This 'Towards 2015' consultation document sets out a new vision for the tourism industry in South West England and a strategic approach for making that vision a reality. It looks to create lasting change through a clear focus on what needs to be achieved.

Equally importantly, it also aims to keep South West England ahead of its competition both nationally and internationally.

Tourism is worth over £8 billion each year to the South West economy, employing over 300,000 people, attracting more than 26 million visitors a year. Including both staying and day visitors, it accounts for up to 10% of the total GDP of the region and contributes to the general quality of life in South West England. The challenge is to build on these strengths and create a new approach that will transform the industry, introducing a new era of customer service and a step change in the way the region is presented.

South West Tourism, (the Regional Tourist Board), and the South West of England Regional Development Agency have come together to carry out a comprehensive review on behalf of the region. Over the last few months, we have been working with specialists, partners and tourism businesses to develop a new strategic approach and identify the best way for the region to build an enduring and sustainable competitive edge.

The cornerstone of ‘Towards 2015’ is the focus on anticipating and exceeding customers’ needs. It marks a new emphasis on developing and promoting the ‘customer experience’ and a move away from the traditional approach of promoting destinations. Today’s customers increasingly choose their holiday according to the experience they want rather than its location, for example UK holidaymakers are now more likely to decide they want a ‘spa weekend’ or an ‘adventure activity break’. In South West England we are in a great position to take advantage of this trend as so many of our strengths and natural assets can help deliver world-beating experiences.

Brand clusters are based on the top experiences our customers will be seeking over the next ten years – for example ‘Sheer Indulgence’ or ‘Close to Nature’. The approach allows businesses and organisations that appeal to customers seeking the same kind of experience to work together across the region to build their cluster. This can happen in many ways, such as through shared market intelligence, shared promotion and collaboration on product development and opportunities facing the cluster - making it easier to focus on key markets and anticipate customer requirements ahead of our competition.

The approach outlined in ‘Towards 2015’ also breaks with traditional tourism strategies in other ways. There is a new prioritisation of quality over quantity. It is important to grow the value of tourism in the region and create quality jobs that are better valued with more career prospects. With relatively low unemployment, the emphasis in future will be on the quality of jobs rather than measuring their number. We are looking to grow the value of visitors to the region rather than the volume of visitors. This will allow us to increase investment without destroying the assets which make our region special and help ensure the long-term future of the industry. There is therefore a new emphasis on premium holidays of all kinds.'

TOWARDS 2015' IDENTIFIES NEW PRIORITIES FOR TOURISM

• VALUE OF TOURISM OVER VOLUME OF TOURISTS
• QUALITY JOBS OVER QUANTITY JOBS
• FOCUSSING ON THE QUALITY OF EXPERIENCE
• AN EMPHASIS ON HIGH QUALITY ACROSS THE RANGE OF HOLIDAYS TAKEN IN THE REGION

Moving the whole industry into a new era of customer relations and service is another critical element of this strategy. It means that businesses must develop direct marketing and customer relationships and that visitors will find it easier to research and book their holidays and activities, making full use of new technologies.

‘Towards 2015’ proposes a new approach to the way the industry is organised. There is an opportunity to create a far more streamlined and customer oriented approach to the way destinations are managed. Destination management is about far more than promotion – it is also about ensuring that the quality and experience meets or exceeds the expectations of our visitors. ‘Towards 2015’ proposes this is achieved by focussing on key destinations across the region – those destinations recognised by new customers. There is an opportunity to form new ways of partnership working which will lead to greater effectiveness.

Another innovation is that this approach sets out to achieve a greater synergy between the needs of the tourism industry and the local community than has ever previously been attempted.

In future every major decision will be considered for its impact - on communities, on quality of jobs, on the landscape, on existing buildings and activities, on the public infrastructure and the industry. This will help build a truly sustainable industry bringing wide reaching benefits to the region from which local residents as well as the visitor can benefit.

The proposals in ‘Towards 2015’ have been developed to take into account the trends which are going to affect tourism in the years ahead. These include:

• increased numbers of older travellers – who will in general be healthier and have more money to spend;
• increased interest in holidays which promote good health and well-being;
• a better educated customer – resulting in more holidays in which arts, culture and history play a prominent role;
• continued increase in use of the internet for finding out about and booking holidays;
• increasing concern for the environment resulting in more demand for destinations which preserve and promote their natural assets;
• increasing pressure on peoples’ daily lives continuing the trend of more shorter holidays;
• growing importance of combining holidays with hobbies and interests, as people seek expression of individuality;
• increasingly discerning customers who expect and demand quality and value;
• increasing numbers of visitors looking for authentic experiences which provide a flavour of regional culture, traditions and history.

This ‘Towards 2015’ consultation document summarises the new strategic approach for our region and is designed to present this to people who are working in the industry as well as to local communities and all organisations which support tourism or are affected by it.

‘Towards 2015’ has been developed to provide leadership and give direction to the development of sustainable tourism in our region, however no single organisation ‘runs tourism’ and many will need to play a part and work together to make sure we achieve the vision. This is about shaping the future of our industry and the future of our region. In South West England, tourism is ‘everybody’s business’!