’s TV favourite Blue Peter. Presenter Andy Akinwolere spent two days getting to grips with the zoo’s resident sea lions and mastering the basics of the public displays in the Active Oceans Arena. The footage is now set to be aired on a future episode of the programme. Jude Rothwell, Blackpool Zoo’s marketing and PR coordinator,
said: “It is fantastic that Blue Peter sent Andy along to look at how we work with our sea lions and everyone was very excited about meeting him. Our displays are educational and fun and we are it was great to see Andy take the lead role.” The Active Oceans Arena was completed in 2010 after a two year, £2m investment and it is home to Magellanic penguins and Californian sea lions.
A NEW website has been launched to help overseas visitors to get the most out of their trips to the UK. Tourism agency VisitBritain has joined forces with specialist production company Geocast TV to develop, host and manage the new media site – VisitBritain TV. The company’s brief is to develop a video and streaming media site which promotes British people and events, enabling the millions of overseas tourists who come to Britain to get the
most out of their visit. Head of digital and social media at VisitBritain Justin Reid said: “The Royal Wedding this year and the London Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012 will provide unprecedented media exposure all around the world. We want to ensure we cater for the information needs and interests of both new visitors who are inspired to come to Britain for the first time and people who know us well and want to get under our skin more.”
The best B&Bs in the world ENGLAND has the best bed and breakfast accommodation in the world, according to results from the Trip Advisor Traveller’s Choice Awards. The awards recognised the top 10 B&Bs in the World – and five of them are in England. Saltcote Place, Number One B&B, Riverside Hotel, Creston Villa and the Twenty One each made the top 10, voted for by independent travellers.
Chief executive of VisitEngland James Berresford said: “The B&B is at the very heart of English tourism and we congratulate these five properties for continuing the great tradition of English bed and breakfast. “They represent the cream of English hospitality, and the growing creativity and boundless enthusiasm that make so many of our B&Bs truly outstanding places to stay.” 9
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Agency is determined to make most of major events MAJOR events in the UK are set to form the focus of a new campaign launched by national tourism agency VisitBritain. Upcoming events such as the Royal Wedding in April and the Diamond Jubilee celebrations and London Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012 will be used to attract more tourists to the country – with the aim of delivering an extra £2b of visitor spend and an extra 50,000 jobs. The changing focus of VisitBritain’s marketing strategy has been agreed with its sponsoring department – the department of culture, media and sport and forms part of a wider four year match funded global marketing campaign, which reflects its budget cuts of 34 per cent. With this in mind, VisitBritain has reviewed its activity to ensure that it: Delivers the Britain marketing programme, in partnership with
the private sector Focuses investment on those markets which offer the best immediate return and best future prospects for Britain Delivers insights, trends and industry performance research; Maintains a streamlined advisory role in line with its statutory duty to advise Government on tourism. VisitBritain CEO Sandie Dawe said: “This proposed new structure and focus reflects our priorities and is in line with our four-year funding settlement. “Our goal is to maximise the tourism opportunities of hosting a raft of major iconic events over the next two years. We need to ensure that this clarity of focus is supported by the right structure and skills. I have every confidence in the professionalism and passion of my team to deliver on our ambitions and for our partners and the whole tourism industry”.
VisitBritain will focus its marketing around major events such as the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations in 2012
New guide to target New Blackpool marketing chief is appointed by potential visitors Merlin Entertainments to Lancashire By Louise Cordell LANCASHIRE and Blackpool Tourist Board is aiming to increase the number of visitors to the area with a new 100-page guide to local attractions and activities. This spring 35,000 copies of the Lancashire Visitor Guide 2011 will be published and will be used to target potential visitors via direct mail, tourist information centres and travel trade exhibitions. It will also be available in digital format, making it available to over 700,000 potential consumers on visitlancashire.com. Mike Wilkinson, LBTB chief executive, said: “This is the most comprehensive guide produced by the tourist board and we feel it captures the essence of what it feels like to visit and stay in Lancashire. “This year’s spring campaign will focus on our great countryside and the increasing importance of green tourism when it comes to choosing a holiday in the UK. “The ‘staycation’ inspired many families to rediscover the traditional holidays of their own youth and with our summer campaign, we focus on families and the wealth of activities 10 and entertainment available across
the county. “Our aim is to demonstrate that seaside or countryside visitors need look no further than Lancashire and Blackpool for choice, quality and good value holidays.” The guide features an interview with the reserve manager at Lancashire nature reserve Brockholes, a range of new car-free itineraries, food talk from Great British Menu winner Lisa Allen and an insight into Blackpool’s world famous illuminations.
MERLIN Entertainments in Blackpool has appointed a marketing chief to support its regeneration plans for the town’s tower and promenade. Sarah Lundy will be responsible for all sales and marketing for the businesses in the tower, the new Madame Tussauds and the Sea Life centre. She said: “I had previously worked as the e-marketing manager for the Lancashire and Blackpool Tourist Board and watched the progress of the Council’s partnership with Merlin with interest – but I never expected to find myself playing such a key role in the success of the project. “I feel that the Council’s decision to form an allegiance with an experienced visitor attraction operator to optimise their acquisition of the tower was very enlightened. “The plans for the tower and the whole area are very exciting and I have no doubt that the town will re-establish its position as the UK’s favourite family destination during 2011 and 2012.” Sarah will also be responsible for the development and launch of a whole new ticket structure for the tower, which will allow visitors free access to common areas, with
Sarah Lundy separate charges for each of the key attractions. She added: “We want everyone to maximise their use and enjoyment of our attractions and the area and this new pricing structure will encourage both local and holiday visitors to come to the tower very regularly for different reasons.”
Henry VIII continues to hold court daily at Hampton Court, where groups enter a living Tudor world and can participate in life at Henry’s palace from special Tudor cookery weekends to everyday court life. Groups will be inspired by Florimania this spring with scented floral arrangements in keeping with the ancient stories from the past 500 years of dazzling history. Visitors can walk in the footsteps of Henry VIII and marvel at the displays arranged by the Surrey area of NAFAS (National Association of Flower Arrangement Societies), volunteers will offer flower arranging demonstrations. This popular event over Mothering Sunday weekend, 1 – 3 April 2011 is included in admission to give your groups a great value day out. After enjoying the flowers inside the palace, step outside to the glorious formal gardens of William III and Mary II before you disappear into the Maze where whispers of the past will haunt every step to the centre of this topiary puzzle. From 22 – 25 April, the palace will be on tenterhooks awaiting the impending birth of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour’s first child. Will it be a boy? Will it survive? Will there be joy or sorrow? Join the court and be first to hear the eagerly anticipated news!
The Tudor cooks will also be on hand to satisfy the requirements of the hungry court with typical Tudor delicacies in the great kitchens and the ever-popular wedding of Henry VIII and his sixth wife will still be taking place with live interpretation daily. For those seeking tranquillity, a stroll through the gardens to see the spring flowers will build up an appetite for a snack or lunch in the Tiltyard Café, where group arrangements can also be made. For your groups opportunity to meet Henry VIII’s wives or take part in any of the Tudor events, call our contact centre on 0844 482 7770 or e-mail groupsandtravel trade@hrp.org.uk. Please quote “Destination UK March” when contacting us.
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Lessons on how to use Olympics as spring board By Christina Eccles BUSINESSES across the Peak District and Derbyshire are to be given a helping hand to ensure they don’t miss out on the tourism potential of the London 2012 Olympic Games. Delegates at Visit Peak District and Derbyshire’s 2011 tourism conference will learn how they can use the Olympics as a spring board to a more prosperous future as part of VisitBritain’s Britain You’re Invited initiative. Project director Joss Croft will reveal how local businesses can reap the long-term rewards of the Olympic legacy in years to come at the conference, which will be held at the Pavilion Garden in Buxton on March 31. Other speakers confirmed include VisitEngland’s chief executive James Berresford – who will outline changes in the regional and national tourism scene – television and radio presenter Stuart Maconie and web expert Susan Hallam, who will share tips on how to use social networking to boost sales and add value to a business. VisitEngland chairman, Penelope Viscountess Cobham, will also join delegates to speak about the strategic importance of tourism to the country’s economy. Head of industry services at Visit Peak District and Derbyshire Jim Oribine said: “We are delighted that so many high-profile and knowledgeable speakers have agreed to join us for what promises to be a profitable and enjoyable day for all local businesses working in the
Susan Hallam
Stuart Maconie
tourism sector. “It’s a fantastic opportunity for them to meet some of the industry’s leading experts to debate how we can all work together to maximise the potential of tourism – not just in the run-up to key events such as the Royal Wedding, the Olympic Games and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee – but in the years to come. “There’ll also be the chance to
put questions directly to some of the speakers during a group session, as well as briefing sessions on current tourism developments, and plenty of time to network with colleagues to find out what’s new and how they are tackling current and future challenges.” Present at the event will also be chief executive of Visit Peak District and Derbyshire David
Michael heads for Stratford MICHAEL Gajdos has been appointed conferences manager at the Legacy Falcon Hotel in Stratford. He will now be the main point of contact for conference organisers during the day to ensure everything runs smoothly. He said: “While I was studying law at university in the Czech Republic, I enjoyed working in various departments in hotels which gave me an insight into the hospitality industry. “I have worked in the conferencing department 12 at the Falcon hotel for the
last five years and I am delighted with my promotion. “I will be working to make sure our clients are happy with our service because in the current financial climate it is important to give added value to customers. “There are a lot of venues competing for conference business in the region but the standard of our facilities and the staff here is a definite plus and I am looking forward to putting the Falcon hotel on the conferencing map.”
Michael Gajdos
James and David Thornton, its deputy chief executive and head of marketing, who will outline the tourist board’s plans for 2011 and beyond. Around 50 of its public and private sector partners – including Chatsworth, the AA, Sheffield International Venues, The National Trust, Yeomans and the YHA – will also be on hand in an exhibition and networking area.
New term for chairman CHRISTOPHER Rodrigues has been appointed to serve a second four-year term as chairman of VisitBritain. He will be providing the strategic leadership of the organisation as it takes on the task of using major events such as the Royal Wedding, Diamond Jubilee and the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games to showcase Britain and deliver a permanent increase in tourism to this country. Christopher said: “I am absolutely delighted to be reappointed to this challenging role at such an opportune moment for British tourism. In a few months the eyes of the world will be on the Royal Wedding at Westminster Abbey and next summer they will be focused on the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Games. These and other iconic events present us with an unprecedented opportunity to boost Britain’s image abroad and promote our attractiveness as a destination.”
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From great balls of fire to blue suede shoes A SMASH hit in New York and Chicago, the Tony awardwinning musical Million Dollar Quartet tells the electrifying story of the night Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis came together to make music, and ended up making history ... Inspired by the actual event, that took place on December 4 1956 at Sun Records in Memphis, this ecstatic and engaging musical is a story of fame, friendship, discovery, divided loyalties, professional jealousy and incredible music as four of the music industry's most
extraordinary talents, all in their creative prime, made music together for the first and only time in their careers. The legendary meeting was masterminded by Sun Records' founder Sam Phillips, who discovered all four of the musicians, and brought Elvis Presley (and his then girlfriend) back to the recording studio that launched him to stardom. Together with Sun Records' fast-rising new superstar Johnny Cash and Carl Perkins, who was still chasing his next big hit after writing and recording Blue Suede
Shoes, the fourth member of this impromptu "quartet" was Phillips' latest signing, Jerry Lee Lewis. Million Dollar Quartet features over 20 classic hits from a golden era of music including: Blue Suede Shoes, Folsom Prison Blues, Fever, Memories Are Made Of This, That's All Right, Down By The Riverside, Sixteen Tons, (There Will Be) Peace In The Valley, I Walk The Line, I Hear You Knocking, Great Balls Of Fire, Hound Dog, Riders In The Sky, See You Later Alligator and Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On.
New show likely to appeal to range of customers THINGS have got very Rock ‘n’ Roll in London’s West End with the arrival of hit musical Million Dollar Quartet, direct from Broadway at the Noel Coward Theatre. The sound of the south is definitely alive with this show inspired by the famed recording session that brought together rock ‘n’ roll’s greatest icons Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins for the first and only time. Short break specialist Superbreak has a range of packages available that include tickets to the show and overnight accommodation in a range of hotels around the Capital. Based on the actual event that took place on December 4 1956, Million Dollar Quartet tells the story of how Sun Records’ founder Sam Phillips brought together four icons for a truly unique recording session. Now immortalized as the one and only time the four musicians recorded together, Million Dollar Quartet recreates the evening in an exciting story of friendship, discovery and professional jealousies. Bringing together some of the best-loved songs of rock ‘n’ roll, country and gospel, the hit musical features over 20 classic hits from a golden era of music including: Blue Suede Shoes, Fever, Hound Dog, Great Balls of Fire, I Walk the Line, Whole Lotta Shakin' 14 Goin' On and more.
Michael Malarkey Picture: Christopher Draghi
Graham Balmforth National sales manager Graham Balmforth said: "This show has already been a hit on Broadway and I expect it to be very popular here in the West End too. A new show is always a great hook for agents to use to promote London theatre breaks and this show is likely to appeal to a range of different customers." Packages start from £95.50 per person staying one night at the three star President Hotel with breakfast and a top price saver ticket to see the show. Valid Monday to Friday until end April. Based on two sharing.
Michael Malarkey has made his West End debut as Elvis Presley in new show Million Dollar Quartet. The musical features over 20 classic hits including: Blue Suede Shoes, I Walk The Line, Fever and Great Balls of Fire and is currently playing at London’s Noël Coward Theatre.
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DESTINATIONCENTRESTAGE
New brand gives access to organisers
The cast has been confirmed for Calendar Girls at Torquay’s Princess Theatre in June. Stars performing will include Lesley Joseph, Deena Payne and Camilla Dallerup. Performances run from June 20 to 25.
ENCORE Tickets is to launch a new brand – Encore Direct – allowing group travel organisers direct access to top value hotels, attraction and theatre tickets. Since 2002, Encore has been offering London breaks to individuals, building up a portfolio of over 60 hotels. Now group customers are being offered the opportunity to combine Encore’s great hotel rates with their unique ticket allocations. Managing director John Wales said: “We have the guaranteed allocations of tickets and hotels that GTOs and coach tour operators need. By using Encore Direct they cut out the middle-man and get the best prices immediately.” To launch Encore Direct, the company is offering an introductory offer of overnight accommodation and tickets at six different West End shows including Dreamboats and Petticoats, Mamma Mia! and Billy Elliot.
Grease set to end its West End run HIT musical Grease will end its West End run on April 30, before embarking on a UK tour. The show, which returned to London in July 2007, has played over 1,400 performances and has been seen by over 1m theatregoers – making it the longest running production in the Piccadilly Theatre’s history. The touring production will call at cities including Edinburgh, Milton
Keynes, Bradford, Southampton, Oxford and Cardiff, with casting yet to be announced. Producer David Ian said: “This has been the fourth London run in 17 years for this amazing production and the longest ever running show at The Piccadilly Theatre. Now we’re taking everyone’s favourite show right across the UK on its greatest tour ever – Grease is indeed the word!”
A venue within a venue for Liverpool ECHO Arena Liverpool has launched EchoTwo – a venue within a venue for more intimate performances. Situated at one end of the arena, EchoTwo will offer up to 4000 visitors the chance to get up close and personal with top music, comedy and classical acts, with the remainder of the venue sectioned off. General manager Tim Banfield said: “The new space will be intimate, creating a superb atmosphere for acts that don’t want to play to a massive arena audience, enabling fans to feel like they are really close to the performers. “Demand for this kind of space is growing all the time and the result
is a direct response to industry feedback. “This now means concertgoers don’t have to leave the city region to see some of their favourite acts. “The new layout will also reduce costs and make it easier for production companies to load in their equipment. “For some performers, the city’s other long-standing venues are simply too small, while the entire Echo Arena is too big. This fills the middle ground and creates a whole new type of venue where fans are closer to the stage.” Talent already confirmed for the space includes comedian Paddy McGuinness, The Australian Pink Floyd Show and The Monkees.
The Pub Landlord Al Murray will appear at Torquay’s Princess Theatre on April 27. Following the huge success of his 2010 tour, he has added more dates to the Barrel of Fun Tour.
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Husband and wife team make influential list HUSBAND and wife team Howard Panter and Rosemary Squire have topped a list of the 100 most influential people in UK theatre. Industry bible The Stage put the pair – joint chief executives of the Ambassador Theatre Group – top of its annual guide for the second year in a row. Others making the list include Andrew Lloyd Webber, Cameron Mackintosh and Legally Blonde star Sheridan Smith. Deputy editor of The Stage Alistair Smith said: “This is the first time in
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the 15-year history of the Stage 100 that neither Andrew Lloyd Webber nor Cameron Mackintosh has placed in the top two. “The shift in power to the Ambassador Theatre Group, which operates more theatres in both London and the regions than anyone else, represents a new world order for the theatre industry. “No longer is it led by two powerful and personally wealthy individuals, but by a company run on finance, with shareholders to answer to.”
Smash-hit musical Wicked has extended its booking period up to April 2012. The musical – on at London’s Apollo Victoria Theatre – has won numerous awards and grossed in excess of £120m at the UK Box Office since its West End premiere in 2006. Picture: Mark Evans who plays Fiyero in the show
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DESTINATIONNEWS
New campaign is aimed at jet-set tourists By Louise Cordell VISITBRITAIN has joined forces with the airline Emirates to launch a new, high-end tourism marketing campaign. ‘Britain – A Tradition of Luxury’, will aim to showcase the country’s quality tourism experiences and one-off events to big spending visitors. The campaign is being launched in China, India, UAE and Singapore and is targeted primarily at affluent 35 to 55 year old international travellers. These ‘high-net worth’ individuals – wealthy people with more than $1m in disposable funds –- grew by over 17 per cent in 2009 and for the first time there are as many in Asia as in Europe and North America. Research has found that this audience wants high quality and service with authentic experiences and personalised itineraries with brands they can trust. To target this group, the multichannel marketing scheme will showcase the best luxury products and experiences that are available in London and across the rest of
Britain – as well as the benefits offered by Emirates. British luxury experiences that will be promoted through the campaign include The May Fair London, St Andrews and its championship golf courses and Bodysgallen Hall, a Grade One listed house in Llandudno in Wales. The campaign will include press advertising, online banners, direct email marketing and a campaign microsite at www.www.visitbritain. com/sg/emirates. Laurence Bresh, VisitBritain’s director of marketing, said: “It is a great match – Emirates has perfected the art of luxury over many years as has Britain over the centuries. “Britain is already regarded by many of the international jet-set as the original home of luxury, thanks to our traditions and history of service. “Whether these visitors have a passion for rubbing shoulders with the British elite at Royal Ascot, shopping at Harrods, taking a journey on the Orient-Express or a stay at the May Fair London, we have many luxurious experiences just waiting to be enjoyed.”
Travel organisers head for Kent and Medway MORE than 250 group travel organisers and suppliers from across the UK have been exploring destinations in Kent and Medway. The Group Travel Organisers Association held its national conference and annual meeting in the county for the first time and members were introduced to new and established attractions and local produce. Visit Kent investors and partners took part in a trade exhibition during the conference held at the Ashford International Hotel and some introduced delegates to their attractions in a series of familiarisation visits. Sandra Matthews-Marsh, Visit Kent chief executive, said: “Group
travel organisers are very important to tourism, leisure and hospitality businesses in Kent and Medway. “So this was an excellent opportunity for us to showcase our many destinations and, with the help of our investors and partners, enable group travel organisers to experience destinations and our stunning countryside for themselves. “From the feedback we received during the conference, I am confident many will be bringing their groups back to Kent – either to visit our new and leading attractions or to take advantage of the many themed itineraries that we can help develop to match the interests of their parties.”
Sparky’s Krew website launched A NEW website has been launched by Park Resorts following the success of its onpark children’s activity group Sparky’s Krew. The new site allows visitors to enjoy games, print and play activities, buy Sparky’s Krew merchandise and read news updates. It also offers MP3 downloads of the most popular Sparky’s Krew party tracks,
allowing Park Resorts guests to sing along to the songs of their holiday once they are back at home. Marketing director Andy Edge said: “Our on-park children’s entertainment has always been hugely popular because the kids just adore the Sparky’s Krew characters. The new website is a natural extension of our entertainment clubs.”
Colchester Zoo has named its two new baby meerkats after celebrity dance expert Louie Spence. The new arrivals are now available for viewing and visitors can also get involved in Primate Awareness Week training sessions and meet and greets with specialist keepers. Louie Spence, said: “I'm delighted to hear that baby meerkats Louie and Spence are doing so well. I'm hoping to be able to get over to see them soon before they get too big!”
Agents are urged to get behind musical WITH the long awaited musical, The Wizard of Oz now open at The London Palladium, Superbreak is urging agents to get behind the show and ride on the wave of publicity that its official opening night on March 1 created. The operator reports that agents have already booked in excess of £250,000 worth of bookings to the show and expects this to increase significantly now the show has officially opened and word spreads. National sales manager Graham Balmforth said: “This show has been much anticipated since the BBC TV show ‘Over the Rainbow’ saw Danielle Hope win the role of Dorothy back in June last year. The addition on Michael Crawford as the Wizard will I am sure, make this a must see for 2011. “This is a show that appeals to all types of customers and we have a range of package options to suit all budgets.” A three star package costs from £90pp staying one night at the three star Royal National Hotel and fifth price ticket to the show. Week round in April.
Michael Crawford and Danielle Hope. Photographer: Simon Turtle Copyright RUG 2011
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£10m to promote region WELCOME to Yorkshire has secured £10m worth of funding to continue promoting the region throughout 2011. The investment means the continuation of high impact marketing campaigns and the development of festivals and events, as well as support for the many thousands of tourism businesses across the county to develop their products and skills. It gives Welcome to Yorkshire a sound springboard on which to develop a new funding model beyond 2012. The decision is good news for Yorkshire’s tourism industry, which has already grown in value from £5.9bn to almost £7bn,
since the launch of Welcome to Yorkshire, on the back of the development agency’s decision to invest £30m in the visitor economy from 2009 to 2012. Chief executive of Yorkshire Forward Thea Stein said: “Yorkshire Forward and Welcome to Yorkshire have always shared the same objective. This is to continue the excellent work the organisation has carried out in supporting and developing the Visitor Economy – a vital component of the region's economic success. I am delighted that we have been able to work together in a very challenging funding environment to reach a solution which will achieve this
objective in the coming year.” Chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire Gary Verity added: “We are delighted to be entrusted with continuing the job of promoting Yorkshire and developing tourism. We have already seen the impact of investment in high profile marketing, both in terms of increased visitors to the county and in changing perceptions of Yorkshire as a place to visit, work or invest in. Visits to Yorkshire are up 22 per cent since Welcome to Yorkshire was launched. For every £1 invested by Yorkshire Forward in the industry it has delivered £40 back into the Yorkshire economy.”
Businesses shortlisted SIX Yorkshire tourism business are set to go head to head with national rivals in an attempt to win VisitEngland awards. The Enjoy England Awards for Excellence promote the best places to visit and stay in England from large hotels to small bed and breakfasts and tourist attractiosn. Gary Verity, chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, said: “We are hoping for a collection of Yorkshire winners. “Tourism is high on the national agenda, especially in the lead up to London 2012, which is why it is more important than ever before to celebrate the best England has to offer. Yorkshire is proud of its warm welcome and quality tourism offer, which is why more people are choosing to holiday here.
“Congratulations to everyone shortlisted for the national awards – let’s make this a winning year for the Yorkshire tourism industry.” The shortlisted candidates from Yorkshire are: The Deep, Hull for Access for All Tourism Award. Faweather Grange for Caravan Holiday Park. RHS Garden Harlow Carr for Large Visitor Attraction. The Dovecote Barns for Self Catering Holiday of the Year. The Feversham Arms Hotel for Small Hotel of the Year. The Walled Garden at Scampston for Small Visitor Attraction. The winners will be announced at an Enjoy England Awards for Excellence ceremony on April 15 at the Great Hall in Birmingham.
Harrogate hotel takes number one spot for second year HARROGATE’S Rudding Park hotel has been crowned ‘Number One Hotel in the UK’ for the second year running in the TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards 2011. The accolade is based on the millions of real and unbiased reviews and opinions from travellers gathered on the travel guide website www.tripadvisor.com Managing director Peter Banks said: “Winning the TripAdvisor ‘Best Hotel in the UK’ award for a second 18
Rudding Park hotel year running is proof that an independent Yorkshire hotel can match and beat the most famous names in British hospitality.”
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Will Royal wedding do us any favours? By Gregory Yeoman ALL 1,900 golden Royal Wedding invitations have been sent out for William and Kate’s big day on April 29 2011. Unless you are on the list you will likely either be in a large crowd in London watching it in person, sitting in front of a TV or halfway around the world on holiday. With the big day not long away it will be a good opportunity for the industry to gauge how successful looming events such as the Golden Jubilee and the Olympics will be. With this in mind The Tourism Society polled its 1,100+ members to see what they thought the impact would be for the industry. With a 10.4 per cent response rate, the overall opinion was that it would generally bring about a positive effect for domestic and inbound tourism, with 79.2 per cent and 78.4 per cent agreeing
respectively. 16.8 per cent believe that there would be no benefit at all for either domestic or inbound, and just 3.2 per cent and 4.0 per cent think that the event will create a negative effect, through displacement and tourists ‘avoiding the potential scrum’. When asked a more direct question about whether their company will be hiring extra staff to help with potential increased business, the majority of our members will not. It looks as if this will depend on proximity to a ‘Royal Attraction’. One member stated that as a North Wales local authority, marketing has already increased because of their vicinity to RAF Valley where William and Kate will live after the wedding. Another national attraction stated that they are located too far away and they believe they will actually receive fewer visitor numbers on the day. However, it was felt that the pub sector will have to increase
staffing, with extended licensing hours likely. 69.9 per cent of our members will actually receive no direct financial benefit from the wedding day, but 68 per cent think that it will generate new and additional business to the UK. When looking at the sectors that will benefit the most, with 83.6 per cent hotels, venues and catering came out top, transport second (57.3 per cent), tour operators and travel agents and the media were a joint third with 49.1 per cent of the vote. According to rail operator Eurostar, it has reported a 28 per cent surge in inbound bookings. However many Britons are taking the opportunity to have an extended Easter break abroad. Thomas Cook have had to raise capacity for the UK market from 200,000 to 300,000 breaks, which is 33 per cent more than usual, just to handle the surge in demand.
This has resulted in a 25 per cent increase in reservations and Ryanair have seen a 65 per cent increase in sales for the month of April compared to last year. Looking at how long the Royal Wedding effect would last, our members were indecisive. The votes were evenly split between a week, a month, six months and a year. The deciding factor it was felt will be the global media coverage and how the Royal effect is perceived in visitors’ minds; of course, what the weather is like on the day will be likely to have a major impact. Gregory Yeoman is executive director of The Tourism Society.
Can government ‘walk the walk’? By Kurt Janson FOR all the talk from Government and the Prime Minister’s speech at the start of the year where he stated that the tourism industry had been identified as one of five industries that were to be at the forefront of Government plans to rebuild and rebalance the economy, there is growing unease in the industry as to whether the Government will follow-through and “walk the walk”. The unease comes from at least three distinct sectors within the industry. First there are the regional and local Destination Management Organisations (Tourist Boards) which are seeing their funding from the Regional Development Agencies (and, increasingly, local authorities) dry up as a result of cuts in Government expenditure. While the plan is for the DMOs to be co-ordinated and funded through the newly established Local Enterprise Partnerships, a significant problem is occurring in that the funding from the RDAs will, for many of them, end this year, while any new funding from the LEPS will not start until next year. And while industry groups such as the Alliance have been strongly lobbying Government on the need to provide a small amount of transition funding, it now seems highly unlikely that this will eventuate. The one final source of possible funds for this transition is the new Regional Growth Fund. But, as bids to this fund are ten times the amount available, there is increasing doubt whether there will be sufficient funding for many DMOs to make the transition.
Second, there are the hospitality and attractions sectors which are starting to see the rise in VAT on their products and services adversely impacting on sales. As with any downturn in the economy, it is people’s discretionary expenditure that is being worst affected and the hospitality and attractions sectors are feeling the impact more than most. While many other European countries, notably France and Germany have reduced VAT of restaurants and hotel respectively to help stimulate their economies, there seems little likelihood that the Government here will follow in their footsteps. The best that can be hoped for is that the Treasury will assess studies that the industry present to it so that a decision on the issue can be made in two to three years – which is of little comfort to hospitality businesses now. Finally, the aviation sector is now feeling the impact of November’s Air Passenger Duty increases which raised the level of taxation faced by visitors by 55 per cent to £170 per person for people flying economy plus from countries such as Australia and New Zealand. If this increase in taxation wasn’t enough, the aviation sector is facing the prospect of double taxation come 2012 when aviation industry will join the EU Emissions Trading Scheme. At that stage, airlines will have to impose two sets of environmental taxes on customers (APD was designed as an environmental tax to compensate for there being no taxation of aviation fuel) which will further increase costs and reduce the competitiveness of both the UK aviation sector and the inbound
tourism industry. At the time of writing this, the long awaited new Government Tourism Policy had been delayed yet again. And while there is optimism that the policy will deliver some benefits for tourism businesses in terms of seriously tackling the regulatory burden facing many small businesses, helping potential visitors better access tourism visas and moving toward introducing daylight saving, there is little prospect of it addressing these larger, more fundamental, international competitiveness issues which are the responsibility of departments other than DCMS. So while it would be slightly churlish to criticize a Government which, for the first time in around 15 years, has recognized the size and potential of the UK tourism industry, there is a need for it to deliver in some meaningful way on
Kurt Janson the fine words that have been issued on making the UK tourism industry more internationally competitive.
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DESTINATIONLONDON
London hotels report rise in film set interest
The app contains music from acts such as Florence and the Machine
Museum in tune with app THE Museum of London has created a new mobile app revealing the people, places and events which have made London one of the world’s greatest cities for music. Soundtrack to London app users can search over 200 locations or 160 artists and find the sites nearest to them to discover what stories lie just around the corner. Museum of London marketing
manager Vicky Lee said: “From Roman times to today, music has played an important role in London’s story. With Soundtrack to London we wanted to show how the capital has inspired and created some of the most celebrated talents and works, and how, in turn, it has been changed by the people who have come to this remarkable city to make remarkable music.”
FILM fans are flocking to the Capital to seek out the inspirations behind their favourite movies, according to concierges at top London hotels. Concierges at London’s Park Plaza Hotels and Resorts have reported a rapid rise in guests interested in visiting real-life film sets. Hit film Black Swan, starring Natalie Portman, has recently inspired numerous requests for advice on where to see Swan Lake in London and as well as concierges noticing the interest, the Royal Ballet has also reported a boost in ticket bookings for the new production. The King’s Speech, which stars British actor Colin Firth, has also created interest around Royal residences, with visitors excited to see where the film was set and explore the history for themselves. And at Park Plaza Victoria London, requests have been on the up for the best way to get down to Brighton, following the recent release of Brighton Rock. Head Concierge at Park Plaza Victoria London Danny Bearham said: “We often notice a trend in requests from our visitors and over the last few months the film industry has had a notable effect on their interests. “Guests are increasingly guided by what they’ve seen at the cinema recently, which means we have to ensure we’re right up to speed with the very latest releases.” At Park Plaza Sherlock Holmes, the requests have stayed steady. The first Sherlock Holmes film and BBC series both inspired surges in enquiries from guests and with the second film and series both in the pipeline, Sherlock Holmes’ details are still in demand.
Natalie Portman
Colin Firth
Travel trade celebrates tourism opportunities
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THE travel trade gathered at London attraction Planet Hollywood to celebrate the capital’s tourism offering with Visit London and See Tickets. Guests took the opportunity to share their thoughts on how tourism is shaping up in London this year and Planet Hollywood’s management revealed the months ahead mean a strong focus on working with the industry and in particular group travel organisers and coach tour operators. General manager Alex Garland said: “We couldn’t have had a better start to 2011 than to have been voted ‘Best Caterer’ at the
Group Travel Awards and we are going to build on that vote of confidence from the trade by making sure we deliver a memorable experience for all your clients this year. “It will be a year of expansion for Planet Hollywood in many areas, including the opening of a two of our new ‘Earl of Sandwich’ brand sandwich shops, one in London at Ludgate Hill and the other at Disney in Paris. With the huge success of West End theatre being reported by See Tickets and the optimism I know Visit London share, we are confident that the capital is heading for a very good season this year.”
Royal Beasts return to the Tower of London Groups will get even more value for their visit from spring 2011 when the incredible story of the Tower of London’s menagerie will be revealed as it is brought to life through a selection of specially commissioned animal sculptures installed around the Fortress. Wild and exotic animals were kept at the Tower for the entertainment and curiosity of the royal household and visitors for over 600 years. Kings and queens kept these extraordinary creatures as symbols of power. Visitors can discover the amazing tales of how animals were fed, watered and housed, and compare how animals and prisoners were kept at the Tower. The experience will include displays along the recently restored
and opened north wall walk and Brick Tower where numerous interesting exhibits will be included. The Tower of London is the world’s most famous Fortress and Britain’s most visited paid for historic site. Home to see the priceless Crown Jewels and legendary ravens that strut in the grounds, the Tower also has a stunning new permanent exhibition showcasing 500 years of royal arms and armour Fit for a King: making this a truly unique visit and great value for money. For help and advice in organising group visits to any of the historic royal palaces, contact the Groups and Travel Trade Team on +44 (0) 20 3166 6311 or e-mail groupsand traveltrade@hrp.org.uk. Please quote “Destination UK March” when contacting us.
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www.nvg.net
Welcome to NVG! The leaders in tourism technology, New Vision Group, are changing their name to NVG. The new name and logo reinforce the positioning statement, “Leaders in Tourism Technology”, as NVG currently boasts over 150 destinations as clients and 300 locations currently using their etourism solutions. With the new deep purple and magenta hues, the new logo will be reinforced by the strapline, ‘Tourism Driven. Technology Led.’ Ben Tagg, Managing Director of NVG
said, “The new brand, NVG, is perhaps a bit obvious in terms of the evolution of the name and current brand, but I feel that it does need to be explained at this point that after the focus groups and questionnaires it became clear that the New Vision Group name was one that many clients felt should not be left by the wayside.” Aviva Pearson, Business Development
Manager said, “With our new branding and positioning statement, NVG can resonate the message that we have a balanced, clear and thorough understanding of both Tourism and Technology. During the first few months of the rebrand, clients and users will be educated on the rationale behind the rebrand, further highlighting and defining our position as not just leaders, but innovators in technology.”
NVG unveils www.visitnewbury.org
Earn more with eShop In the period November to December 2010, NVG clients earned more through their DMS supported eShops compared to the same period last year – three times more in fact. Cumbria Tourism was an early adopter of the eShop module, as Gaynor Wood says: “Since setting up our eShop on our Golakes website in 2006, we have found it invaluable in selling a wide range of Cumbria products to our visitors. It's easy to use and provides a great way to maximise sales by cross selling. We are constantly adding more products and eShop is helping us achieve our goal of creating a 'one stop shop' for all of Cumbria’s visitors.” A fantastic cross-selling tool, eShop can boost revenue, inspire visitors and promote your destination all in one go. By integrating the shop with the DMS, products can be easily kept up to date and enable themed products to be marketed directly to the relevant audience, such as cycling maps in a cycling section or alongside cycling news. eShop enables destinations to sell many items directly via the web such as books, souvenirs, maps, printed tickets and even eTickets for particular events, festivals and activities.
West Berkshire has stormed onto the internet with an all-new cutting edge NVG website. www.visitnewbury.org, brings together the wider geographical area covered by West Berkshire Council under one roof to showcase the best the county has to offer the business and leisure visitor. Amanda Loaring, Heritage & Tourism Manager from WBC said: “In terms of place shaping, major investment is already underway in Newbury with the Parkway Retail Development and proposals for both the Faraday Plaza and the Racecourse. The aspiration is to have a website that really sells Newbury and the surrounding area as a great place to visit.”
A new conference microsite www.goleicestershire.com/conferences has been revelaed for Go Leicestershire, which ties in beautifully with their main website’s branding which was launched in June 2010. The website features new conference search snippets and is powered by NVG’s modular CMS Pro, allowing for complete flexibility on all pages, from header images to slideshows, features and adverts. www.myplacecumbria.co.uk has just been launched, with the aim to promote conference and venue providers in the Cumbria region through this clean, corporatefocused design and information architecture. The site makes use of NVG’s Modular CMS Pro system to allow content editors to create a variety of pages and layout options. It also uses Themes – venues data templates to display the conference data with ‘at a glance’ delegate numbers, layout options and bedroom quantities to help booking a venue for your business event as straight forward as can be.
30 Seconds on: QR codes
When eShop is used in conjunction with NVG’s global basket tool, destinations can enable their visitors to buy multiple items and even put together their own overall trip package by combining other purchases with their accommodation bookings. The unique design of the solution means it is no longer necessary for destinations to become ATOL bonded when offering the DIY package option, enabling your destination to become a truly global destination competitor.
Usually synonymous with mass production and stock-taking, the quick response (QR) bar code allows for more data than the standard 10-digit bar code, from translating into a picture over to a message, contact details or even a link to a web page. Because scanning requires less effort than typing a URL, the QR code has been taken over for viral marketing. Once it is scanned by your smart phone, it may give you details about that business (allowing users to search for nearby locations), show you a URL which you can click to read more information, or it may give you a coupon which you can use in a local outlet. Alexander Rehm, Web Team Leader explained, “QR codes can really help promote your destination in a very small space and for a very small budget. Placing them on key areas or points of interest within your destination, and then linking back to your (mobile) website really adds to the visitor’s interactive journey and promotes your website, your services and your brand visibility.”
Contact NVG today and find out how we can help your destination generate income and effectively communicate with your visitors and trade. Call 0845 430 0321 or e-mail aviva.perason@nvg.net
TOURISM DRIVEN. TECHNOLOGY LED.
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