Northern Ireland Home of Great Events. Guidelines for Applicants Tourism Events Sponsorship Scheme 2015/16. nitb.com/events

Transcription

1 Northern Ireland Home of Great Events Guidelines for Applicants Tourism Events Sponsorship Scheme 2015/16 nitb.com/events

2 Contents 1.0 Introduction p4 2.0 Aims and Objectives p5 3.0 Types of Events to Receive Support p6 4.0 Tourism Events Sponsorship Scheme p7 5.0 Who Can Apply p8 6.0 How to Apply p8 7.0 Payment p9 Appendix A Requirements p11 Appendix B Explanation of Requirements p12 p2 p3

3 1.0 Aims & Introduction Objectives 2.0 Events are powerful tools. They have the ability to give Northern Ireland a competitive advantage benefitting the image, economy, tourism performance and future potential of the region. They can enhance Northern Ireland s reputation as a destination to live, work, visit and study. Events can also stimulate the economy, generating new jobs, business and training opportunities whilst attracting visitors at times of the year when there is surplus capacity in the accommodation sector. A Tourism Event is classed as an event occurring on 1 day or over a period of several consecutive days (there must be no break in days). It will attract visitors to travel to and stay in Northern Ireland and offer an authentic Northern Ireland experience. The event will attract additional spectator and participant spend (i.e. spend not normally in the local authority area), increase the occupancy rate of local accommodation, provide a positive image of Northern Ireland, give the visitor a true Northern Ireland experience and leave a lasting legacy. Tourism NI operates two schemes within this programme: Tourism Events Sponsorship Scheme International Tourism Events Fund (see Guidelines for Applicants International Tourism Events Fund 2015/16) The primary aim of the Tourism Events Sponsorship Scheme is to support the delivery of the Draft Tourism Strategy for Northern Ireland to 2020 and Events Strategic Vision to Paramount to this is the growth of visitor numbers and visitor spend. The key objectives of supporting events will be to maximise opportunities to: Enhance the visitor experience Increase visitor numbers and spend Ensure year-round motivators Develop a positive international profile Create a legacy The Tourism Event Funding Programme is designed to act as a catalyst and motivator for the events industry. It does not provide long-term or core funding. Applications to the Tourism Events Sponsorship Scheme must be of at least national significance in order to maximise the value of support from Tourism NI. The two schemes complement each other and run concurrently, maximising the benefits to Northern Ireland. The Tourism Events Sponsorship Scheme is open to eligible events taking place between 1 April 2015 and 31 March p4 p5

4 3.0 Types of events to receive support 4.0 Tourism Events Sponsorship Scheme 3.1 Setting the Scene Tourism NI has developed an experience theme approach, based on our current and potential tourism assets and our visitor segments. Five key experience themes have been identified. These themes are the pillars upon which Northern Ireland can develop its experiential tourism offering and subsequently engage better with its potential visitors and compete on the global market. The Experience Pillars form the basis of Tourism NI s marketing, development and research activity for future years and present significant potential for the Events Industry. Events by their very nature can create and sustain memorable Northern Ireland experiences and are a crucial element of each of the Experience Pillars. Experience Pillars are: Living Legends Coasts and Lakes Unique Outdoors Culture and Creative Vibe Naturally NI Visitor segments are useful in developing events that will add to the visitor experience and create a motivation for visitors to travel here. Event organisers can use this market intelligence to meet and exceed the needs of the visitor segment/s most relevant to them. The end result will be unique event experiences, closely aligned with our Experience Pillars and the most appropriate visitor segments. Visitor segments are: Time Together Mature Cosmopolitans Family Fun Young and Lively Great Escapers Social Energisers Culturally Curious Further details on Experience Pillars and visitor segments can be found at nitb.com/experience 3.2 Priority Areas Tourism NI will seek to provide financial support for events which best meet the interests of our visitor segments. Events must also demonstrate how they provide tourism experiences aligned with at least one of the Experience Pillars and how they bring the Northern Ireland Tourism brand to life. The Tourism Events Sponsorship Scheme requirements will align with both the Experience Pillars and visitor segments and in doing so, will seek to support events which reflect the friendliness of our people, the vibrancy of our cities, the beauty of our landscapes and our rich culture and heritage. 4.1 Definition Tourism Events will showcase Northern Ireland s regions and destinations allowing our visitors to get closer to our authentic people, places and personality through experiencing the real Northern Ireland. These events will cover a wide range of themes and areas such as activities, music, culture, food, art, theatre and certain events will appeal to niche markets and appeal to the Visitor Segments whilst fitting with the Experience Pillars developed by Tourism NI. Sponsored events will endorse geographical spread and exploration of all destinations and enhance off peak times where there is surplus capacity in our tourism industry. 4.2 Introduction The Tourism Events Sponsorship Scheme 2015/16 will offer financial support to eligible events taking place between 1 April 2015 and 31 March Events supported through the Tourism Events Sponsorship Scheme must: Encourage attendance of out of state visitors/ visitors who are already in Northern Ireland Generate economic benefits for Northern Ireland through increased visitor numbers and spend Enhance the profile and appeal of the area Focus on building legacy and sustainability Ensure year round motivators Enhance the visitor experience Promote Tourism NI and discovernorthernireland.com 4.3 Requirements The aim of the Tourism Events Sponsorship Scheme is to support events that clearly demonstrate what opportunities they will present to Tourism NI and discovernorthernireland.com by showcasing how they will link to visitor segments, experience pillars and fit with the Northern Ireland brand whilst highlighting the best the regions in Northern Ireland have to offer. Applications are assessed under the following: 1 Visitor and Participant Numbers 2 Finance 3 Northern Ireland Tourism 4 Promotion of Tourism NI and discovernorthernireland.com Appendices A & B give further details on the criteria. 4.4 Sponsorship Parameters Events must satisfy the following parameters to apply for the Tourism Events Sponsorship Scheme: Total visitor numbers greater than 1,000 Events must have an overall budget of 50,000 or more (in kind support not considered) Sponsorship available for events from 6,000 incl. VAT to 25,000 incl. VAT Events must demonstrate how they will promote Tourism NI and discovernorthernireland.com to our key visitor segments p6 p7

5 Who can apply How to apply 7.0 Payment Applications will be open to legally constituted organisations or individuals in the public, private and voluntary sectors. Event organisers may only submit one application per event to either the Tourism Events Sponsorship Scheme or the International Tourism Events Fund, not both. Any financial award offered will depend on the overall budget available to Tourism NI and the number of applications received. Please refer to nitb.com/events for full application details. For events taking place between 1 April 2015 and 31 March 2016, the call for applications will open on Wednesday 4 February 2015 at 10am and close on Monday 23 February 2015 at 5pm. No applications received after this date will be considered. An online application will be available for all applicants during the open call. It is important that applicants demonstrate, by example and evidence, how their event meets the 4 requirements described in Appendices A & B. It is not enough to replicate text in the guidance notes. Please note: all responses are stand alone. The scoring panel will not take account of information presented in another part of the application. The application form will request applicants to state if they have ever been declared bankrupt, or are awaiting any criminal or civil proceedings against them, or if they have any unspent criminal or civil convictions. Applicants must also state if they have any outstanding court judgements against them. If an applicant answers Yes to any of these areas they will be required to provide detailed evidence to support their application. Once assessed, all applications will be brought before a panel consisting of Tourism NI senior management for approval. Payment will be made in one instalment and must be claimed 6 weeks after the event with full evidence required as outlined in the Sponsorship Agreement. This is a simple post event reporting process, details of which will be included in the Sponsorship Agreement. p8 p9

6 Appendix A Requirements Applications to the Tourism Events Sponsorship Scheme must clearly demonstrate what opportunities they will present to Tourism NI and discovernorthernireland.com by showcasing how they will link to visitor segments, Experience Pillars and the Northern Ireland Tourism brand. A full explanation of the requirements is provided at Appendix B. The requirements are: 1 Visitor and Participant Numbers Total visitor numbers and a breakdown of where the visitors are from Total participant numbers and a breakdown of where the participants are from 2 Finance 2a. Event Budget 3 Northern Ireland Tourism 3a. Experience Pillars 3b. Visitor Segments 3c. Northern Ireland Tourism Brand 4 Promotion of Tourism NI and discovernorthernireland.com Paid for coverage PR coverage Branding Opportunities Other/Bespoke Opportunities 2b. Tourism Economic Impact p10 p11

7 Appendix B Explanation of Requirements 1 Visitor and Participant Numbers All events applying for sponsorship must do so within the context of the Draft Tourism Strategy for Northern Ireland to 2020 and Events Strategic Vision to They signify a loud and clear recognition of the tourism industry in its own right and its role as a central driver for economic development across Northern Ireland in the coming years. Events applying to the Tourism Events Sponsorship Scheme must demonstrate: The potential to attract 1,000 plus visitors The event s ability to attract visitors and participants from outside the Local Authority Area i.e. rest of Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Great Britain and Overseas The event s ability to deliver visitor spend and participant spend to the economy It is important to be open and honest when submitting the projected number of visitors and participants who will attend the event. Please note: ensure that you keep your visitor numbers and participant numbers separate. 2 Finance 2a. Event Budget As this is a Sponsorship Scheme we will not request a full budget breakdown. We will however ask for a total anticipated income figure for the proposed event. This amount should not include in kind support, or any anticipated financial support from Tourism NI. You will also be asked to detail the anticipated income from your local council and from other public bodies, if applicable. For expenditure, you will be asked for the total monetary and in kind amounts. 2b. Tourism Economic Impact The tourism economic impact of an event is additional income and expenditure generated as a direct impact of staging the event. This impact is created by both visitors from outside Northern Ireland and domestic visitors. Domestic visitors are those individuals from Northern Ireland who have travelled to the event from outside the council area (not the council area they live in). Consideration is also given to any leakage of monies that have left the Northern Ireland economy as a result of hosting the event. Leakage refers to the amount of money that is spent outside of Northern Ireland as a result of running the event. We are aware that certain expenditure items cannot be purchased in Northern Ireland and must be sourced elsewhere. Likewise we would encourage event organisers to be authentic, using local products and suppliers. However we are aware that this is not always possible and other suppliers bring an extra dimension to the event that cannot be delivered from within Northern Ireland. Spend by visitors from outside the local authority area (and in particular on accommodation) is one of the factors in generating tourism economic impact. Spend by event organisers and participants is another important consideration. If participant costs are subsided it is important to enter this total to give an accurate reading. The tourism economic impact generated is based on the amount of support requested from Tourism NI and not of the entire financial contribution received from other sources. 3 Northern Ireland Tourism Visitors want bespoke offerings that tap into their hearts and minds, giving them once-ina-lifetime personal experiences that are just right for them. They care deeply how they will spend their precious time away and they want to find an experience that closely matches their needs. With such a powerful booking tool as the internet and travel review sites, potential visitors are armed with all the information to design a tailored trip that reflects their aspirations and expectations. This is why we must shift our focus away from marketing standalone products into creating and marketing experiences. This is Experiential Tourism. Northern Ireland is literally brimming with real experiences that, when clustered together can pack a punch all on their own. Events help to deliver these real experiences and enhance the tourism offering for visitors. When creating an Event Experience: It must be globally unique (or at least unique to Northern Ireland) It must be authentically local It must be interactive It must be aligned to the needs of our visitors 3a. Experience Pillars Northern Ireland s ability to differentiate itself and create unique visitor experiences will depend on the development, management and promotion of its product around key themes. They appeal to our prospective visitors and have the potential to give us a competitive edge. Events applying must demonstrate which experience the event fits and is selling. p12 p13

8 The experiences are: Living Legends making our history, legend and stories come alive and interactive and come to life in an authentic way. Northern Ireland is steeped in stories, myths and legends from a rich and diverse heritage. From every corner of our country, we have many stories to tell. Whether our stories are about our people past and present, our industries, our history, our spiritual and religious core or our wonderful monuments, castles and grand houses they are all linked and collectively make us who we are today. Northern Ireland is a rich and fascinating destination for a visitor to explore and connect with. We need to use our knowledge, creativity and imagination to find ways to link our stories together and work in partnership with others who share the story to make an event experience for visitors that is really special and uniquely Northern Ireland. This is how we tap into Living Legends as a theme for experiential tourism. Events that incorporate the Living Legends theme may include: Our People Past & Present Industrial Heritage Built Heritage Christian Heritage / Saints and Scholars Literary Greats Genealogy Big House Traditions Myths and Legends Gardens Coasts and Lakes turning our coasts and waterways into unique global destination experiences. Northern Ireland has extensive natural and manmade inland waterways, coasts and beaches providing natural and dramatic scenery. The Coasts and Lakes theme is broad and includes many of our natural assets that are connected to water. If your event incorporates the Coasts and Lakes scenery and enjoyment of the sea and beaches of Northern Ireland, this is central to the appeal of Coasts and Lakes. Events that incorporate the Coasts and Lakes theme may include: Lakes, Loughs and Waterways Giant s Causeway Causeway Coastal Route Mournes Coastal Route Strangford Lough Fermanagh Lakelands Lough Neagh Unique Outdoors becoming a distinct outdoor recreation and adventure playground. Northern Ireland has the potential to become a centre of excellence in outdoor leisure activities. The Unique Outdoors theme has a focus on outdoor experiences. Events that incorporate being active outdoors along with enjoying the scenery, cultural exchange, engaging with nature and discovering new places are key to the appeal of the Unique Outdoors. Events that incorporate the Unique Outdoors theme may include: Golf Adventure Walking Mountain Biking Cycling Surfing Canoeing Please note: visitor numbers must be greater than 1,000. Culture and Creative Vibe harnessing our creative potential to develop authentic, vibrant, cultural city destinations. Northern Ireland has a rich culture that visitors find very appealing and are keen to explore and find out more. Our Culture and Creative Vibe theme is slightly different to the other themes in that much of it is intangible i.e. it is less about physical products and services, and more about the buzz and atmosphere that can be found and how your event can help to create it, as well as benefit from it. Examples of Culture and Creative Vibe include the cities of Belfast and Derry~Londonderry, enhancing their cultural heritage offering and their evening economy. Belfast s buzz is more urban and edgy whereas the strength and appeal of Derry~Londonderry is more physical heritage, rich culture and vibrant history. Events that incorporate the Culture and Creative Vibe theme may include: Contemporary Urban Experiences Theatre / Arts Screen Tourism Public Art / Entertainment Music p14 p15

9 Naturally NI adding depth and authenticity through local culture, local food and drink, our people, stories and our local traditional crafts. Naturally NI is what comes natural to Northern Ireland. It s everything that we often take for granted but what makes us globally unique. Naturally NI is our culture and our heritage. Adding it to everything that we do can add great depth and authenticity to the visitor experience in Northern Ireland. Our food & drink, our people & stories and our crafts are the sorts of things that live in our visitors minds as being what they associate with Northern Ireland. Naturally NI is everything that cannot be replicated and is uniquely ours. Events that incorporate the Naturally NI theme may include: Our Food & Drink Our People & Stories Our Crafts 3b. Visitor Segments Visitor destinations around the world focus their marketing and development efforts on well-defined groups within key markets. Northern Ireland has defined core visitor categories to attract and in turn target visitor segments for events. Each visitor segment has a description below and the key market identified in brackets (NI - Northern Ireland, ROI - Republic of Ireland, GB - Great Britain). Please note: when selecting the key visitor segment for your event you must clearly demonstrate how you will market to this sector. Time Together (from NI and / or ROI) - couples interested in events where they can spend quality time together either to celebrate a special occasion or to get away from the daily pressures. The key draw is a romantic venue with a large emphasis on relaxation and contemporary cultural experiences. Mature Cosmopolitans (from NI and / or ROI) - they tend to be older, though not exclusively so. They are more frequent break takers who aspire to travel more and in today s economic climate are more likely to have the disposable income that allows them to do so. They are interested in fine dining, the theatre, scenic drives and genealogy. Family Fun (from NI and / or ROI) - are families travelling with their children and interested in events that offer attractions that will keep their children amused whilst giving them an opportunity to relax. Their principle focus in life is raising their family and if they can chill out at the same time all the better. Typically planned in advance, they enjoy family orientated events within a fun and safe environment whilst making memories. Young and Lively (from ROI) - focused on urban experiences with lively nightlife being the key appeal but complimented by shopping and action packed activities. This segment enjoys events offering entertainment, a social element with city experiences, contemporary culture, music festivals, street animation and promoting the local scene. Great Escapers (from GB and / or Overseas) - tend to be younger, around thirty. They are couples and may have a baby or young children. They are in need of time out from their busy lives and careers and are interested in rural holidays as a couple / family. These people are searching for events to get physical with nature and to reconnect with their partner. They want to connect with the landscape and soak up the beauty of it all. They appreciate history as a backdrop and part of their experience, but don t want to go into too much detail on this. They want to go home refreshed and revitalised, their batteries recharged. Social Energisers (from GB and / or Overseas) - are young (18-34) and like to holiday in groups or as couples. They are friends or colleagues, looking for a cool, exciting trip with new and vibrant events. They like having a laugh and sharing the adventure with their friends. They love new experiences and exploring new places. It s great if there is lots to do in a relatively small area, so they don t have to plan too far ahead including music, festivals and contemporary culture. Culturally Curious (from GB and / or Overseas) - are older, most are over 45 and more than a quarter over 65. They travel as couples or on their own. They are out to broaden their minds and expand their experiences by exploring new landscapes, history and culture. They are interested in all that a place has to offer and they want it to be authentic. They want to cover everything in one visit. Independent, active sightseers, they are looking to encounter events in new places, and experiences that are out of the ordinary. More information on Experience Pillars and visitor segments can be found at nitb.com/experience p16 p17

10 3c. Northern Ireland Tourism Brand Northern Ireland is emerging as a vibrant, dynamic destination with its own culture. It is a land of contrast and contradictions and our culture and heritage is a strong differentiating factor that we can use to attract tourists. It is anticipated that any event supported under the Tourism Events Sponsorship Scheme will add to the positive image of Northern Ireland as a tourism destination. A great way to help us develop experiences rather than stand-alone products in an authentic and memorable way is by making sure we always reflect the Northern Ireland Tourism brand. We do this by promoting who we are and what we stand for that s what makes us unique and helps us stand out from the competition. At the core of our brand and underpinning who we are is the principle Northern Ireland is confidently moving on. We know who we are, what we stand for and what we value. But we need to spread this message to visitors and ensure we meet and exceed their expectations. Events are ideally placed to incorporate the Northern Ireland Tourism brand into their fabric and offer visitors a genuine Northern Ireland experience. It is important that you clearly demonstrate how your event will bring the brand to life for your visitors. Further information can be found at nitb.com/ni-brand 4 Promotion of Tourism NI and discovernorthernireland.com Positive media coverage can enhance Northern Ireland s reputation as a destination to live, work, visit and study and can attract visitors at times of the year when there is a surplus capacity in the accommodation sector. Media coverage also provides events with the opportunity to use iconic images and stories of Northern Ireland and its destinations therefore enhancing our reputation as a must see destination. You will be asked to identify the promotional opportunities your event can provide, including both tangible and intangible benefits for Tourism NI and discovernorthernireland.com. It is important that all information provided regarding the marketing and promotion of your event is confirmed and guaranteed. It is not adequate to state what opportunities were achieved in the most recent event (if applicable). You may refer to previous marketing achieved as evidence for confirmed / guaranteed marketing for the event. It is also not sufficient to state that any activity is budget dependent or reliant on support from Tourism NI. Tourism NI understands that every event is unique therefore not all marketing and promotional opportunities in the application form may be relevant to your event. Applicants should be realistic when selecting marketing and promotional opportunities, completing only those which are relevant to their event. Applicants will be asked to provide details around the marketing and promotional opportunities their event may offer to Tourism NI and discovernorthernireland.com. It is important that all information regarding the marketing and promotion of your event provided is confirmed and guaranteed. Examples provided below and in the application form are for guidance only and are not an exhaustive list. Examples may include: Radio opportunities station(s), broadcaster(s), dates, coverage, reach inside and outside Northern Ireland TV advertising channel(s), dates, coverage, frequency, reach inside and outside Northern Ireland Printed literature type, date, volume of literature, distribution, target audience, reach inside and outside Northern Ireland Online coverage full details of opportunities including Google analytics, hyperlink to discovernorthernireland.com, social media channels (monitoring of likes / followers / YouTube views etc.), advertising online and e-zines (type, date, distribution, target audience) Branding opportunities at launch event, at main event, speaking opportunities, availability of space, screens to broadcast footage (footage supplied by Tourism NI), reach inside and outside of Northern Ireland Planned PR coverage across all mediums that would provide promotional opportunities for Tourism NI / discovernorthernireland.com Bespoke opportunities unique or quirky opportunities to promote Tourism NI / discovernorthernireland.com e.g. logos on umbrellas, coffee cups, clothing items and potential benefits Please note: this list is not extensive p18 p19

11 Tourism NI Events Unit Tourism NI St. Anne s Court 59 North Street Belfast, BT1 1NB T: Txt: F: E: eventsunit@nitb.com W: nitb.com/events Dalriada Festival, Co. Antrim p20 p21