Local Economic Development:

The English PerspectiveJason Freezer, Destinations Manager

Tourism in England

What VisitEngland does

• Champion the sector and drive forward the Strategic Framework for Tourism

• Inspire visitors to choose England

• Be the official source of intelligence on tourism and visitor economy in England

• Support local areas grow their economies through tourism

• Be the trusted advisor to Government

Tourism: One of the “big five”

• 96.4million domestic overnight trips– Average 3 night stay

and spent £168

• Inbound market to UK 29.6 million visits – England’s share is

86% - 25.5million visits (£14.5billion)

• 870 million day visits (£39 billion spend)

English case studies

• New Forest

• Forest of Bowland

• Hidden Britain

New Forest

• South Coast of England, encompassing a National Park

• Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Destination Winner

New Forest

• £500m tourism revenue

• 800 FTE locally employed

• Strong local authority leadership

• Collaborative partnership – New Forest Tourism Partnership

Focus on residents…benefits for visitors

• Living with the Enemy

• Visitor gifting

• New Forest marque

• Travel initiatives– (in 2008 - 7,125 miles saved/ 19.5 tonnes CO2)– Visitor incentives– Integrated bus/train timetables– Cycle hire and New Forest Bus

Brand New Forest

• Latest programme to illustrate link tourism to widereconomy – tourism is part of daily routine

• Loyalty card– Shop– Enjoy (attractions)– Eat– Exercise– Energy (low carbon initiatives)

• Residents – awareness/ money saving/ community• Visitors – support/ save money/ community• Business - resilience

Forest of Bowland

• 200 sq. miles of outstanding national beauty in North West England

• Dedicated focus through ST strategy and partnerships

Sense of Place

• Sense of Place toolkit a key output of the strategy with triple bottom line outcomes

• Economic– Encourage increase length of stay, repeat visits– Use of local food– £10 spent on local food is worth £25 to the local area

• Social– Raising awareness amongst businesses and local people

• Environmental– Promotion of low impact activities (car free, etc.)

www.hiddenbritainse.org.uk@hiddenbritain

• Community based tourism project for rural tourism in South East England

• Funded through EU money but working to become financial sustainable

• Working to with communities (23) to realise economic regeneration and community development through tourism

• Providing guidance, expertise, support, facilitation

Botley

Petersfield

Farnham

Hungerford

Edenbridge

Westerham

Dorchester-on-Thames

Wallingford

Cropredy

Wootton Bridge

Brading

PetworthSteyning

HenfieldHassocks

ThameWatlington

Romney MarshHawkhurst

Winchelsea

Chilham

Elham

St.Margaret’s

Edenbridge & The Eden Valley - Kent

The Need• Local Authority tourism support reduced• Local Economy needed a boost, no cohesion amongst

partners

Assessment and agreement• Understanding of the strong USP of surrounding countryside

and attractions• Project plan = Cohesive and collaborative approach

Outputs• Branding, information provision, Interpretation, promotion

Key Lessons

• Leadership and consistency

• Tourism shown as benefiting the wider economy

• Balancing all stakeholders needs

• Action not rhetoric

Barriers and issues

• Measurement– Tourism is not a factory– Economic, Social and Environment impacts– Importance of day visitors

• Interpretation and dissemination

• Tourism careers, especially in rural areas– Perceived value is low

• Limited case studies – predominantly rural