Memorandum by VisitBritain
SUMMARY
— It would be sadly ironic if visitors
with many pounds to spend were dissuaded from our destinations
for want of "spending a penny".
— Tourism is one of the largest industries
in the UK, worth approximately £85 billion.
— Britain has some of the best publicly
accessible toilet facilities in the world and VisitBritain is
proud to support such initiatives as "Loo of the Year".
This is not to say that there are enough quality toilets or that
all of Britain's publicly accessible toilets are of world-envied
class.
— Tourists want a destination that
has thought of their needs before they arrive. The vast majority
use previous experience to decide whether or not to visit again.
They are equally inclined to listen to the experience of friends
and relatives. A Sense of Destination that meets a visitor's needs
is vital for repeat trade and sustainable economic development.
VisitBritain is delighted that CLG included Sense of Destination
as a consideration for the Strategic Guide.
— 80% of the UK visitor economy is
from domestic tourism. This highlights the cultural expectations
for "traditional" toilet standards of the vast majority
of visitors.
— Almost two thirds of visitors to/within
England obtain information about their destination in England
from PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE (63%) (good—I'll go again, bad—I'm
never going back), ADVICE FROM FRIENDS AND RELATIVES (61%) (good—you'll
love it!, bad—it's awful don't go!) and the INTERNET (48%).
— VisitBritain's Quality schemes—including
the Visitor Attraction Quality Assessment Scheme, and our Accessibility
Scheme, include robust standards for toilet facilities. VisitBritain
also supports the "Loo of the Year" Awards to drive
up standards and reward excellence.
— Those groups most likely to need
access to toilets (those with children, those over 55) are also
the groups most inclined to take both holidays and short breaks
in the UK.
— There are few examples of public
toilets as a tourist attraction in their own right, though coach
parties in New Zealand regularly stop off at the exceptional Gillies
Street toilets in Kawakawa.
— The expansion in festival tourism
across the country has made temporary provision a particularly
burning issue. It has also produced issues of gender equality.
Mobile urinals (such as those used on a regular basis in Soho)
are designed for male use. "Portakabin" style toilets
(such as can currently be seen at London Euston railways station)
do, however, offer an opportunity for temporary, roomy and separate
toilet provision.
— The needs of inbound (international)
visitors, particularly to regional cities, must also clearly also
be considered. With increasing numbers visiting regional cities
there is an increasing base of people with first-hand experience
with which to form judgements about the desirability of making
repeat visits AND office advice to other potential visitors from
abroad. Around HALF of inbound visits are by lone travellers.
Around a THIRD are with.
— Repeat visitors are bigger spenders
in the UK. In 2004, average spend per visit was around £80
higher for repeaters compared with first timers. First impressions
really do count: in terms of both repeat trade and increased spend.
— Our preference is for toilets to
be free at the point of use. VisitBritain would particularly like
the Committee to note some schemes in areas where the private
sector turnover/profit incentives for a greater customer base
are harnessed by the local authority to ensure free toilet provision.
1. ABOUT VISITBRITAIN
1.1 VisitBritain is a Non-Departmental Public
Body sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport
and responsible for marketing Britain worldwide and for developing
England's visitor economy. Our mission is to build the value of
tourism by creating world class destination brands and marketing
campaigns and also build partnerships with—and provide insights
to—other organisations which have a stake in British tourism.
VisitBritain's Chief Executive chairs the "Welcome to Britain
Group"—a collaboration of public-facing private sector
stakeholders and public sector agencies—to improve the visitor
experience.
1.2 VisitBritain promotes Britain internationally
and England domestically to the British. England is also marketed
in four European countries (Germany, France, the Netherlands and
Eire) where England is a particularly strong brand. We are responsible
for both the visitbritain.com and enjoyengland.com visitor-oriented
websites and jointly fund the Britain and London Visitor Centre
(BLVC) in Lower Regent Street, London.
1.3 There are an estimated 1.4 million jobs
in tourism in the UK as a whole, some 5% of all people in employment.
Tourism is one of the largest industries in the UK, worth approximately
£85 billion.
1.4 VisitBritain is grateful for the opportunity
to contribute to this important inquiry. Indeed, VisitBritain
was represented on the CLG Publicly Accessible Toilets Steering
Group that produced the Strategic Guide.
1.5 There are key issues in the visitor
economy that VisitBritain would wish to be borne in mind and we
endorse close consideration of the Blue Badge Guide Inconvenience
Committee's submission.
2. INTRODUCTION
2.1 Despite widely varying cultural expectations
across the world, we feel confident to say that Britain has some
of the best publicly accessible toilet facilities in the world
and VisitBritain is proud to support such initiatives as "Loo
of the Year". Our own cultural expectations, as UK consumers
who visit domestic destinations, are informed by a long history
of a particular style of public toilet provision within the British
Isles. (Indeed, this was a culture British settlers took with
them to the colonized territories of the former British Empire.
The late Victorian public toilets in the Queen Victoria Building
in George Street, Sydney, for example, would not look out of place
in any major British city.) Frankly, it is not expected in these
destinations that one will have to squat. It is not expected that
toilet cubicles will have an absence of doors. In other parts
of the world, however, the cultural expectation—and the
existing provision—is precisely the opposite.
2.2 This is not to say that there are enough
quality toilets or that all of Britain's publicly accessible toilets
are of world-envied class. In February 2007, for example, Bloomberg.com
carried a somewhat sensationalist headline that "Londoners
Squirm as Public Toilets Grow Scarce; New Loo is $10"[18].
This is hardly helpful publicity.
2.3 Tourists to a destination are not usually
resident in that destination. Visitors generally have less knowledge
of an area. They require more signposts. They can't simply pop
home/into work/their well-known local for the loo. They want a
destination that has thought of their needs before they arrive.
The vast majority use previous experience/impressions to decide
whether or not to visit again. They are equally inclined to listen
to the experience of friends and relatives. Sense of Place—or
Sense of Destination—that meets a visitor's needs is vital
for repeat trade and sustainable economic development. We might
say that where Sense of Place promotes "liveability",
Sense of Destination promotes "visitability". Accessibility
to a toilet is an absolutely fundamental need of any visitor—whether
domestic (UK residents) or inbound (non-UK residents, inc British
citizens based abroad). VisitBritain is delighted that CLG included
Sense of Destination as a consideration for the Strategic Guide.
2.4 The UK visitor economy was worth £85
billion in 2005, 80% of which was from domestic tourism. This
is an important point as it highlights the "Anglo-Saxon"
cultural expectations for "traditional" toilet standards
of the vast majority of visitors.
2.5 Until the late 18th Century, with the
notable exception of some early experiments, such as Sir John
Harington's ultimately unique flush toilet and water reservoir
of 1596 at Richmond Palace, toilets in England took the form of
privies, close stools (commodes) and chamber pots. In their book,
"Toilets of the World", (London: Merrell 2006), Morna
E Gregory and Sian James note:
"It was not until 1775 that the flush toilet
reappeared, patented again in England by Alexander Cummings. Society
was finally ready to embrace this avant-garde invention. Early
water-closets (WCs) had their share of growing pains, but they
were constantly being improved. Although the Victorians were faced
with serious sewage disposal problems, this was an era when ornately
decorated toilet bowls flourished as status symbols.
From Britain the flush toilet spread, albeit
slowly, to the colonial countries, and was eventually adopted
with varying degrees of prevalence elsewhere in the world. There
have been no great changes since the late nineteenth century,
except in bowl design, cistern shapes and the quantity of water
used. The market now offers shredder toilets, compactor toilets,
toilets made of gold, self-cleaning toilets with built-in spray
jets and blow-dryers."
(source: M Gregory and S James "Toilets
of the World" London: Merrell 2006 pp12-13)
3. REACHING DOMESTIC
CONSUMERS
3.1 As part of research into the English
visitor economy[19]
VisitBritain has found the following insights into UK-resident
visitors to destinations in England:
3.1.1 Deciding, planning & booking patterns
Almost two thirds of visitors to/within England
obtain information about their destination in England from PREVIOUS
EXPERIENCE (63%) while ADVICE FROM FRIENDS AND RELATIVES (61%)
and the INTERNET (48%) are also strong influences:
| |
| Sources of information when choosing a holiday destination in England
| % |
| Previous Experience | 63 |
| Advice from friends and relatives | 61
|
| Internet | 48 |
| Tourism brochures | 24 |
| Travel agents | 23 |
| Articles in newspapers/magazines | 14
|
| Travel books | 13 |
| Accommodation guides | 10 |
| Advertisements in newspapers/magazines |
8 |
| Television/radio programmes | 7
|
| Items in the post | 7 |
| Television/radio advertisements | 3
|
| Tourist Board stand at shows | 3
|
3.1.2 Online Environment
— 14.3 million (57%) of UK households had internet
access in 2006.
— Nearly eight of 10 connections to the internet
are now via broadband.
— 60% of the UK adult population have accessed the
internet in the past three months, with 79% of these people making
some kind of purchase.
— 71% of people searched for information about travel
and accommodation within the last three months with 51% of adults
making a purchase.
(Source: Office of National Statistics 2007)
3.1.3 As with destination, so with accommodation within
the destination
The marked importance of previous experience and/or the advice
of friends/relatives as sources of information are also evident
in consumer choices over accommodation:
| Sources of information used to choose accommodation in England
| % |
| Previous Experience | 62 |
| Advice from friends and relatives | 57
|
| Internet | 53 |
| Tourism brochures | 28 |
| Accommodation guides | 25 |
| Tourist Information Centres | 13
|
| Travel books | 10 |
| Articles in newspapers/magazines | 10
|
| Roadside B&B, hotel or camping signs |
8 |
| Advertisements in newspapers/magazines |
8 |
| Television/radio programmes | 6
|
| Tourist Board stands at shows | 3
|
| Television/radio advertisements | 3
|
3.1.4 Quality Schemes
Research by enjoyEngland has shown that over three quarters
of consumers (77%) believe QUALITY SCHEMES are important when
choosing accommodation. There is high awareness of the enjoyEngland
quality marque (the Quality Rose) relating to enjoyEngland quality
assessment schemes. VisitBritain's Quality schemes—including
the Visitor Attraction Quality Assessment Scheme, and our Accessibility
Scheme, include robust standards for toilet facilities. VisitBritain
also supports the "Loo of the Year" Awards to drive
up standards and reward excellence.
(Source: enjoyEngland Brand Tracking Study 2007)
4. HOLIDAYS AND
BREAKS
4.1 We know from a 2005 survey by Changing Lives N-Vision
(Future Foundation) that those in the 35-54 age group are the
most inclined to go on holiday and/or take short breaks abroad
AND the most likely to go on holiday and/or take short breaks
in the UK. This may be due to family commitments ("take the
kids away"), greater wealth and the desire to escape from
work-place environment/surroundings during leisure time. They
are better able to take more than one holiday each year. Of the
remaining age groups, we know that those in the 55+ age group
are more likely than those in the 16-34 age group to take both
holidays and short breaks in the UK, while the 16-34 age group
is more likely to take short breaks and/or holidays abroad.
4.2 ie Those groups most likely to need access to toilets
(those with children, those over 55) are also the groups most
inclined to take both holidays and short breaks in the UK. They
choose destinations in England based on personal experience (good—I'll
go again, bad—I'm never going back); advice from friends
(good—you'll love it!, bad—it's awful don't go!) and
the internet (destination guides, eg enjoyengland.com, advisory
sites such as TripAdvisor).
4.3 Significantly, they are more likely to be influenced
by previous experience or the advice of friends over choice of
destination than choice of accommodation within the destination.
Place-shaping and "sense of destination" are therefore
crucial. Access to clean, quality toilet provision is just as
much a part of any destination's brand as it is part of, say,
a pub's reputation ("I hate that pub, the toilets stink").
4.4 There are few examples of public toilets as a tourist
attraction in their own right. However, it is worth noting that
coach parties in New Zealand regularly stop off at the exceptional
Gillies Street toilets in Kawakawa. As Morna Gregory and Sian
James note:
"The world-renowned Austrian artist and architect Friedenreich
Hundertwasser (1928-2000) designed and oversaw the construction
of these delightfully eccentric public toilets, situated on the
main street of this small town. The toilets attract busloads of
curious visitors. Perhaps these are the only toilets that are
a tourist attraction not so much for their obvious purpose as
for their unique design. Congruity is forgotten here as colourful
curves meet unlikely combinations of tiles of all dimensions.
The toilets are lit naturally through an odd array of coloured
bottles cemented into the wall. The public toilets that put Kawakawa
on the map were Hundertwasser's final creation."
(source: M Gregory and S James "Toilets of the World"
London: Merrell 2006)
4.5 The use of glass bottles in the public realm brings
to mind Sidney Little's iconic 1930s "Bottle Alley"
in Hastings. The Committee will be familiar with that destination
from its recent Inquiry into Coastal Towns. In that Inquiry, the
Committee championed efforts to reinvigorate coastal tourism.
In Hastings, two initiatives are particularly noteworthy: the
use of s215 of the 1990 Town and Country Planning Act to enforce
building maintenance and restoration (thus enhancing the appeal
to visitors of that destination year round); and the establishing
and expansion of the Hastings Seafood and Wine Festival (thus
filling guest accommodation in the resort in the third weekend
in September and attracting a predicted 40,000 attendees in 2008—up
from 15,000 in 2006). These initiatives will add pressure for
publicly accessible toilets in Hastings both permanently and temporarily.
4.6 The expansion in festival tourism across the country
has made temporary provision a particularly burning issue. It
has also produced issues of gender equality. Mobile urinals (such
as those used on a regular basis in Soho) are designed for male
use. "Portaloos" can be uninviting, especially where
they are for the use of both those men with little regard for
lifting the toilet seat and women expecting certain levels of
cleanliness. "Portakabin" style toilets (such as can
currently be seen at London Euston railways station) do, however,
offer an opportunity for temporary, roomy and separate toilet
provision.
5. SUSTAINABLE TOURISM—RURAL
AND URBAN
RESPONDENTS
5.1 Sustainable communities and economic development
are key to the liveability agenda. Sustainability (environmental,
cultural and economic) is also increasingly important in destination
choices. There is anecdotal evidence that holiday options at home
are important to the increasing numbers of people who have concerns
over their carbon footprint (and few off-setting options). However,
by and large, it is the marked improvement in the domestic visitor
product, especially in post-industrial urban centres such as central
Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Bristol and Sheffield (pedestrianisation/improved
public realm, cultural and retail schemes for example) that has
improved the prospects for domestic tourism. Local Government,
Freeholders, Consortia, Business Improvement Districts, etc have
all contributed to this success. Notably, uniform national standards
(in parks, Green Flags; on beaches, Blue Flags; in accommodation,
star-ratings) have been fundamental to improving the aspirations
of destinations and the quality of the visitor experience.
5.2 In early 2007, enjoyEngland commissioned research
to investigate consumers' understanding of sustainable tourism
and their attitudes to it (in particular, sustainable attractions
and accommodation). Qualitative research was undertaken in London,
Manchester and Birmingham. These groups were made up of individuals
at various life stages and differing socio-economic groups. Additionally,
in-depth interviews were conducted in rural locations in Devon
and Yorkshire to explore if there were any differences between
rural and urban respondents.
5.3 In fact, no significant differences were found between
the views of rural and urban respondents, however rural respondents
did display a heightened sensitivity towards local environment
quality and also seem to be very conscious—even protective—about
maintaining and/or preserving local traditions and ensuring tourist
facilities/buildings (which would include toilet blocks) blend
in with the local environment. Bad architecture in toilets can
undermine a destination's appeal. Conversely, as is seen in the
Kawakawa example, innovative architecture can enhance it. It is
worth noting that the new Plastik Architects-designed public toilet
block in Gravesend has been short-listed for the "Best New
Building in Britain" award by the Royal Institute of British
Architects: a new iconic functional building for a destination
VisitBritain has recently heavily marketed in North America for
the ancestral and Founding Fathers tourism market (Princess Pocahontas
is buried in Gravesend).
6. THE INTERNATIONAL
VISITOR TO
BRITAIN
6.1 According to the latest ONS International Passenger
Survey (IPS), 2007 saw:
— 32,745,000 inbound visits to Britain (provisional).
— £16.66 billion spent by inbound visitors
to Britain (provisional).
— £494 spent on average on each inbound visit
to Britain (provisional).
— 8.0 days as the average length of an inbound visit
to Britain (provisional)
6.2 Inbound visitors to Britain currently overwhelmingly favour
city destinations and overwhelmingly London at that. There has
been no change in the top five destinations within Britain from
2000-05. (NB more detailed information is available for 2005 than
the current headline stats for 2006.)
6.3 International visits to London reached a record 13,893,000
in 2005. From 2000-05, visits to Edinburgh increased by 25% to
1,134,000; Manchester increased by 47% to 824,000; Birmingham
by 40% and Glasgow by 59%. Great Regional Cities are starting
to close the gap with London as the expanding inbound "City
Break" market takes off. Nottingham—another traditional
tourist spot (Robin Hood/Sheriff of Nottingham being famous worldwide)
saw inbound visits increase by 48%.
6.4 Liverpool, European Capital of Culture 2008, particularly
leapt up the table of Britain's top towns, more than doubling
(131%) inbound visits in the first five years of the twenty-first
century.
| 2005 (000) | 2004 (000)
| % +/- | 2000 (000)
| % +/- |
| London | 13,893 | 13,390
| + 4 | 13,150 | + 6
|
| Edinburgh | 1,134 | 940
| + 21 | 910 | + 25
|
| Manchester | 824 | 770
| + 7 | 560 | + 47
|
| Birmingham | 728 | 730
| -0.3 | 520 | + 40
|
| Glasgow | 684 | 540
| + 27 | 430 | + 59
|
| Liverpool | 438 | 210
| + 109 | 190 | + 131
|
| Oxford | 437 | 400
| + 9 | 410 | + 7
|
| Cambridge | 416 | 340
| + 22 | 370 | + 12
|
| Bristol | 398 | 350
| + 14 | 360 | + 11
|
| Brighton/Hove | 332 | 270
| + 23 | 260 | + 28
|
| Nottingham | 282 | 230
| + 23 | 190 | + 48
|
| Cardiff | 282 | 310
| -9 | 240 | + 18
|
| Bath | 269 | 250
| + 8 | 300 | -10
|
| Newcastle-upon-Tyne | 266 |
260 | + 2 | 180 |
+ 48 |
| York | 246 | 290
| -15 | 310 | -21
|
| Inverness | 227 | 220
| + 3 | 220 | + 3
|
| Leeds | 202 | 190
| + 6 | n/a | NEW
|
| Reading | 191 | 160
| + 19 | 170 | + 12
|
| Coventry | 164 | 180
| -9 | 170 | -4
|
| Luton | 148 | n/a
| NEW | n/a | NEW
|
6.5 Therefore the needs of inbound visitors, particularly
to regional cities, must clearly also be considered. With increasing
numbers visiting regional cities there is an increasing base of
people with first-hand experience with which to form judgements
about the desirability of making repeat visits AND office advice
to other potential visitors from abroad. Around HALF of inbound
visits are by lone travellers. Around a THIRD are with partners,
families or friends.
7. SHORT BREAKS/CITY
BREAKS
7.1 The European Travel Commission predicts that the
trend towards City/Weekend Breaks will continue, leading to a
shortening of the longer main holiday in favour of more short
ones. We already see that trend in the International Passenger
Survey where market growth continues to come from one to three
night visits. Short break visitors spend an average of £133
per day.
8. REPEAT VISITORS
8.1 In 2004 we analysed the difference between the spending
of first timers and repeat visitors. Repeat visitors are bigger
spenders in the UK. In 2004, average spend per visit was around
£80 higher for repeaters compared with first timers. This
is a real, substantial difference and can not be explained by
differences in length of stay (they are similar) or any differential
demographic make-up of visitors. Repeat visitors also show a tendency
towards more even regional spread than first-timers. People who
come here and love it appear to be not only more inclined to come
again, but to venture further round the country and be more willing
to spend money on us! First impressions really do count: in terms
of both repeat trade and increased spend.
8.2 Short break visitors have less opportunity to get
to know a city. Clearly signposted, accessible, safe and clean
toilets will be an important part of the overall experience of
a welcoming, legible and accessible destination in the growing
and lucrative short break and repeat visitor markets.
9. THE BRITAIN
BRAND AND
LOCAL IDENTITIES
9.1 According to the GMI/Anholt Nation Brands Index[20],
the UK has consistently been the world's Number 1 Nation Brand.
It is a Government Objective, through the Public Diplomacy section
of the FCO, to keep it so. Unfortunately, the UK has recently
been overtaken in the top slot by Germany. Germany very effectively
utilised its hosting of the 2006 World Cup to improve its image
abroad. We feel that 2012 offers similar opportunities for Britain.
Of course, it is the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games and this
should serve as a reminder of accessibility issues for all. As
the Committee will note from the CLG Strategic Guide, it is possible
to have new street level toilets with disabled access next to
traditional underground toilets, as in Hampstead, London Borough
of Camden.
9.2 Brands are formed from value judgements on a whole
plethora of factors. Within the Nation Brands Index, one of the
factors is perceptions as a tourist destination. Britain ranks
5th on that attribute. On the attribute "rich in built heritage"
Britain is only 7th in the league. Improving the perception of
these areas is therefore important if we are to capitalize on
our overall rating as the World's Number 1 Nation Brand. Toilets
are a part—however small—of both of these factors.
9.3 The Victorians clearly understood the contribution
toilets make to the municipal landscape and invested in having
the best, most luxurious public toilets possible (to the extent,
in one case, of having goldfish in the glass fronted cistern to
prove how clean the water was). We also still see Victorian and
Edwardian vernacular and mock-Tudor public toilets dotted around
the country that were designed to fit in with the local brand
identity.
10. CHARGES
10.1 Our preference is for free toilets; however we do
understand the pressures on local authority budgets. We would
point out that the cost of not having public toilets is likely
to be not having an optimised visitor economy. In times past,
of course, local authorities built public toilets on a grand scale
to impress visitors. Those visitors then spent money in the destination
and the local authority felt the effect in increased business
rates. Under current financial arrangements we understand that
the most popular tourism destination in Britain, the City of Westminster,
receives just six% of the business rates its Council collects
and that increasing visitor numbers would not increase the level
of rates received. This change to the incentives for local authorities
to encourage visitors with free services needs to be borne in
mind, particularly in light of the £300,000 cost of the public
toilets in Gravesend mentioned above in paragraph 5.3.
10.2 VisitBritain would like the Committee to note some
schemes of which we are aware in seaside destinations where the
private sector turnover/profit incentives for a greater customer
base are harnessed by the local authority. We are aware that in:
— Boscombe Chine Gardens, Borough of Bournemouth,
there is an agreement between owners of a café on the
site and the Borough Council Parks Department for the previously
shut public toilets to be reopened and managed by the private
sector concern as part of that café's efforts to increase
its customer base.
— Eastbourne Seafront, formerly unused and derelict
windshelters owned by Eastbourne Council are leased to private
sector hospitality concerns that agree to provide toilet facilities
for both customers and non-customers.
— Eastern Esplanade, Thorpe Bay, Borough of Southend-on-Sea,
the "Ocean Beach" bistro was formerly a public toilet
block that Southend Council had closed as a result of financial
constraints. The block reopened as the bistro in 2006 with an
arrangement that the toilets be available for public use.
11. CONCLUSION
11.1 The visitor economy is vital to sustainable, post-industrial
economic development. Visitors need sign-posted, accessible toilets
that are clean, safe, well-designed and preferably free and complementary
to the local style of architecture. All this adds to a Sense of
Destination for visitors. First impressions count, and first-hand
experience is the most important source of information when considering
a visit to a borough, town or city. The advice of others—friends
and family—is the second most important source of information.
Repeat visitors familiar with a destination appear to spend more
money than first time visitors. Action on the ground to improve
the tourism offer is key.
11.2 It would be sadly ironic if visitors with many pounds
to spend were dissuaded from our destinations for want of "spending
a penny".
18
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20670001&refer=exclusive&sid=akPWXasbGxbo Back
19
VisitBritain's statutory remit is to market Britain to the World
and to develop the domestic visitor economy in England (which
is done under the enjoyEngland brand)-our remit is therefore sometimes
dubbed "marketing Britain to the World and England to the
British". Back
20
http://www.nationbrandindex.com/ Back
|
