DUMFRIES & GALLOWAY Regional Tourism Strategy Action and Delivery Plan 2011
Action and Delivery Plan 2011 Objective 1: Increase the Volume of Visitors to D&G i) Ensure product offering meets the needs of target markets (product: market fit). Conduct a destination product audit and create a spatial product development strategy that will inform future investment and direction of sectoral development (ensure product audit addresses issues surrounding both built and natural-based tourism environment). champion Encourage new capital investment in product. Support major projects where identified and prioritised by the spatial product development strategy that can strategically influence destination repositioning and health of the local tourism economy. ii) Raise awareness of destination and its appeal year round. Support ongoing evolution of successful regional products (7stanes etc). Once product development strategy is in place, support and encourage development of key projects identified (e.g. strategic tourism infrastructure, accommodation offer etc). Be aware of product trends worldwide that will inform and foster innovation in local tourism economy (see links to Tourism Intelligence Scotland, SE tourism innovation group / fund, VisitScotland.org). Benchmark D&G against other destinations every 3-5 years in order to assess progress and trends taking place within the destination. To extend season, ensure year round availability of a full range of quality products. Develop marketing strategy and promotional plan, including: agreed fighting / attack brands* and themes; branding plan; agreed messages and promotional campaign aimed at raising awareness and appeal yearround. Allocation of identified resources for marketing activities to be informed by ranking of potential markets / audiences, in order to optimise return from investment in activity. / VS / iii) Address issues surrounding access to destination. Reconfirm key events link with fighting / attack brands* and themes to raise awareness of destination and extend season. Identify ambassadors, in both leisure and business tourism, and develop an ambassador programme. Investigate opportunities for fighting / attack brands* to become international unique selling points (USPs) / regional icons. Lobby for improved integrated transport throughout the region. / / VS / *Note: Fighting / attack brands and themes - These are the products of significance that have a role to play as icons and key strengths of the region. Their promotion / wider awareness in turn reflect the regions credentials and offering; used and developed as vehicles to raise awareness and demand. Examples include: 7stanes; Gretna Green; Galloway Forest Park; Dark Skies; Biosphere. 2
Action and Delivery Plan 2011 Objective 2: To increase Visitor Average Spend i) Extend dwell time. ii) Increase spend opportunities. iii) Ensure quality of visitor experience reflects / exceeds market expectations. Encourage overnight vs day visits through packaging and promotion of existing and new products. Promote themes / attack brands. / VS / VS / Encourage packaging around events. Maximise potential of visitor information services (see review of existing position and strategic outcomes). Encourage development to fill gaps identified by the destination product audit. Support major projects and community initiatives (see links to spatial product development strategy). Maximise potential of visitor information services (see review of existing position and strategic outcomes). VS / VS / Encourage uptake of VisitScotland grading scheme. VS / Encourage investment in improving quality and range of products. See actions in Objective 3 re skills / business development. See Objective 3 Ensure destination environmental / green credentials are in line with emerging trends and expectations encourage green tourism business scheme uptake, micro-renewables etc. Maximise potential of visitor information services (see review of existing position and strategic outcomes). VS / VS / 3
Action and Delivery Plan 2011 i) Enhance skills base of tourism workforce. ii) Create jobs and change dynamics of employment in the tourism sector. iii) Encourage personal investment in the tourism sector. Objective 3: To Fulfil the Potential of our People Work with Springboard to encourage entry to sector. Ensure relevant training is available which meets the needs of the sector create a learning / training strategy that captures all parts of the industry s skills / education needs. Ensure business development support through business support programmes. Encourage development of new innovative products and expansion of existing successful business to provide new employment opportunities year round. Encourage employment flexibility to make employment sector more appealing to a wider workforce. / / / Link to rural diversification agenda / funds. Encourage people into the industry as workers, investors, business owners, volunteers. Work with Springboard and others to raise profile and standing of tourism as a valuable vocation / career. Link into Regional Economic Strategy to lobby for a supportive employment climate (housing, work conditions, integrated transport etc). / / VS General links to regional economic strategy. 4
Objective 4: To Optimise the Mutual Benefits for Community and Industry Through Tourism i) Ensure wider social community, its representatives and the tourism sector work in tandem. ii) Ensure the importance of the community element in the tourism experience is recognised. Create a region-wide campaign on Tourism is everyone s business. Set up an internal ambassadors programme (, commercial sector, community). Improve lines of communication through internal marketing strategy to find ways of better engaging with community councils / groups / initiatives. Develop FAM trips / open days for local residents to understand tourism businesses. Encourage public sector agencies and commercial sector to be responsive to the needs and timescales to which each operates. Ensure that the destination map / plan and spatial development strategy (highlighted under Objective 1) are updated on a regular basis as new proposals / development pass through the planning process. Highlight the importance to those operating in the tourism sector of supporting local business and the wider community, in maintaining the vitality of local business clusters and community facilities. / / iii) Ensure wider community fully understand benefits achieved through vibrant tourism economy. Encourage community involvement in delivering strategy. Ensure dissemination of strategy to community groups. Highlight strategic wins (tourism maintaining local services). 5
i) Improve market intelligence. ii) Improve access to and circulation of market intelligence. iii) Create and maintain opportunities for better collaboration and cohesion. Objective 5: To Have a Better Informed Industry Destination product audit to supply base line data (see Objective 1). Improve existing trading data available set up systems for operators to provide and share data (accommodation occupancy levels, market mix etc). Consider carrying out visitor survey links to national initiatives. Investigate opportunity for proposed intranet to allow sharing of trading data. VS Link to Tourism Intelligence Scotland. See internal ambassadors programme / develop local learning journeys. Offer FAM trips see community and local businesses. to act as vehicle for collaboration (Business to business; business to public sector agencies). Develop programme of internal events / conferences etc to allow networking opportunities. Ensure the business community is aware of the benefits of cross-selling. Ensure a sustainable future for / / 6
Action and Delivery Plan 2011 Objective 6: Tourism to be a Well Supported Cornerstone of D&G s Economy i) Ensure collaboration, joint-working and advocacy for investment in tourism. ii) Collaborate and work jointly on accessing public and private sector funds. iii) Ensure targets are prioritised to make best use of scarcer resources. Encourage investment in private commercial enterprise (investment in new product and upgrading of existing see product audit and identified gaps). Facilitate progress of wider tourism support infrastructure e.g. public facilities, public realm and major repositioning projects. See links to Strategic Priorities Priority 4: Support and stimulate our local economy through key sectors. Investigate and work together to create cocktails of funding in the future to ensure investment in the tourism sector, from both public and private sources of capital and revenue funding continues. See product audit and spatial development strategy for D&G ensure collaborative approach to prioritising projects in a spatial dimension. / / VS / / VS / / VS / / / / 7
For information or signposting to partner organisations please contact: Dumfries and Galloway Council Economic Development Militia House, English Street, Dumfries, DG1 2HR Tel: 01387 260032 Email: Tourism@dumgal.gov.uk Main Image and Caerlaverock Castle VisitScotland/ScottishViewpoint