Top names in Tourism speaking at Wiltshire and Cornwall Conferences
Two important Tourism Conferences have just been announced as part of the South West Tourism Growth Fund. They are designed to help business in the region do things differently and increase year round tourism business. They are:
· 10th March - Bowood House, Wiltshire
· 16th March - Eden Project, Cornwall
Speakers at the Wiltshire conference include Simon Reeve, adventurer, New York Times bestselling author and TV presenter (including the current Greece series), Harry Murray MBE, an icon in the world of hotels and Lord Lansdowne, leader and entrepreneur who has been at Bowood’s helm for 44 years. Also a B&B Coach, two top UK ‘Tweeters’, an expert in hospitality marketing and ‘Profit Coach’ Mike Ogilvie.
The Cornwall speakers include Simon Calder, Britain’s leading travel commentator, and Geoff Ramm, creator and author of ‘Celebrity Service’, ‘OMG Marketing’ & ‘OMG Strikes Back’ (Geoff returns to the region to challenge everyone to look deeper, think smarter and create better). Also speaking will be Visit Cornwall’s Malcolm Bell, and experts covering hospitality marketing and case studies from other tourism businesses.
These flagship conferences are supported by workshops at locations across the South West. All are intended for those who are keen to attract more year round tourism business, and especially for those looking for customers in May to July, or at times when English children are at school.
The conference costs just £15 + VAT for tourism businesses in the region, full details and online booking are at www.swtgfevents.co.uk along with details of all Conferences and Workshops available across the South West during March.
The events are part of the South West Tourism Growth Fund (SWTGF) project, which aims to develop businesses to be international visitor ready and to develop joined-up products and experiences across South West England; putting the assets of the South West firmly on the international map.
Malcolm Bell, Chief Executive of Visit Cornwall and a spokesman for the South West Tourism Growth Fund Project Board says: “As we speak,there are international, multi million pound marketing campaigns in Germany, Netherlands, Ireland, USA, Scandinavia, Australia and New Zealand promoting and selling the amazing South West region and its nationally leading destinations. To make the most of this once in a decade investment by the Government, we need businesses to be market ready to capture and deliver for these new customers and improve your profitability. I ask as many businesses as possible to take advantage of the conference and workshop programme – it makes sense for your business and will benefit the region.”
Ends
To find out more and book places at the Conference visit www.swtgfevents.co.uk or if you have any questions please contact Nell Barrington
Get engaged with the conversation and follow #swtgfund on Twitter
Notes to Editors
About the South West Tourism Growth Fund
· A £5m South West Tourism Growth Fund for tourism investment was announced by Government on the 5th March 2015. The total programme expenditure will be £7.2 consisting of the core £5m funding from Central Government and £2.2m estimated match funding from partners in the public and private sectors. Match funding will be both cash funding and in-kind. The programme aims to deliver an additional £60m in international visitor expenditure and create 1,000 jobs.
· VisitEngland is the accountable body, working closely with a programme board made up of representatives from South West England tourism bodies, and with international delivery partner VisitBritain and a number of partner organisations from across the South West of England
· The aim is to profile and promote South West England internationally to grow leisure and business visits, put the assets of the South West firmly on the international map and deliver both long term economic impact and the foundations for a lasting legacy for the visitor economy of the South West.
· The South West for this purpose is defined as the old Government Office regions of Bath, Bristol, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Dorset, Somerset, Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly
· The target markets are:
- USA
- Australia/New Zealand
- Netherlands and Flemish Belgium
- Germany and German speaking European regions
- Scandinavia
- Republic of Ireland
About VisitEngland
· VisitEngland is the national tourist board with a focus on the development and delivery of a new Discover England fund for product development, to ensure that bookable regional product is being sold in international markets. This activity will also benefit the domestic industry by building engagement and partnerships between and across regions and developing product that will be attractive to both domestic and international markets.
· Our work is underpinned by robust research and customer insights. You can access the latest in-depth market intelligence and statistics on www.visitengland.org/insight-statistics.
· England is a unique destination and a real powerhouse in global tourism. It represents 84 per cent of the total UK visitor economy, is worth £106 billion, and supports 2.6 million jobs.
About VisitBritain
· VisitBritain is the strategic body for inbound tourism, ensuring that international tourism continues to deliver economic growth and jobs across the nations and regions of Britain.
· Our strength is that we understand international customers and markets. Our international network of offices which covers 22 markets is a resource supporting the industry and destinations to grow the value of tourism exports. We are a founding partner of the GREAT campaign working alongside organisations such as the FCO, UKTI and The British Council.
· Locking in private sector funding: In the last three years we have raised £43 million from commercial partners - airlines, operators and global brands such as the English Premier League and Sony - to match-fund international tourism marketing.