Month: November 2013
Coastal members. Last chance to contribute to beach hut and chalet survey:
UKBMF are conducting a simple survey to assertain best parctice in terms of management and operation of beach huts/chalets. Contributions already received from 8 destinations. Last chance to take part before survey closes on 5th December:
CIPFA new guidance notes on tourism made available to all
The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA), is the professional body for people in public finance in England and Wales, publishes password protected guidance for their 14,000 plus members on TISonline is their online information resource, which includes over 30 information streams, with guidance and commentary on the financial, legislative, administrative and strategic context in the public services.
To allow wider access among tourism professionals, CIPFA have kindly given us permission to reproduce their recently published and very extensive guidance on “Tourism” :
https://britishdestinations.net/members-area/policy-update/cipfa-tourism-briefing-notes/
Destination Intelligence Survey 2013 Launched
Destination Intelligence 2013
In a few days’ time Sergi Jarques, from Tourism South East, will be sending out this year’s Destination Intelligence Survey. This is an entirely free benefit of British Destinations’ membership. It can also be accessed directly at: https://britishdestinations.net/destination-intelligence/2013-destination-intelligence-imput-form/
As the only comparative tourism intelligence service currently operating in the UK, at the local level, we believe that our Destination Intelligence process helps you to know and understand your own situation more thoroughly. It provides you with the data that you need to guide and influence decision making and to compare your performance with others. It also gives you a summary of the key information needed and helps to keep you ahead of the game. It is definitely an exercise that should be at the heart of your management and development activity.
In preparing this year’s survey we have taken on board some of the comments we received last year about the data collection process. As a consequence we have now changed the format and based it on an excel spread sheet. We hope that this will make the survey far easier for you to complete.
Additionally we have already included on the spread sheet any data that is currently available. We have also provided links to key data sources, drop down menu options for multiple choice answers and given you details about where to look for other information that you might need.
To maintain consistency and allow for the collection of trend data we have not changed the main questions. We have also continued to follow the framework emerging from the European Tourism Indicator System. This is still in its testing phase and a couple of our members are involved in the first of two pilot tests. Another phase is due to be launched shortly and we will provide you with the information as soon as it becomes available.
VisitEngland are also currently looking at the data that is needed at the local level to help destinations understand their situation more clearly and manage their destinations more effectively and we will be contributing to that process as part of the Destination Research Group. Similar work is being undertaken within Wales.
To make sure that we continue to provide you with the service and information that you need please do let us know if there are any aspects of the survey that you feel need to be amended to make it of more use to you.
Yours sincerely
Peter
Peter Lane
Chairman
British Destinations Executive
Grimsey Review added to our research and statistics pages
Among a number of major reports added in recent days to http://www.britishdestinations.net is the Grimsey Review – An Alternative Future for the High Street.
Although published in September the report is only just starting to influence thinking around future policy. In our terms most high streets are an important part of the destinations we represent; essentially part of if not, in some cases, the bulk of the product, whether that is in a major resort town, a City or in market and heritage towns and larger villages. Many wider destinations encompass several if not multiple high street . It is therefore essential that tourism at least takes a view and preferably has a say in the policy direction now taken:
https://britishdestinations.net/research-and-statistics/the-grimsey-review-2013/
RBS and small business lending.
British Destinations members may recall that we identified a worrying trend 12 to 24 months ago re bank lending. Far from lending to small businesses we noted that banks appeared to be unexpectedly withdrawing existing loans. The problem in destinations appeared to relate in particular to accommodation providers. We raised the problem with several of our national contacts and hearing nothing more, it dropped off our radar.
Articles in this weekend’s broad sheets suggest that a BIS backed inquiry has indeed found evidence of deliberate manipulation of small business loans, with the properties of businesses forced into administration then being bought up at knock down price by the property investment arm of the self-same banks. In the specific cases mentioned in the Sunday Times the particular culprit is identified as RBS, its unclear yet if others might or might not be implicated: http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/uk_news/National/article1344412.ece .
As ever the gap between what is being reported in the press and the reality may be significant. Regardless, there is definitely going to be announcements made today Monday 25 November and what is likely to be a fairly unfavourable report published. There might be something and nothing; alternatively it may be the next big banking scandal and a potential whooper at that. If there is anything in it then it may well involve some of your own local businesses. Watch this space……….
November edition of VisitBritain’s Foresights and more..
The latest Edition of Foresights and latest trend update from VisitBriatain are now available at:
Visit Britain Publish new Deloitte Tourism Study
Published earlier today:
Deloitte, with Oxford Economics as sub-contractors, were commissioned by Visit Britain (VB) to update and refresh previous analysis on the economic contribution of tourism in the UK. The objective of the study is to provide an in-depth quantitative and qualitative analysis of tourism to the UK:
Mirror Group Big City Guide bargain prices for last few remaining slots:
Details of last minute offers for spaces in the Mirror group pre-christmas Big City Guide can be found at:
Deadline Thursday 21 November…
Updates Added
Work is progressing in updating the new corporate site, in particular a number of additional industry reports of general importance have been added to the reasearch and statistic tab and some specific to discipline links added to the UK Beach Managers Forum tab. Work will now continue at a pace to develop the content of the site, with the aim of moving all communication and information sharing on to http://www.britishdestinations.net/ by the end of the year.
Regards
Peter
Peter Hampson
CEO Britsih Destinations
Updates added
Work is progressing in updating the new corporate site, in particular a number of additional industry reports of general importance have been added to the reasearch and statistic tab and some specific to discipline links added to the UK Beach Managers Forum tab. Work will now continue at a pace to develop the content of the site, with the aim of moving all communication and information sharing on to http://www.britishdestination.net by the end of the year.
Regards
Peter
Peter Hampson
CEO Britsih Destinations
British Destinations 