WYE VALLEY AND FOREST OF DEAN TOURISM … · No ownership of destination management and marketing No managed website or plan for the future ... Mark Terry Lush Paul Williamson Phil

WYE VALLEY AND FOREST OF DEAN TOURISM FORUM

Investing in the future

Join the conversation #deanwyeforum


Mark HarperMP, Forest of Dean

Join today’s conversation #DeanWyeForum

Maureen McAllisterExecutive Director

Wye Valley and Forest of Dean Tourism


You invested in our future

▪ Where we were▪ A club of businesses - two individual associations▪ No ownership of destination management and marketing▪ No managed website or plan for the future

▪ Where we are now▪ A professional body ▪ SLA support from the Forest of Dean District Council▪ Clear and focused strategic and operational direction around an

marketing, partnerships, people and product development, communication and business networking and engagement.


The board

▪ Passionate, hard working, volunteer board, keeping us all on our toes

Helen O’Kane and Yvette Farrell (Co-Chairs)Gill Hands (Vice Chair)Liz Marshall (Treasurer)


The board

▪ Mark Terry Lush▪ Paul Williamson▪ Phil Kiernan▪ Nick Penny▪ Francesca Newell▪ Sarah Orchard


What we’ve achieved with your support

▪ Business plan and Destination Management Plan▪ Staffing and support services▪ Membership and recruitment▪ Press, PR, our position and profile▪ Volume, value and ROI▪ Business and people development▪ Networking and stakeholder communications▪ Partnerships ▪ Grants


Volume, value and ROI


Volume, value and ROI

▪ An estimated £3.7 million pounds spend was influenced through the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley marketing activity.

▪ Using the widely accepted national estimate of £50,000 visitor spend needed to generate a full time equivalent (FTE) job, this equates to 73 FTE’s supported by the marketing activity.

▪ Forest of Dean and Wye Valley marketing activity overall generated an estimated £43.55 for each marketing pound spent.

2015 survey results


Partnerships and funding

▪ SLA with Forest of Dean District Council (2 year extension)▪ Forest of Dean District Council Economic Development Funding▪ Visit Wales Funding for specific campaigns▪ Forestry Commission grant▪ Strategic partners covering the Destination Management Plan

priorities


New location

▪ We have an office at Coleford TIC

Success story

▪ 24 volunteers in place to assist visitors▪ Open all year


New faces

▪ Full time Marketing and Communications Manager▪ Book keeper▪ Membership and Recruitment Manager

▪ AND an apprentice!


What we continue to do

▪ Website▪ Publications▪ Social media▪ Press and PR▪ Destination Marketing▪ Training and business development▪ Networking and business to business communications▪ Representation, updates and information▪ Partnership development and strategic alliances


New coverage and impact

▪ An average of 21 pieces of coverage were achieved per month with a minimum estimated reach of 580,214,718

▪ 252 pieces of coverage secured in total▪ 160 pieces of print coverage (63% of total) ▪ 75 pieces of online coverage (30% of total) ▪ 17 pieces of broadcast coverage (7% of total)


New outcomes

▪ Website 330k unique visitors▪ Blogs 90 blogs, 23.4k views▪ Twitter 4k impressions per day▪ #deanwye 2 million impressions per week


New initiatives

A group of influential bloggers together from around the UK for the first #DeanWyeBloggers weekend

▪ 624 posts using the hashtag #DeanWyeBloggers▪ Reach of over 100,000 | 111 users involved▪ Ongoing use and posting of #DeanWyeBloggers through 2017


New product

▪ Videos – Cycling, Walking, Food and Drink, Myths and Legends, Romance and Market Towns

➢ Festivals, Water, Seasons to be launched 2018

▪ Trails – Cycling, Myths and Legends, Romance, Market Towns

➢ Festivals and Water to be launched 2018


New trails…

Developing your business

We supported 78 businesses in training and development in 2017

▪ 2 Absolute Beginners Social sessions▪ 2 Strategy of Social Media sessions▪ Free to Book Course▪ Google Analytics▪ Effective PR and Raising Your Public profile▪ Making your Attraction Great▪ Making your Accommodation Great


Whitebrook AA Wine Award

Hillside Brewery Multi Award Winners in 2017

Parva Farm Vineyard Wine Award

Perrygrove Railway HRA Award

Award winning

New website and blogs


Online booking – a snapshot

▪ Our website generated over £100k value of DIRECT bookings▪ This does not include bookings made direct with your

businesses

▪ This equated to 4,445 person nights spent in the #DeanWye▪ A potential additional day visit spend of over £130k ▪ Supported 2 ½ FTE jobs

Data and intelligence is KNOWLEDGE

New guides and information


What’s next?

▪ It’s still a work in progress. ▪ We still need support from our strategic partners. ▪ We cannot afford to lose our position in the market and high

profile.▪ We still need to make sure the Dean Wye can effectively develop,

work with other bodies and hold its own at all levels, never missing a trick and making its voice heard.

▪ We still need to focus on Intelligence and evidence, destination, people and product development.

▪ We still need you. Go team #DeanWye!


Sharon OrrellHead of Research, VisitEngland/VisitBritain


David OwenChief Executive, Gloucestershire First LEP

Amy Ruck Destination Management Apprentice


Andy TordoffNational Tourism lead, Rural Payments Agency


Gerwyn EvansHead of Tourism Development, VisitWales


Kurt JansenDirector, Tourism Alliance


Expert panelDavid Owen, Gloucestershire First LEPPatricia Yates, VisitBritainAndy Woodward, QITKurt Jansen, Tourism AllianceGerwyn Evans, VisitWalesSharon Orrell, VisitEngland/VisitBritainAndy Tordoff, Rural Payments AgencyHelen O’Kane and Gill Hands, WVFDT


Documents

WYE VALLEY AND FOREST OF DEAN TOURISM … · No ownership of destination management and marketing No managed website or plan for the future ... Mark Terry Lush Paul Williamson Phil