Achievements
- In: About Us
- 19Dec2011
Tourism makes up 11.8% of Northumberland's economy, 2.7% higher than the national average and contributes £665 million to the economy.
Tourism achievements - Summary
Top ranked destination
Northumberland is now in the very top tier of most loved destinations in England, according to VisitEngland's 2011 Visitor Satisfaction Survey.
Spend up
- £7.56 per person increase in daily spend 2008-2010.
(During the same period it fell £10.15 in Tyne & Wear and £6.99 in County Durham.) - £49 million a year increase in spend on food and drink alone.
- 12% increase in B&B and hotel occupancy 2008-2010.
- - for more information on expenditure, please see P19 of the visitor survey 2010 PDF
Highest rated website in North East
Visitnorthumberland.com influences twice as many visits as Tyne & Wear's, and seven times Durham's.
300% increase in online booking
Businesses offering online booking 12% in 2006, up to 39% in 2009 - overtaking Cumbria.
11% higher occupancy rates
In 2010 businesses using Desti.ne averaged occupancy of 56%, against 45% for those without.
Food & drink ratings up – 38% increase in spend
From 7% below North East average visitor ratings, to 6% above in 2 years – via NT's Made in Northumberland project.
Attractions: 18% up
By 2010 'very satisfied' ratings by visitors had grown to 62%, compared with 44% in 2008.
Visitor Information: 25% up
'Very satisfied' ratings 49% by 2010, compared with 24% in 2008.
Accommodation: 32% up
By 2010 'very satisfied' ratings of accommodation were 55%, compared with 23% in 2008.
More attractive towns: 20 projects, 9% increase in demand
NT's Market Town Welcome programme attracted £2.15m of investment into the visitor offer. In 2009 2% of visitors said they came for our towns, increasing to 11% in 2010.
Tourism achievements - full picture
Northumberland's tourism partnership has been guided by the goals of the county's Area Tourism Management Plan (ATMaP). So what has been achieved since the first ATMaP was drawn up in 2006?
It has been the creation of Northumberland's first truly co-ordinated approach to visitor economy development, based on a vastly improved understanding of the visitor and sound business evidence, which has had the greatest impact – agencies and business acting together with a focus on the customer.
The 'Passionate People, Passionate Places' campaign has been credited with raising awareness and perceptions of the region nationally and internationally. Marketing by One North East, Northumberland Tourism and Hadrian's Wall Heritage, backed by business investment, is proven to attract visitors to Northumberland. The 2010 visitor survey tells us 18% of all Northumberland's visitors were influenced by destination marketing last year.
There is clear evidence that investment in nationally significant key attractions such as Hadrian's Wall, The Alnwick Garden and Kielder Water & Forest Park has acted as a catalyst for business growth in the wider economy. For example, since 2001 one in five tourism businesses established in the Alnwick area stated that the opening of The Alnwick Garden had positively influenced their decision to start a business . 25% of established businesses stated that the garden had influenced their decision to invest in improvements.
Northumberland County Council and National Park TICs generated an estimated extra £7 million in visitor spend in 2009 . Northumberland Tourism has drafted an innovative new business plan for the county's Tourist Information Centres (TICs), and sourced investment to implement the model in the north of the county. Early results include contributing to a 25% increase in visitor satisfaction with visitor information, and improved financial sustainability of the service – although more can be achieved.
1.1. ATMaP AIM 1: Increase visitor spend in Northumberland
The priority has been to attract higher spending customers on overnight visits, enticing them to spend more while they are here.
The results
| Spend | Increased overnight visits |
|---|---|
|
During the same period it fell £10.15 in Tyne & Wear and £6.99 in County Durham . |
Whilst self catering benefitted from the 'staycation' trend in 2008-9, from mid 2010 self catering businesses have had lower occupancy levels as customer demand has moved to short breaks. |
Northumberland Tourism achievements
Business competitiveness
From 2006 to 2009 a priority for Northumberland Tourism was to help more businesses market themselves online.
Northumberland Tourism business advisors provided 1,200 two hour business support engagements over 3 years (almost twice that achieved by all other North East tourism partnerships combined ), providing dedicated 1-2-1 visits, training sessions, and offering free Desti.ne booking software – resulting in:
Improving Visitor Satisfaction
The best way to build a successful destination, and increase visitor spend, is to have the highest possible satisfaction ratings - if people like it they'll spend more, return and recommend. Northumberland Tourism has researched visitor views to inform priorities, and created hugely successful programmes led by prominent business people – many providing their time free to inspire others:
Marketing Northumberland
The best monitor of Northumberland Tourism's performance is to judge those services it has full responsibility for. This is most relevant to tactical marketing:
1.2. ATMaP AIM 2: Derive maximum benefit from tourism across Northumberland
Northumberland Tourism set out to create a Northumberland wide tourism community that works together; pooling and co-ordinating expertise and investment to compete nationally and internationally.
The results:
A strong identity
Northumberland Tourism developed strongly supported county and town brands, including 'Northumberland, An Independent Spirit'. Their purpose has been to bring communities together around common values, to provide practical resources for businesses, as well as to promote ourselves to visitors. www.marketingnorthumberland.com.
Better value for money
An immediate priority for Northumberland Tourism from its establishment was to simplify the marketing offer to businesses and visitors, to reduce duplication of spend by public agencies, and by involving leading businesses to innovate and mentor.
But so much more to do...
In spite of these achievements and many others there remains much to be done. Seasonality remains a problem, visitor satisfaction with our retail offer falls far short of our competitors, our food and drink offer although improved still fails to live up to its potential, our accommodation businesses are cited by many visitors as difficult to contact, and 1/3rd of businesses have requested e-skills support.
Our ambition to address these challenges is made harder by a fragile economy in 2011 and reduced public sector investment. Positively, Northumberland's business community is working together more than ever before. Effective collaboration between businesses and agencies will be the key to achieving our long term goals.
Refer to Northumberland's Area Tourism Management Plan (ATMaP) for the priorities established by Northumberland's tourism community.
