Update and Plans Tourism in Cumbria October 2015 Ian Stephens - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Update and Plans Tourism in Cumbria October 2015 Ian Stephens Managing Director Cumbria Tourism

A strong 2015 to date…. • Not great weather but… • Good occupancy, especially strong s/c and camping sector • Overseas visitor growth • Consumer confidence? • Value for money • Customer service

2015 Visitor Survey • Visitor origin • Motivations/reasons for visit • Socio-demographics • Previous visits • Ethnicity/disability • Expenditure • Family/group composition • Transport • Visitor type • Visitor satisfaction • Visit purpose • Future visits • Decision-making process • Activities undertaken including timing of decision and information sources used

Recap… • AGM at Rheged in June • James Berresford, VisitEngland • 2014/15 Successes and Highlights • Joe Lavery, British Cycling

Government Policy The five areas of focus… 1.A better co-ordinated sector 2.Skills and jobs 3.Common sense regulation 4.Transport 5.An improved welcome

Implications • Challenge Funds (Northern) • National balance • International competition • Phase 2 of savings • Fewer, stronger destinations

Support for the visitor economy • Current call closes on the 27 th November • Also local activity and opportunities via… – Kendal BID and Kendal Futures – Cockermouth – Penrith BID – Morecambe Bay Tourism – Carlisle Ambassadors etc…

RDPE in Cumbria 2014-20 LEADER Growth Programme Size of Cumbria Programme Circa £4m £9.2m Capital/Revenue Mostly capital grants Capital/revenue mix Size of grants £2,500 - £35,000 Minimum grant £35,000 Intervention rates 40% - 80% 40% - 100% Apply to CFD/SBE Local Action Govt. Office/DEFRA via Groups www.gov.uk Call for applications Autumn 2015? End August 2015/2016 Decision timescales 3-6 months 9-12 months Decision making body CFD/SBE LAGs DEFRA/Cumbria LEP Advice from LAGs and Rural Growth DEFRA/Rural Growth Network Network

2016 – business as usual • CT marketing – Digital – Print (HG, TVAL, F&D and See More) – PR – Content for VE/VB • Northern England – Overseas opportunities, Welcome China & Germany

New for 2016 • Beatrix Potter’s 150 th Anniversary (more anniversaries than … • Year of the Garden - Capability Brown Tercentenary • The 400th Anniversary of Shakespeare’s death • NTGF, Hadrian’s Wall Connect, CCF and….

Lake District World Heritage Site • PR and promotional activity led by LDNP • www/lakesworldheritage.co.uk/toolkit/ • Events such as Kendal and Keswick Mountain Festivals • Social media activity #lakedistrictbid • Partner activities: festivals and meetings • Video for shared use on dedicated You Tube channel • Printed leaflet with ‘10 reasons’

Claife Viewing Station

Reminder • CT’s photography services – always a good way to refresh your website – good value for money • MyCumbria – get your card and enjoy winter offers • Always need accommodation and attractions to host journalists – good way to get some free publicity • Events – let us know what your plans are or any newsworthy stories e.g. celebrity visits and any selfies you’ve got with famous people • Awards – let us if you’ve won any awards, just last week e.g. Keswick – most dog friendly town, and Theatre by the Lake winning the NW heat of the Best Theatre Awards