Destination Management Plan

Destination Management Plan 2016-2021 1

WORCESTERSHIRE S DESTINATION MANAGEMENT PLAN 2016-2021 Contents Page Numbers Foreword 3 Summary 4 Strategic Context 4 The Importance of Tourism 4-5 Destination 5 Vision 6 Objectives 6 Priorities 7 Strategy and Action Plan or Experience 8-11 Strategy and Action Plan Business, Partnerships, Skills and Training 12-14 Strategy and Action Plan The Tourism Offering 15-17 Strategy and Action Plan National Profile 18 20 Appendix Stakeholder Map 21 SWOT Analysis 22-23 FOREWORD 2

VISIT WORCESTERSHIRE DESTINATION MANAGEMENT ORGANISATION Tourism is a significant industry within and its development within the next 5 years is paramount to raising the profile and the continued development of the county as a place to live, work and visit. This Destination Management Plan has been written in collaboration with a number of key stakeholders and is an excellent platform to further develop the tourism economy for and will be continually developed and reviewed to monitor progress during the period. We look forward to working with the partners for the next 5 years and beyond to develop the amenities and services available for visitors and the local people whilst including safeguards for sustaining the local environment. Mike Ashton, Chief Executive of Herefordshire and Chamber of Commerce who manage WORCESTERSHIRE LOCAL ENTERPRISE PARTNERSHIP The Local Enterprise Partnership fully supports the development of this Destination Management Plan which we recognise can make a huge impact on the County s economic growth and future prosperity. We look forward to continuing our work with and other partner organisations to implement this plan, increase tourism expenditure and profile the County as an innovative, creative and dynamic economy which is proud of its heritage and an attractive place to invest, live, work and visit. Gary Woodman, Executive Director, Local Enterprise Partnership 3

SUMMARY This 5 year Destination Management Plan (DMP) for has been produced by with the support of Local Enterprise Partnership, County, District s within, private sector businesses and the wider public sector. A DMP looks at all aspects of a destination that contribute to a visitor s experience including; visitors, local residents, businesses and the environment to create a tourism strategy and action plan which will develop the county especially in terms of increasing visitor spend, increased visitor numbers and attracting investment, as part of the plan the roles of the different stakeholders and proposed resources allocation are also identified. For a DMP to be successful it relies on all parties working in partnership and awareness that the plan can be altered at any time. STRATEGIC CONTEXT NATIONAL PERSPECTIVE The promotion and management of and any tourism destination has wider contributors and influences than just what can be achieved in the county. England and Britain lead the national strategy for marketing the country as a tourism destination. In the strategic framework for tourism which looked at 2010 to 2020 they identified the key objectives of: 1. To increase England s share of global visitor markets 2. To offer visitors a compelling destination of distinction 3. To champion a successful, thriving tourism industry 4. To facilitate greater engagement between the visitor and the experience. A number of Action Plans have been developed by various industry stakeholders to enable the effective delivery of the Strategic Framework including the National Marketing Strategy, Modernising the or Experience Strategy, the Transport and Tourism Strategy as well as Destination Management Plans such as this one submitted by each of the Destination Management Organisations across the country. England will be able to understand each destination and what they are trying to achieve in a strategic context. THE IMPORTANCE OF TOURISM LOCAL PERSPECTIVE Tourism is a critical industry for the economy, in 2015; tourism directly accounted for more than 645m income to the economy, whilst indirect spends accounted for a further 220m to the economy. Out of the 645m direct spend on tourism; approximately 52m was spent on accommodation, 190m on retail, 199m on catering, 73m on attractions and 44m on transport. The industry also supported 13,000 FTE jobs, although when accounting for seasonal employment, the number of jobs related to the tourism industry in is estimated to have exceeded 17,000. In 2015, this was made of 16.4m trips to the county of which over 15.3m were day trips and more than 1m overnights stays. * 4

In addition to the economic implications, tourism also supports the external vision of the county by portraying a positive image of the county to the outside world and supporting long-term sustainable prosperity of the county. The below table shows the impact of Tourism in the different districts across the county: 2015 Value of Tourism Employment Direct value Total FTE jobs Indirect and induced value Actual tourismrelated employment 645,504,000 220,603,000 866,107,000 13,034 17,366 6.4% Bromsgrove 105,524,000 29,905,000 135,429,000 2,078 2,799 7.0% Malvern Hills 105,859,000 18,598,000 124,457,000 1,817 2,499 7.6% Redditch 45,861,000 14,431,000 60,292,000 968 1,266 2.9% Worcester 130,486,000 35,358,000 165,844,000 2,474 3,351 5.9% Wychavon 147,408,000 27,220,000 174,628,000 2,291 3,103 4.9% Wyre Forest 94,879,000 26,450,000 121,329,000 1,633 2,155 6.2% * Tourism Economic Impact Assessment 2015 THE DESTINATION: % of all employment in county Part of the key planning process is to evaluate a destination to ensure it maximises the use of resources, achieves the greatest effectiveness out of the opportunities available as well as reducing the risk of failure regarding the destinations activities. is an active tourism destination with many businesses within the industry, a vast majority of which are Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SME's). In addition, there are hundreds of organisations that benefit the visitor economy by organising many festivals and events in on a commercial and voluntary basis. Tourists are attracted to for many purposes including enjoyment of the county's countryside, scenery and wildlife, visiting attractions & events, using waterways, exploring the local heritage as well as taking part in activities such as walking & hiking. ors come to with the purpose of enjoying its outstanding natural beauty and participating in recreational activities. The protected areas, public open spaces, rights of way network, heritage buildings, historic sites and attractive towns and villages all provide opportunities for attracting day visitors and increasing overnight stays. 5

VISION: The vision for tourism in in the next 5 years is: To develop a thriving visitor economy for ; which builds on the heritage, environment and knowledge base within the area to enhance business opportunities and support job growth OBJECTIVES: The key objectives for the tourism industry to prioritise are the overarching reasons why a Destination Management Plan is required for successful tourism development. The key objectives are: Strategic Objective One To ensure that visitors receive a good quality tourism experience from pre-visitor information, to arrival in the county, to interaction with tourism related staff to leave with a positive impression of the county. Strategic Objective Two To improve ensure that there is finance available to support tourism businesses and raise the profile of with Business Tourism visitors and other Destination Management Organisations to increase visitor spend across the county. Strategic Objective Three To grow and promote the tourism offering in through greater collaboration Strategic Objective Four To raise the profile of as a place to visit regionally, nationally and internationally working with the LEP ensure a World Class visitor experience for. 6

PRIORITIES: Following consultation with the Tourism Officers from each of the Districts, four priority actions for the next five years have been identified, these include: or Experience: This looked at the overall tourism experience and covers aspects including; transport, signage, accessibility and how to monitor and evaluate how a tourist sees as a place to visit. Partnerships, Business Support, Skills and Training: This area highlighted opportunities for building on the existing business support structures in place for tourism businesses. It identifies skills and training required by school leavers entering the workforce for the first time or development of employees that are already working in roles across the tourism industry or its support sectors. One of the main challenges identified in this area is to ensure that remains economically sustainable in the long term to support the Tourism economy of. The Tourism Offering: This identifies opportunities for collaboration and development of the tourism offering in and focuses on how accommodation, attractions and events can work together better to ensure people stay in the county longer. As well as, how the Destination Management Organisation, can build links with other Destination Management Organisation s that have a similar offering or are based within the local vicinity. National Profile: A priority for is focussing on ways of enhancing the image of as a place to visit as well as raising the profile of the county to try to attract a new audience to the area and improve engagement with previous visitors or residents. 7

VISITOR EXPERIENCE or s impression and ease of access is a critical part of a Destination Management Plan, as a positive experience does not only encourage people to revisit the area but can promote word of mouth amongst friends and family and greater interaction through social media. This area of discussion was a significant element of the previous Destination Management Plan (2012 2015) and since then a number of key strategies were agreed and completed or are still being worked on which aim to enhance and develop the visitor experience. These include; The continued development of the website to provide information prior to arrival in the county Campaigning for Superfast Broadband in the county The installation of Real Time Travel information at bus stations Kiosks throughout the county Review of the county s brown sign policy that focuses more on supporting the tourism industry with as well as highlighting specific locations. There are also a number of major plans in place for improving the connectivity of the county including; Significant road project and proposals for a new 22 million railway station at Norton Parkway and improvements to Kidderminster Railway Station as well as some potential new cycle ways and green infrastructure. 8

VISITOR EXPERIENCE Priority Outcome Monitoring Lead Review Date Increase 's Profile by improving Signage Improving Business Signage in the county Welcome signs with more impact and more visibility to visitors. Welcome to World Class Improved Visibility of Businesses to visitors Raise awareness of businesses to local residents Accurate signage in the most suitable position Signs strategically located around the city and WLEP Open dialogue between and County WCC - Brown sign Officer District Tourism Officer Feedback from local attractions World Class County / WLEP County In conjunction with and Individual Attractions Assess progress April 2017 Review annually County LEP Individual Attractions Districts County Develop a Welcome Pack and Welcome Host Training programme to ensure visitors first impressions of the county are consistent e.g. Taxi Drivers, Coach Driver, Reception Staff Improved impression of the county for visitors. Wide range of businesses and individuals are aware of the counties key selling points and have a consistent message to share and delivery of that is at a quality level. Attendees could display a World Class badge in premise/vehicle. Groups asking for Welcome Pack Businesses attending Welcome Host Training. Businesses displaying a Welcome Host / World Class badge County Worcester BID Review April 2017 County Districts 9

To improve/raise the profile of cycling and walking holidays in inc. rivers and canals Increased visitors to the area, increased visitor spend, increased occupancy of hotels and B&B s as well as increased visitors using cycling paths and walking routes. Regular surveys and research, could include in annual existing research Development of the website Social Media Local Cycling / Walking Organisations Canal and River Trust and Sustran Review April 2017 Sponsorship EU Funding Link funding to Sustainable Transport Increase the number of coach groups coming to visit the county. (Worcester City and Kidderminster) Review the Park and Ride sites and their viability (Worcester City) Review all accessibility routes and deliver useful in formation and make improvements where required 10 Increased and improved designated Coach Parking Bays and Parking (without height restrictions) Maintain regular activity to engage with coach booking operators and other interest groups. Worcester City to produce a report to review the viability of the Park and Ride site in Worcester and deliver its recommendations Development of an accessibility route or map Improvements and additional enhancements made to footpaths where it will improve access to tourism businesses for visitors and local residents Feedback Number of coaches visiting recorded by Districts Production of a report and action recommendations of the report Regular updates from Worcester City Number of requests for routes for accessibility by businesses Number of requests for routes for accessibility from special needs charities Completion of the project ideally by Worcester University County Worcester BID County Worcester City in partnership Worcester University Student Project New College Worcester Charities linked to special needs Review April 2017 Review April 2017 Review in 2017 County Districts County and Worcester City in partnership University Worcester City Government Funding

Research undertaken every three years to get an accurate data analysis re: tourism industry Taking into account social media feedback and visitor advocacy as well as traditional research. Better knowledge of the impact of the Tourism economy and the visitor experience within the county. students Completion of the tourism research and production of results. Ken Black and Mick Donovan at the University of Worcester Next research to take place 2018 District s WLEP County 11

PARTNERS, BUSINESS SUPPORT, SKILLS AND TRAINING is a fast growing economy and is one of the UK s fastest growing economies following a string recovery from the recession and the strategic priority of all partners to focus on inward investment to capitalise on s strengthening economy and assets. Support for tourism businesses is widely available in the county through a number of organisations; led by, with support from Business Central, Local Enterprise Partnership, Worcester BID, County, the District s and a number of special interest groups such as; FarmStay, Malvern B&B Consortium, Worcester Heritage Partnership, Worcester Tourism Association. One of the main challenges over the next five years within this area is ensuring that (The Destination Management Organisation for ) is economically sustainable in the long term to support the tourism economy of. District and County budgets are being rapidly reduced by policy changes so less funding and more expectations are required from this source. There is also more competition for private businesses expenditure and whilst Local Enterprise Partnership acknowledges and supports the sector it is not considered one of their priority sectors. A number of strategies have been discussed to address this issue. Skills is also a important topic for discussion, many of the roles associated with the tourism industry are low pay, low prospects roles and it can often be the case that senior positions in tourism businesses such as; General Managers in hotels see recruits brought in from outside the county. 12

PARTNERSHIPS, BUSINESS SUPPORT, SKILLS AND TRAINING Priority Outcome Monitoring Lead Review Date Possible funding ideas Increase engagement between business travel and tourism market with before they visit to increase stay nights Increase the number of business visitors extending their stay or planning to return for pleasure. Interactions with and promoting the attractions of the county to their business travel visitors. in partnership with ArrangeMy, Herefordshire and Chamber of Commerce, Hotelshop April 2020 Limited funding required for more engagement with businesses Investigate the possibility of a hub similar to Hotel association in other areas Lobby the WLEP and County to ensure that Tourism is one of their key sectors for development in the region Greater collaboration between hotel groups Raised profile and increased funding for tourism in the county Report produced to decide viability Attendance and set up of regular meetings Regular review meetings Tourism and Leisure Sub Group Herefordshire and Chamber of Commerce Tourism and Leisure Sub Group Review April 2017 Review April 2017 Limited funding required No direct funding required Greater collaboration with partners Greater awareness of opportunities and improved take up of funding grants Number of tourism businesses taking up funding grants Business Central Review April 2017 No funding required Develop links with other DMO s for greater Better collaboration and more potential for European Funding Better partnerships with other Destination Management District s Review April 2017 More potential of European Funding opportunity 13

collaboration - esp. Birmingham, Gloucester, Herefordshire, Stratford-upon- Avon and the Cotswolds plus be included in the Midlands Engine Ask for the visitor economy Organisations and inclusion in the Midlands Engine Ask Investigate the possibility of dual ticketing and cross promotion of attractions especially within Districts Increase the duration of stay visitors to the county or increase repeat visitors Production of recommendations from investigation Worcester Tourist Information Centre and Review 2017 No funding required Review and increase visitor data of audience for better marketing segmentation More opportunity for targeted marketing to specific groups Better segregation of data Review 2017 Simplify and enhance the branding strength by removing confusion between and Destination Clarity in the market place for membership, visitors and partners Re-launch of to tourism businesses Total removal of any reference of Destination from all marketing collateral Launch April 2016 And ongoing on any communication No funding required 14

THE TOURISM OFFERING has a varied tourism offering to suit all visitor requirements, from the beautiful countryside and the many waterways, to a heritage offering that puts Worcester in the top 4% of the country and a sporting presence that boosts a premier rugby club, first class cricket club, a leading basketball team, a high quality horseracing venue, the oldest motor sport venue in the world Shelsley Walsh and the Worcester Arena, one of the countries leading facilities for disability sports. Events are also a critical part of the tourism economy in the county with a variety of unique events staged including; Pershore Plum Festival Asparafest Upton Blues Upton Jazz Tenbury Mistletoe Festival RHS Malvern Spring Festival Worcester Victorian Fayre Kidderminster Arts Festival There are also a number of significant investments in the attractions planned or opening soon in the county including; Diggerland at Valley Country Park, Evesham Cathedral Square (Worcester) West Midland Safari Park - hotel, conference centre and leisure pool in Bewdley, The rebrand and development of the Commandery in Worcester Proposals for the development of Royal Worcester Museum with its 144 auditorium hosting a wide range of events from concerts and lectures to displays and exhibitions. 15 The strategies detailed will identify the key areas for promotion within the county in order to forward the county as a tourism destination.

THE TOURISM OFFERING Priority Outcome Monitoring Lead Review Date Possible funding ideas Aim to achieve Heritage City status for Worcester City Membership of England Heritage Cities Group with increase profile, increased national marketing with other group members, lobbying for Heritage Cities Application Process https://www.visitenglan d.com/sites/default/files /downloads/melanie_se nsivle_englands_herita ge_cities_2014.pdf Worcester City April 2017 Worcester City to employee staff member to further process and work with staff Familiarisation s of Press, Coach and Educators Greater number of visits specifically linked to campaigns and promotions generated from these visits County is required to receive a minimum of 3 million tourist trips per annum and generate 150 million per annum in relation to all visitor spend. Number of enquiries from these groups to the county to co-ordinate partners offering support Review April 2017 coordination Businesses in kind Develop the website to be the place to promote all Events in Create a County Arts Festival Organisation to Encourage Tourism and Arts working closely to offer festivals and 16 One location for all events in Co-ordination and increase of festivals and events in the county Number of Events uploaded to the website Establishment of Group Arts Partnership Review April 2017 Reviewing 2017 Website Advertising Sponsorship Arts England County

enhanced visitor experiences Develop a onestop shop for tickets to attractions Collaborative attendance at relevant Trade Shows Greater clarity for visitors on where to get tickets Greater visibility of as a county to visit Number of tickets sold Number of trade shows attending Worcester Tourist Information Centre World Class Review 2017 Review 2017 No funding required, more collaboration with bookable tickets County LEP Appropriately funded Destination Management Organisation More funding and opportunity to promote externally of the county Identity money required and where it could come from Review 2017 County LEP Membership 17

THE NATIONAL PROFILE National profiling is a key objective of, the Local Enterprise Partnership and County. has traditionally been and remains one of the lesser known counties in the country of England within the West Midlands. World Class is presently the main focus for profile raising of the county and it is important that all partners and businesses engage with this to ensure that the project is successful and achieves its objectives for the good of all. Whilst national marketing is vital and will continue to be as the key strategy for increasing the visitor economy in the region it is still important to fully recognise the need to ensure that local marketing is also acknowledged in the strategies. 18

National Profile Priority Outcome Monitoring Lead Review Date Possible funding area? Create and action a three tier strategy local / national / international to promote Clearer plan for all partners and tourism businesses to promote Creation of a plan and points on the plan to be actioned County LEP Review 2017 County LEP Sponsorship Tourism businesses to participate and embrace World Class creating an overall brand, consistent message in order to create and share images, stories, writing blogs and videos Development of a specific Digital Strategy for promoting the visitor economy in Greater profile nationally Better promotion and engagement with visitors and residents Number of inclusions of tourism businesses on the World Class website Number of hits / tweets World Class Tourism Businesses County LEP Review 2017 Review 2017 European Funding World Class website being developed. WCC applying for more money Personal input to the website will not require additional funding If required: County LEP Greater Promote to Number of inclusion in If required: 19

promotion of through PR opportunities especially; TV, press editorial, inclusion in blogs wider national audience and distribute the message in a more cost effective and efficient way national press articles County LEP Review 2017 County LEP To include all tourism businesses in on the website Create a network of flag bearers who will promote across the world i.e. ex-residents, alumni, relatives of people living in Greater support for tourism in the county and increased information available to visitors Greater profile of nationally and internationally Number of tourism businesses listed on the website Creation of a database of contacts World Class April 2017 Process to start April 2016 Review April 2017 Talk to LEP and County re: funding to ensure that the project is progressed as quickly as possible If required: County LEP 20

/ Worcester TIC 21

SWOT ANALYSIS OF THE WORCESTERSHIRE TOURISM ECONOMY STRENGTHS Excellent transport links especially motorways, rail network and a number of airports within 2 hours Rural location Extensive waterway network Historical Cathedral city of Worcester Wide variety of visitor attractions Strong range of events, festivals and cultural activities Identifiable brands (e.g. Cotswolds, Malvern Hills, West Midland Safari & Leisure Park, Severn Valley Railway, Three Counties Showground, Malvern Theatre, etc.) Variety of conference and event venues Specialist shops such as arts & crafts, antiques, jewellery etc Diverse heritage offer including historic houses, places of worship and the industrial revolution Broad sporting offer for both participants and spectators with many impressive venues e.g. rugby, cricket, basketball, rowing, fishing & water-sports Tourist Information Centres at key locations Strong existing partnerships OPPORTUNITIES Further partnership working with various stakeholders. Encourage links with businesses e.g. Worcester Bosch or educational centres like Kingsway, University of Worcester Links with transport operators (rail, bus, coach, etc) Joined up marketing with key brands Working with Creative England to encourage to become a recognised film location Anniversaries and film releases e.g. J.R.R Tolkien s The Hobbit Improvements in technology i.e. Internet, social media, mobile, etc. An ageing population will increase product demand Private sector developments will increase interest in location New overseas markets Improvements in the economy in the future Increase in 65+ market Potential for to be developed as a destination for walking and other forms of outdoor recreation WEAKNESSES Public transport including reliability, cleanliness, services to key attractions, Sunday service, Park & Ride hours Lack of coach parking facilities in areas Limited effective signage or information not always available Too many different organisations responsible for tourism in No joined up approach to managing town centres Largely seasonal tourism Low number of overnight stays compared to day visitor market Lack of promotion at key entry points including motorway service stations, bus terminals, train stations and car parks Lack of 4/5 star quality of accommodation in Worcester City Lack of billboards and advertising sites for tourism businesses to advertise attractions, special offers and events Lack of interactive information available in a range of formats such as web based downloads, phone apps and site based information facilities Weak tourism brand compared to competitors THREATS Reduction in public sector support and general lack of finance for industry support Budget airlines and low cost travel to overseas destinations Negative opinions of the UK as a tourism destination Maintaining resources to ensure that high quality facilities and services are maintained Poor tourism signage unless the current national policy is changed to support the economic benefits in addition to road safety Skills and labour shortages Increasing competition from other UK & overseas destinations Major building developments that have a negative impact on the environment and attractiveness of the destination Increased traffic congestion making access more difficult Not keeping up with technology Not embracing new trends, new visitor markets or changing market tastes Lack of interest amongst many tourism businesses UK seen as an expensive destination and not value for money Climate change/adverse/extreme weather conditions (flooding in particular) 22