Month: May 2017
Physically worlds apart but sadly somehow so familiar?
Thanks to the Linkedin group – A New Models for Destination Marketing run by Martyn Collins for sharing a fascinating article that explores the ostensibly world-beating tourism in New Zealand and some of the issues around the need for destination management, who benefits from it and who pays for it and how.
A longish article, not easily scanned, it is well worth the effort to read in full, as it is littered with references that will have resonance for many destination managers here in the UK. The relationship between and current attitudes towards local tourism delivery and the National Government in New Zealand, does sound all rather familiar does it not? As perhaps do some of the throw away lines on associated social and economic issues, for example, around house pricing and affordable accommodation for local tourism workers.
Will one man’s views on tourism in New Zealand make a difference? Probably not on its own but it is all grist to the mill in our effort to get proper recognition of the critical importance of effective local destination management and its funding, better recognition and appropriate national through to local support for domestic tourism, alongside international tourism, a better understanding that marketing alone isn’t the be all and end all of local tourism support and so on.
Feel free to share the link, but if you do then please consider crediting Martyn’s group for highlighting the article. Note for an approximate sterling value half the financial figures given ($1 NZ dollar currently = c£0.55):
General Election- Party manifesto update
Following the release of the SNP manifesto earlier today the Tourism Alliance has provided a useful summary of tourism related items within it. Kurt’s email text is reproduced below for your information.
In addition I have taken the opportunity to added copies of the Plaid Cymru, SNP and UKIP manifestos on our 2017 General Election summary page which now contains links to 6 Party manifestos.
Text reads:
Attached is a copy of the SNP Manifesto. The main tourism section is as follows:
Tourism is a growing part of Scotland’s economy with Scotland hailed as the second best place to visit in the world this year. Against the backdrop of Brexit, Scotland’s tourism industry has worked hard to ensure we continue to be seen as an open and welcoming nation.
To provide further support to our tourism industry the SNP will call on the UK government to examine a reduction in VAT for the hospitality sector, levelling the playing field with other EU nations and creating new jobs.
The tourism and hospitality sector faces real challenges presented by Brexit. The Tourism Industry Council expects that there will need to be a 200 per cent increase in Border Force resources to deal with post-Brexit EU passengers. SNP MPs will press the UK government to ensure border checks are as seamless as possible after the UK leaves the EU, making it as easy as possible for international tourists to visit Scotland.
In addition, the SNP proposes to:
- press the UK government to commit to the Open Skies Agreement in Brexit negotiations to ensure there is no loss of flights to or from Scotland and our airports are not disadvantaged
- work with the Scottish Government, Visit Scotland, Scottish Development International and UK departments to secure an expansion of international flights to and from Scotland, opening up new markets for trade and tourism
- protect vital Scottish air connections to other parts of the UK
Kurt
Kurt Janson
Director
Tourism Alliance
Conservative manifesto promise- UK shared prosperity fund.
In the recently circulated and very useful comparative table of tourism related manifesto promises the conservative commitment to create a replacement for EU structural funding was overlooked as may have been oTHER Party’s related promises. All too easily done due to the scale of the Party documents produced this time round. In light of the critical importance of past structural funding to tourism I thought it was worth highlighting the Conservative comment. It’s mentioned on page 30 in passing and again in slightly more detail on page 37 of their manifesto:
United Kingdom Shared Prosperity Fund:
We believe in one nation – in helping every part of our country share in the prosperity and opportunity of our great United Kingdom. Yet there is much to do. Current EU-wide
structural funding was designed to tackle disparities but it is expensive to administer
and poorly targeted. As we leave the European Union, we must look at how we can better
reduce and eliminate these inequalities.
We will use the structural fund money that comes back to the UK following Brexit to create
a United Kingdom Shared Prosperity Fund, specifically designed to reduce inequalities
between communities across our four nations. The money that is spent will help deliver
sustainable, inclusive growth based on our modern industrial strategy. We will consult
widely on the design of the fund, including with the devolved administrations, local
authorities, businesses and public bodies. The UK Shared Prosperity Fund will be cheap
to administer, low in bureaucracy and targeted where it is needed most.
If we do get a Conservative administration post 8 June and I am making no predictions here, this is an area where there may be a window of opportunity for tourism and for destination management, in particular, to make a strong case for structural funding, hence me flagging up the potential now. That said whatever colour of administration we end up with, a strong case will need to be made for a new more efficient UK replacement for EU structural funding, just as a case will also need to be made for a new and more effective UK replacement for CAP and rural structural funding, in rural areas and within it both a strong case for tourism, public infrastructure and associated destination management and marketing. Forewarned is forearmed.
Compare main party manifesto promises relating to tourism
If you want to view the main items relating to tourism from the manifestos of the three main Westminster parties then the Tourism Alliance has helpfully consolidated them into a single table. See more at: https://britishdestinations.net/599-2/content/2017-general-election-manifestos-tourism-related-item-comparison/
£24m of funding now available for rural tourism in Wales.
Visit Wales Industry News (text of 17 May bulletin):
Tourism funding enquiries now invited and guidance online:
Following the announcement on 10 April by Economy Secretary, Ken Skates, that more than £24 million will be available for the development and marketing of tourism through the Welsh Government Rural Communities – Rural Development Programme 2014-2020, guidance is now available online and enquiries are being invited. The Economy Secretary said in his announcement: “This package of investment by the Rural Development Programme will make a major contribution to how we develop the products that we have here in Wales as well as how we market Wales to the world. It will enable us to make sure that the correct amenities are in place at the local level; to encourage innovative and top quality product development; and it will help us take these products to the world through Visit Wales marketing”.
The additional funding is being used for marketing and partnership work in support of the themed years – as well as boosting the funding available to the private sector under the Tourism Investment Support Scheme (TISS).
Guidance is now available for the Micro Small Business Fund (MSBF), which supports eligible capital investment projects in the tourism sector in Wales and can be used either to upgrade existing or create new high quality product. Find out more information and enquire here.
Enquiries are also being invited for the Tourism Amenity Investment Support (TAIS), – investment funding for amenity projects in the tourism sector in Wales – with a deadline of 5pm,16th June 2017. Find out more.
If you missed our previous bulletin announcing the opening of the funds, you can read it here and to find out more information about our Tourism funding please visit our website.
Following reference to the guidance, if you have further enquiries please email tiss@wales.gsi.gov.uk or call 0845 010 8020
Agenda Board Meeting 16 May 2017
The Board meeting to be held at the VisitBritain Offices Westminster, 12:30 – 15:30 Tuesday 16 May 2017 remains open to representatives from any member organisations and, provided you let us know your intention, you are welcome attend even if you are not already on the attendance list:
Board Meeting 16 May 2017 Attendance
The agenda for the meeting can be accessed here:
More research added
I have accessed a copy of VisitBritain Foresight edition 148 which was missing from our library of foresight reports. Published in December 2016 the report entitled, How the world views Britain – 2016, is a summary of the key UK findings from the 2016 GFK Anholt Nations Brand Index survey, conducted in July 2016. The report has now been added to the Foresight library within the VB tab of the members only section of Britishdestinations.net. On this occasion because of the nature of the report I have also added a copy to the Association’s main research and statistic library at: https://britishdestinations.net/1194-2/content/visitbritain-foresight-issue-148-how-the-world-views-Britain-2016/
British Destinations 