Business Support Programme. Ian McLaughlan Project Manager Winning Moves

Transcription

1 Business Support Programme Ian McLaughlan Project Manager Winning Moves

2 Destination Staffordshire Business Support Programme April 2013 to December 2015 To work with Staffordshire tourism businesses to help them to grow by providing expert consultancy, advice and information Target: to support 253 businesses, creating 25 jobs

3 Destination Staffordshire Business Support Programme 1. Winning Moves One-to-one Consultancy(12 hours) (415 units of 6 hours) Masterclasses (6 hours) (41) Workshops (3 hours) (62) 2. South- East Tourism Ambassador Courses 3. The Right Solution Sales Support for business tourism venues

4 Destination Staffordshire Business Support Programme Progress to date: One-to-one Consultancy units delivered (6 hours) 24 Master classes (6 hours) 42 Workshops (3 hours) 183 businesses assisted (12 hours) 10 jobs created 25 Ambassador courses/ 303 delegates 339 SMEs engaged

5 Destination Staffordshire Business Support Programme Progress. 4,284 and Previous clusters: ceramics, ancestral/ww1 Future clusters: sports tourism, gardens/cb300, South Staffordshire

6 Destination Staffordshire Business Support Programme Don t take my word for it Now as excited to spend money on Facebook as I am on chocolate MG A great, full session, kept my attention all day which is a miracle for those who know me CL One of the best events I have been to for years JS

7 Don t take my word for it Overall Satisfaction Very Satisfied Fairly Satisfied Neutral Fairly Dissatisfied Very Dissatisfied 50 0 How Satisfied were you that the event fully met your expectations of Destination Staffordshire for Tourism Businesses? Overall, how satisfied were you with the quality of the vent? Overall, how satisfied were you that the vent was useful to you?

8 Destination Staffordshire Business Support Programme Don t take my word for it Rupert, Denstone Farm Shop & Café, nr Uttoxeter Adam, Oakland Holiday Park, South Staffordshire

9 Destination Staffordshire Business Support Programme

10 Tourism Review, Strategy and Action Plan Prepared by Katie Foster with Alison Caffyn and Andrew Meredith

11 Facts and stats Staffordshire performance (all figures 2013) 23.9m day visitors; West Midlands & North West 1.6m staying visitors; London/home counties & N West conurbation Staffordshire 2013 leisure tourism value: 1,139 million Growth in all overnight staying trips 2008 to 2013 of 37+%: outperformed rest of West Midlands and England Increased employment levels in leisure tourism economy: 20,153 direct tourism jobs With indirect jobs in wider visitor economy : total 28,331 jobs 85

12 Facts and stats continued Value of conferences & meetings in Staffordshire & Stoke-on-Trent is 63.7m Economic impact of this is 316.3m or 1.94% of the UK total Staffs and S-on-T only have c.500 accommodation providers, & approx.16,500 bedspaces Compare with Shropshire/Telford & Wrekin or Derbyshire: who have far more accommodation businesses & bedspaces available, despite lower populations Opportunity to grow volume of accommodation businesses, bednights and visitor spend 86

13 Changing policy and funding context VisitEngland currently updating the national Strategic Framework for Tourism focus more on Great destinations. Great experiences Three Local Enterprise Partnerships Strategic Economic Plans, Staffordshire CC Tourism Strategy, The National Forest new strategy, General Election, EU funding strategies Implications: We need to work even more effectively and collaboratively, creating increased business success, growth and employment, improving destination identities and connections with the aim of increasing visitor numbers, spend and activity. 87

14 Consultations and industry workshop key findings DMP is generally doing a good job, focusing on right actions lots of positive support Previous strategy has worked well, now a need for further push European funded programmes valued and hope for repeat especially for business support and business tourism Much appreciation of SCC support Support for new marketing direction and social media development Vital to continue research and intelligence work Asked for more distinctively Staffordshire products to be promoted 88

15 Key findings continued Room for refinement and further development Need to grow membership and communicate better Continuing lack of consensus over defining the Staffordshire visitor proposition & how to articulate it Want to improve skills and build capacity in the sector Concern about future funding and political support Need for greater political cohesion and less parochialism Need to consolidate and build on what works 89

16 Consultations identified opportunities Food and Drink - Taste of Staffordshire Review websites, apps and social media Multi-generational families Holiday parks, canal accommodation, University/college visitors Staffordshire s water assets canals, reservoirs and rivers Major national events & those distinctive to Staffs Sustainability still relevant and needs more promotion Wellbeing and health 90

17 Consensus on priorities Marketing/promotion & social media Increase value of visitors especially overnight stays Quality of the offer & experience is vital Continue work on business tourism growth and marketing Expand and broaden membership - more local delivery, networking and better communications Identify still further overlaps and reduce duplication Deepen and improve engagement and communication with the industry and public sector as a whole especially LEPs 91

18 The refocused objectives Objective 1. Partnership Working and Communications Objective 2. Marketing and Market Intelligence Objective 3. Product Development and Visitor Experience 92

19 Strategy and Action Plan Slimmer and more focused - builds on core direction Simpler delivery method Adopt smarter ways of working Use digital media to its maximum Straightforward targets that everyone gets Keep businesses and partners engaged 93

20 EU Funding Opportunities for the Visitor Economy Sector Nigel Senior Place Funding Manager Staffordshire County Council

21 European Growth Programme

22 European Structural & Investment Funds 1. European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Business growth 2. European Social Fund (ESF) Skills & individuals 3. European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) Rural development 96

23 EU Funding and the Visitor Economy Stoke on Trent & Staffordshire/ GBS LEPs Building on previous successes EU funding opportunities Potential eligible activity How to engage Next steps

24 LEP Perspective LEP strategic economic plans and ESIF strategy Visitor economy a barometer sector 1.1 billion direct spend / 24 million overnight / day trips p.a. Potential to contribute more to the growth ambitions of the LEP area Introduction to EU Funding Introduction to EU Funding th th March March 2015, 2015, Staffordshire Staffordshire University University

25 Building on Previous Successes Staffordshire Visitor Economy Development Programme EU funding contribution 894, ,369 match Total spend on Staffordshire visitor economy - 1,643, v % increase in overnight stays volume; 18% increase in overnight spend; 3% increase in employment. Introduction to EU Funding Introduction to EU Funding th th March March 2015, 2015, Staffordshire Staffordshire University University

26 EU funding opportunities European Structural and Investment Fund Stoke on Trent / Staffordshire allocation: ERDF European Regional Development Fund 83m ESF European Social Fund 55m EAFRD European Agricultural Fund Rural Development 3.2m and LEADER - 2.3m A further 27.5m from the GBSLEP ESIF allocation has to be targeted at eligible activities in the Stoke on Trent & Staffordshire transition area GBSLEP 1.1m EAFRD allocation to be aligned to eligible activity in overlapping rural geography in Stoke on Trent & Staffordshire and Worcestershire LEP areas.

27 Potential Eligible Activity ESIF Supports key growth priorities of: Innovation Research and development Support for Small and Medium Enterprises Low carbon Skills, employment, and social inclusion. Introduction to EU Funding Introduction to EU Funding th th March March 2015, 2015, Staffordshire Staffordshire University University

28 How to Engage in the Process ERDF and ESF Support DMP s proposed bid for marketing and business support Support for individual businesses SCHEDULE March call focusing on ERDF ESIF themes and national programmes. Two-stage process. Outline application deadline 29 th May Second call June / July and/ or EAFRD Call in June 2015 to focus on rural tourism Introduction to EU Funding 25 th March 2015, Staffordshire University

29 EAFRD Open bidding call in June at Focus on rural tourism theme LEADER: community- led process outside of LEP governance. Small scale investment Tourism and local heritage theme Lower contribution rate than ERDF and more specific activity. Individual application approved by LAG in accordance with LDS. Introduction to EU to Funding EU Funding 25 th 25 March th March 2015, 2015, Staffordshire University University

30 Proposed Activity Staffordsheer Excellence bid Outline application May 2015 Approval- June 2015 Full application- July 2015 Approval/ contracting- Autumn 2015 Start- Jan 2016 To include: Targeted business support, networking and advice. Attract marketing campaigns, encouraging repeat visit, longer stays, consumer awareness and recommendation, and higher spend. Promotion of the food and drink and the arts and crafts sectors Support for SME initiatives e.g. cluster development to raise the diversity and depth of the County s tourism product. Increased support for business tourism Introduction to EU Funding Introduction to EU Funding th th March March 2015, 2015, Staffordshire Staffordshire University University

31 Next Steps DMP Task & Finish Funding group StaffordsheerExcellence outline application-submission in first call 29 May 2015 The DMP board has approved the project skeleton and will consider sign off at May Board meeting Workshop to explore additional ideas / answer specific queries. Introduction to EU Funding Introduction to EU Funding th th March March 2015, 2015, Staffordshire Staffordshire University University

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