Marketing Manchester Highlights

Nick Brooks-Sykes, Director of Tourism

2

Greater Manchester Tourism – Value & Volume

*ICCA – International Conference and Convention Association - 2017

£8.1 bn 94k 3rdvalue to the

economy

jobs

supported

In the UK for

international

visitors 1.5m

+11%Growth in

total visitors:

118m total,

13m staying, 1.5

international

from 2016-17

International Visitor Profile

Countries generating the most international holiday visits to GM (2016) 2017

1. Irish Republic (1) 31,890

2. Germany (3) 31,510

3. USS (2) 29,130

4. Netherlands 25,110

5. Spain (9) 24,770

6. China (8) 20,210

7. Australia (5) 17,410

8. Gulf (4) 16,090

9. France (6) 13,700

10. Norway 12,390

Reasons for visiting Greater Manchester (2017)

Source: International Passenger Survey; 2017;

Office of National Statistics and supported by VisitBritain.

Growth in International Visitor spend 2009-16

5

Come Together

• 30-city campaign (France, Germany, Italy, Norway and UK)

• Commissioned new film, photography and branding

• 18 million – campaign reach

• Generated additional £1.7m visitor spend

• UK campaign - £33m additional visitor spend 28m reach

And…Marketing Manchester Wins!

• Competed on against leading cities and regional destinations such as Toronto, the Canary Islands and Kerala

• Judged by a panel of 22 marketing and travel experts

• Praised for being ’inspiring, full of hope, and built on a laser sharp focus to show that love triumphs hate’

• Partnership with VisitEngland, Greater Manchester Combined Authority, Manchester Airports Group, Ocean Outdoor, Ryanair, Transport for Greater Manchester, and Virgin Trains

Marketing Manchester bags silver for

‘Come Together’ campaign at The International Travel and Tourism Awards

US A

• Three way partnership MM, Visit Britain & Virgin Atlantic

• Focused on Boston and San Francisco

• Overall value of £300,000 to date

• 184 million impressions – over delivered by 350%

Boston Pride & San Francisco Pride

Manchester City Vs Liverpool

American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA)

Destination Britain North America (DBNA)

China

• Production of Chinese guide, press advertising and airport displays.

• £2.25m additional visitor spend

• 55m reach marketing campaign

• 117 on-territory meetings

• Raising GM’s profile in Guangzhou, Shanghai, Shenzhen + second-tier cities Changsha, Wuhan and Xiamen.

Gulf States

• Arabic language Visit Manchester website developed

• Video produced with Tajawol viewed by 3m+

• 5 FAM trips delivered

• 87 travel trade engagements at Arabia Travel Market

• £365k campaign delivered

Key Online Influencers

• Worker Bee Weekenders

• Partnership with Visit London

• 148 influencers hosted across two weekends

• 64.5m social media reach

• Unique experiences and itinerary options showcasing the region

Digital Development

• 2.7m website visits on VisitManchester.com

• 15% increase in international traffic

• 26m social media reach

• 18 digital campaigns including;

Radical Manchester & HAUNT Manchester

Manchester in the Media

• Promoting Greater Manchester on the national & international stage

• 291 journalists hosted

• Reaching 360m people

• £93,000 of in-kind support

• Coverage in The New York Times, Boston Globe and Condé Nast Traveller

Conference Bureau

• 29 conferences won

• Worth £26.7m to local economy

• 15,785 delegates hosted

• £903.9m – total value of business tourism to the local economy

• Manchester ranked 4th

by UK International Congress and Convention Association

Discover England

• £1m Discover England funding

• Promoting Manchester as an International Gateway

• Partnership with 7 DMO’s

• Increased bookable product

Lake District

Coming up

Greater Manchester’s 3 year hotel growth trajectory …January 2018 to December 2020

Up to 5,000 additional bed rooms in three years, 80% of which will open within Manchester city centre.

21% increase in rooms in three years, across GM, and an increase of 42% for Manchester city centre.

Hilton Garden Inn, Emirates Old Trafford (150 rooms)

Cultural Acceleration

£200 Million being invested in 14 Cultural Institutions

Seeking up to 2 million additional visits from 2020

Europe’s Largest Arts Project

Europe’s Largest Garden Project

On the way…

MIF19

Cricket World CupPeterloo Bicentenary

Marketing

20

• India – new route launch campaign with Jet Airways and Cox & Kings (Mumbai)

• US – Virgin Atlantic and Visit Britain Campaigns (Boston, LA & NY)

• European Campaign - partnership with Ryanair

• GCC – Partnership campaign activity throughout the year

• UK Cities campaign, focused on short breaks and culture

• China – continue to focused on travel trade and consumer

• Cricket World Cup – global reach of 1.5 billion

Business Tourism Strategy

• Three key themes:

• Collaboration

• Delegate welcome

• Attracting conferences to the region

• Focus on growing value and volume of conferences

• Working with members, stakeholders, Manchester Hoteliers Association, Conference initiative group

• Full strategy available mid-December

Music Tourism

• Understand the value of music tourism

• Identify where we can influencer and grow this

• Create a narrative

• Promote Manchester as a Gateway to the North for music lovers.

Discover England Fund 2: Growing Manchester as Gateway to the North

• Only Legoland and Sealife Centre as Bookable

Product

• No industry understanding

• Low profile for Manchester in Travel Trade

But…..

• Recognition of opportunity from Manchester Airport

• Ability of Northern Partners to collaborate

• Marketing Manchester’s leadership and expertise

Before DEF…..

What we have done so far - Year 1

• North of England Product Audit

• Greater Manchester product scoping –

combined tour ticket, excursions, self-guided

tours + additional Manchester product

• Northern DMO partner engagement

• Travel Trade engagement and events

• Sightseeing Manchester Bus Tour &

Manchester Sightseeing Tours launch, review

and refine

What we have done so far - Year 2

• Launch of additional Manchester product and northern

excursions by Manchester Sightseeing Tours & Trips

including new Alton Towers, Blackpool, additional

Chester, East Lancashire Railway

• Development of new products GM itineraries, combined

tour ticket, self-guided tour app and Manchester Football

Experience

• Travel Trade engagement and activity – business

development, contracting

• Revised our Manchester Masters Training Programme,

incorporating NTGF content

Products/Excursions Launched

• Sightseeing Manchester Bus Tour

• Manchester Sightseeing Tours & Trips

• Mountain Goat, scheduled bus tour to the Lakes (5 days a

week) from city centre

• Busybus, scheduled bus tours to Lakes, Yorkshire & North

Wales from Manchester Airport

• Selfridges Extraordinary Shopping Experience

• booking.com - 25 bookable products – GM & the North

• LGBT package – Manchester Pride 2019

DMC/Operators Contracted

• Abbey Ireland & UK

• AC Tours

• Angela Shanley Associates

• JAC Travel

• booking.com

• Get My Guide

• Golden Tours

• Rabbie Tours

• STA Travel

• Scancoming

• Viator

Manchester Visitor Information Centre

Booking.com

Easyjet

US In-Market Activity

• It All Starts in Manchester – campaign with Virgin Atlantic

• Air Transat, Delta, Virgin Atlantic FAM trips

• US Travel Trade Activity

• ASTA Global Conference

• VisitBritain’s Destination Britain North America

• Delta Vacations University

• NTA Annual Conference

• USTOA, November

Forthcoming Activity

• Manchester Calling, February 2019

• British Travel Trade Show, March 2019

• Delta 30 Under 30 FAM trip, March 2019

• ExploreGB, May 2019

• Continued UK-based DMC engagement and support

• Discussions with partners – MAG, TFGM, Network Rail

• Initial Welcome posters at key arrival touchpoints

• Currently scoping digital options

Manchester Airport Gateway Arrival