BUSINESS BROKERAGE FOR VISITOR ATTRACTIONS: As part of our work in Warwickshire we facilitated 120 speed date business introductions between local food producers and high profile visitor attractions including four National Trust properties and English Heritage's Kenilworth Castle. We worked closely with Heart of England Fine Foods (HEFF) to ensure buyers were matched with the best of the County's producers. We'll be monitoring the business deals in the coming months. First soundings look positive as Stephen Bennett, Property Manager, Charlecote Park tells us that "We found the event extremely beneficial and will be stocking a number of new local products in our restaurant and shop as a direct result of the meetings we had."
DESTINATION PLYMOUTH: Over the next six months we'll be working with stakeholders to develop a Visitor Plan which places the visitor economy firmly at the heart of Plymouth's growth strategy for the city. The plan will explore how the city's waterfront - the Barbican, the Hoe, the Naval Base and the emerging regeneration plans for Royal William's Yard - can work with the city centre and the cultural offer to create an exciting destination. Once the Visitor Plan is in place we will be developing marketing and business plans to realise the vision including supporting the new tourism-led BID planned for the Waterfront.
FUTURE OF TOURISM ON SCILLY: We're working on a fascinating commission to help safeguard the long-term future of tourism on the Isles of Scilly - a magical archipelago of over 140 islands lying 28 miles off the South West tip of Cornwall. The 6-month project has been commissioned by Island Marketing - a partnership of key public and private sector players - with support from the Local Action Group. Our focus is on making sure that Scilly's tourism sector stays competitive in the future, while also ensuring that the special nature of the islands is preserved. We're inviting input from everyone involved in tourism on the Islands - that's well over 70% of the 2,000 population. And we're seeking views from everyone living on Scilly.
