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Memorandum submitted by Tourism Tyne & Wear (NE2-02)
Tourism
The Committee is interested in receiving evidence on:
1. tourism strategy for the North East Region 2. role and responsibilities of One North East 3. marketing of North East nationally and internationally 4. the long term potential for tourism industry in the North East
Tourism
Tyne & Wear was formed in November 2006 as
1. Tourism Strategy for North East Region Written evidence includes: · Regional Tourism Strategy 2006 · Tourism Tyne & Wear Board responses and minutes on the development of the new 2010 Visitor Economy Strategy that will replace 2006 Regional Tourism Strategy · Regional Economic Strategy · Tyne and Wear Area Tourism Management Plan
The current Tourism Strategy set a number of ambitious targets, all of which are on target: − Attracting more domestic visitors: − 2003 Baseline: 8 million − 2010 Target: 10 million − 2007 Progress: 9 million (on target) − Increase employment − 2003 Baseline: 53,184 − 2010 Target: 69,106 − 2007 Progress: 60,775 (on target) − Accelerate investment in the tourism product − 2003 Baseline: £43 million − Target: £258 million between 2005-2010 − £139 million between 2005-2007 (on target)
The 2006 strategy has created a highly professional and well-connected Network. The new Visitor Economy strategy will build on this base and will be closely linked to the Area Tourism Management Plan. There is a commitment to take greater account of sustainability issues and new focus on working with those businesses that offer the greatest growth potential. There are now clear relationships between the region and VisitEngland/VisitBritain.
Place Shaping-There is still much work to be done to fully understand the role of Local Authorities and other agencies in Place Shaping. This is sometimes overlooked as public spending is cut and other more statutory services take priority. Although partners are aware of this responsibility, delivery of a fully integrated place shaping agenda still requires some significant work.
2. Role and Responsibilities of One North East Evidence includes: · Regional Framework · Network Operating Plan · Network Marketing Framework · Desti.ne Framework · Independent Network Evaluation · Network Working Group
Minutes ( Marketing, Product Development, Network Management, Desti.ne Operations,
Business and Skills, Research,
Desti.ne-One North East have developed and resourced the Destination Management System for North East England. This is the foundation of the network and provides 1 point of entry for business information that is then fed up and into a variety of websites including the national site. There are very few areas across the country that have taken this strategic approach that means all of the regions data can operate together. The development of a single system has saved funding, time and resource and made a real difference to the region's small to medium accommodation businesses. Desti.ne has 4 core functions: − A database of every accommodation, attraction, event, eating out, leisure facility and activity in the region feeding all tourist websites and TICs. Every business able to amend their own details via Desti.ne Extranet. This has resulted an increase in the ability to communicate and engage with Businesses within the sector on issues within the industry and update on training opportunities that they may benefit from. The ability of businesses to edit their own details makes the system incredibly efficient and provides a flexibility and empowerment that gives the business a sense of ownership and belonging to the network.
− A customer database that will allow CRM campaigns
− Software to produce high-quality, multi-function websites and e-newsletters. This has enabled ATP's to produce bespoke campaign sites and targeted newsletters in-house; reducing the reliance on external consultants and service providers and increasing the control and flexibility to design bespoke materials for markets.
− An on-line booking system for every business that wants it via Desti.ne Frontdesk. This has opened up the market place to smaller businesses who can opt to sell there rooms through some big distribution channels such as Expedia where as previously they would not have had a space in the market place. To date this system has generated over 8,000 accommodation bookings to the value of 880,000 in Tyne & Wear alone.
Business Support-The network led by One North East has made some huge steps in integrating tourism and hospitality businesses into the main stream business link and business support activity. Specific projects with Business Link have identified and trained BL staff to work with the tourism sector and link into the network whilst the network is currently trialling packages of business support to develop tourism businesses and providing a clear route to funding for that support. Profit through Productivity saw nearly 150 tourism businesses benefit from over £3,000 worth of high quality business coaching.
3. Marketing of North
Evidence includes: · Network Marketing Plan · Network Working Group
Minutes ( Marketing, Press and PR, Digital Marketing, Desti.ne Operations and · NewcastleGateshead Destination Marketing Plan · Market materials available on request. · www.visitnortheastengland.com
Within Tyne and Wear, the NewcastleGateshead Initiative have spent over 10 years developing a strong city brand with the cultural regeneration of the area providing some iconic product to attract a growing city break market. The profile of the city has improved dramatically over this period and with this has come many accolades including favourite city break, friendliest city, awards for architecture and design etc.
On a regional level, the image campaign has been hugely successful in not only raising profile of the region but also in engaging local pride among residents and businesses. The large number of businesses that have adopted the Passionate People, Passionate Places identifiers as part of their promotion and branding emphasises the resonance of the campaign.
Like
many areas of the country, the North East' market led approach is hampered by
regional politics. Marketing messages can be watered down by political
boundaries and the promotion of key product to an untargeted audience rather
than being market led / focussed. The development of the Marketing Framework
has clarified the roles and responsibilities of the marketers amongst regional
partners and the network and Local Authorities need to work to ensure the
markets and lead brands identified are allowed to work together to bring more
visitors to North East England. The framework has identified that it is lead
destinations ( NewcastleGateshead,
4. The long term potential for tourism industry in the North East Tourism Tyne & Wear monitors trends and evaluates relevant tourism figures that help express the potential for long term potential for the Tourism Industry. We have also commissioned research to help us to better understand this. Evidence includes:
Hotel Growth Studies Accommodation Futures Studies have been carried out within each of the key visitor markets within Tyne & Wear to assess potential of, and requirements for, growth in accommodation Markets. The reports produced many positive findings for potential growth within the sector including:
· Within NerwcastleGateshead, despite having nationally competitive occupancy and revenue rates there is still market potential for new hotel development in the city centre. There is potential for new 4 star, boutique, 3 star, upper-tier budget and budget hotels. There may also be potential for 5 star and luxury hotel offers to develop in the city centre · Potential corporate and leisure demand for 3/4 Star accommodation as the City grows its business and retail offer through development of key sites in Sunderland ARC sites. · The development of Upper budget/3 star accommodation in line with the developments on the South Shields Riverside site. · Development of
Boutique Hotel Accommodation in · Demand for touring and Static caravan camping is currently exceeding supply across the Tyne & Wear coast
STEAM research identifies consistent growth. Despite the recession of the last 18 months the value of tourism has risen consistently over the last 6 six years. Since 2003 Revenue generated by the sector has risen by 9.2% and is worth around 1.9billion towards the local economy. We now attract an estimated 720,000 leisure visits a year and employment has grown by 19%, be over 37,000 FTE jobs
Growth of Business Tourism Business Tourism is a key contributor to the revenue generated by visitors into Tyne & Wear. Work is currently taking place to understand the true value of this but an initial study by KPMG has indicated that there is demand for the development of a regional convention centre to be housed in NewcastleGateshead.
Tourism Attractions visitor figures are growing The sub regions attractions offer has
developed significantly over the last decade wit the Baltic Centre for
Contemporary Art attracting around 350,000 visitors annually and the Sage
Gateshead 600,000. The newest addition to the regions offer, the
Numbers of inbound ferry passengers are increasing The development of the ferry route between
Newcastle/Port of Tyne and the
New ferry route Work is currently being undertaken to
reinstate a Norwegian ferry route. A feasibility study by Price Waterhouse
Coopers commissioned by NewcastleGateshead Initiative, the
Growth of cruise tourism-economic impact study Developments to the Northumbria Quay
at the
Growth
of While rising fuel process, the
doubling of air passenger duty and the effects of the recession upon business
and leisure spending has had an undeniable effect upon the aviation industry in
terms of passenger numbers,
25 September 2009 |