APPENDIX 6a TOURISM
BEST VALUE CONFERENCE
3rd July 2001
CHALLENGE and CONSULTATION PROCESS
Challenge: 1. What bits (if any) need to be
done ‘Island-wide’, for the general benefit of tourism?
2. What bits need
to be done by individual businesses or smaller groups?
3. What part should the Council play in the
‘Island-wide’ bits?
The 30 delegates were divided
into four groups with varying backgrounds in the tourist industry and asked to
comment and give their views on the above three questions.
Group 1:
Island-wide
- The requirement of Accommodation/ attraction guides
- PR and marketing of the Island
- Booking and TIC information (better use of Council ICT)
- Attract major all weather facility to increase tourism
season
Individuals
- Raising the standards through training and upgrading
- Support IW Tourism/Island Tourist organisations
- Place more emphasis on quality
- Commitment from ferry operators to fund advertising
Council
- Funding committed budget to reflect 1 in 3 jobs Tourism
based
- Co-ordinate
relevant agencies now done on a strategic level - filter down to specific
departments
- Co-ordinating
department to events, beaches & parks, tourism promotion, Island
infrastructure, toilets, car parks, footpath/sigh maintenance, coast &
countryside.
- Land
fee/tourism tax to fund improvements/promotion ( suggest £1 per adult - hidden
if required)
Group 2:
Island-wide
- Sustainable tourism issues
- Overall marketing (off Island)
- Marketing for business
- Quality Grading - across the board
- Anticipating trends, market intelligence
- Central point of information (call centre)
Individuals
- Tourist
Information Centres (TIC)? - Businesses have varying rates of ‘membership’ -
just in TIC’s, or just in brochures, not TIC’s
- Distribution
- Commission sales - eg: call centre, TIC’s
- Some of smaller publications
Council
- Promoting value of tourism to everyone
- Joined up
thinking - having an understanding of how everything affects tourism and vice
versa (digging up roads in July)
- Marketing the
Island as a product (off Island) and as an Island not a series of resorts.
- Producing information and brochures - even if via a
marketing agency
- Press and PR - but could be part of a central PR department
Group 3:
Island-wide
- Overall marketing and information
- Links to integrated strategy for IW
- Collaborative vision
- Roads, policing, overall appearance (improve)
- IW Tourism holds thing together and promotes the Island
as a whole
Individuals
- Adopt a professional approach
- Promote themselves
- Business plan
Council
- Funding/resources for marketing information
- Tourist information centre (for unbiased advice)
- IW Tourism
Services are required to prevent a downturn in tourist numbers with potential
loss of income to the Island economy through job loss
Group 4:
Island-wide
- Strategy - IWC lead and stakeholders
- Provision of information
- Marketing management
- Product development
- Training - organisations responsibility
- Representing the Isle of Wight (off Island)
Individuals
- Distribution and delivery of information - IWC
- Call centre/web - private sector
- Marketing delivery - private sector
- Product development & delivery
- Specialist training delivery
- Business advice - BL Wessex
- Delivery of events
Council
- Strategy
- Setting performance indicators
- Identify skill base
- PR lead?
- Beaches/leisure footpaths
- Research/statistics - IWC
- Events strategy - tourism
- Planning
- Sustainability
FACILITATORS SUMMARY
Island-wide
- Strategy –
Island-wide strategy, sustainable tourism, collaborative vision,
- Provision of information to the public, TIC
- Marketing, PR, Booking facilities, Research,
Management, Product dev
- Quality, Grading, Training
Individuals - Variable + specific - quality
- TIC’s
- Marketing
- Information
- Call Centre
Council
- Marketing - funding
- Information - funding
- Strategy - how things fit together & economy
-
Wider
issues - beaches, roads
Appendix 6b TOURISM
BEST VALUE
CONFERENCE
3rd
July 2001
STAKEHOLDER
VIEWS
The 30
delegates were divided into four groups and asked to comment and give their
views on what they thought Isle of Wight Tourism ‘did well’ and where Isle
of Wight Tourism ‘could improve’?
Group 1
What do
tourism do well – Marketing & Sales
Tourism have a
website which was very useful for distribution of information about foot and
mouth and footpath closures.
Branding of the
Isle of Wight “no island comes close” was well perceived, and thought that it
had worked well. It also wasn’t as
cringe-worthy as some previous campaigns such as “captain sunshine”. Its worth keeping with a good brand and we
hoped the temptation to change it would be resisted for a while yet.
Because the
organisation was partly non- commercial, there were opportunities to produce
the “Walking and Countryside” guides.
These two guides
were seen as good examples of longer term promotion of sustainable tourism.
Tourism markets
for the IW are multi-faceted and diverse with a diverse range of products. It is potentially quite a challenge to
market all of these in a balanced way because different markets need different
publicity. One of the strengths of IWT
was that it addressed peak prestigious events like Cowes week as well as
non-peak winter coach tours in November for elderly people. The flip side of the coin is that its easy
to market to everyone without targeting, however this does not appear to be
what happens.
The Tourism
website was not felt to be the greatest website, there was room for
improvement.
There is a danger
that a solely commercially driven organisation would not prioritise publications
such as the “Walking and Countryside” guides.
This is a structure issue for IWT and how it deals with this and
sustainable tourism, disabled access etc.
There was a
feeling that IWT should ensure a balance between the effort it needed to put
into peak season and off-peak season marketing. Peak season marketing is important in terms of competition for
markets, whilst off-peak is important but can be done at the expense of peak.
Marketing should
look at the expense and effectiveness of mailshot and brochure costs versus
website services. What objectives do
the two achieve, do they work together, what roles for advertising, press, tv,
radio.
Group 2
We need them
proved that face to face information service required.
IWT members have
their information provided for free.
Can book
accommodation through TIC, although it takes time and ICT needs updating.
What could
Tourism improve – TIC
Could they be
developed into information centres – for the Isle of Wight, how many in number,
what about the idea of kiosks within shopping centres, travel centres etc.
Service limited
to members at moment, what about information about everything, not just
members. Membership versus Public
Service. Determine raison d’etere of
TIC, how do they fit with IWT and its activities.
Possibility of
graded attractions, would this be useful for the tourists as accommodation is
graded.
Upgrade of ICT,
should this improve bookings capability, should booking be done over hotlink
with call centre at Westridge?
TIC look shabby,
lack of investment by IWC, possible rethink on number and position, kiosk. Redevelopment opportunities for re-siting
TIC, Ryde at transport interchange, Cowes at Red Funnel development. Possible “you build it – we man it
arrangements” with transport operators.
Possible co-location as successful Museum/TIC at Guildhall. Possible commercial sponsorship of TIC?
Trend information
from TIC exit surveys useful feedback on Tourism trends. TIC feedback could be information flow
inwards to IWT, say complaints, comments, video boxes for views.
TIC should be
open all year round and 24 hour opening, relationship between website and
brochures etc which provide information round the clock and call centre opening
hours.
It was felt staff
should have foreign language capabilities, training opportunities.
Branding of TIC
needed “Wight Information” ?
Manage a high
volume of distribution – brochures, mail shots, guides, 3.5 million bits of
information.
Good use of staff
resources, to cover peak times staff inter changeability, volunteers, TIC staff
Calls dealt with
at peak times expeditiously , queue management (average 2 inquires waiting,
down from 10 in the peak).
One distribution
centre for everything.
Future proofing
of ICT equipment
What could
Tourism improve – Call & Distribution Centre
Extra capacity
for storage of publications. At the
moment there are 22 publications.
Staff numbers at
peak times improved (use of students/part time workers)
Need for
benchmarking with similar call and distribution centres. How do other call centres work?
Need for
integrated ICT systems, including on-line booking facility (paper to committee
shortly). Website and telephone booking facility.
Reduce turn round
time for publications.
Offset service
costs by improving income system.
Higher income from improved use of booking service and perhaps higher
commission as a result. Hoteliers
willing to pay for results.
Group 4
Good coverage in
regional press
Good quality of
member support provided for new initiatives and launches
Good PR on
specific events eg Walking Festival
What could
Tourism improve – Press & PR
PR plan of campaign
and co-ordinated campaign
Higher quality of
media targeting, national press to be persuaded IW a good story to tell. Undertake a more pro-active attitude to
Press & PR coverage.
Target overseas
market through media and internet
Improve PR on IW
– raise the profile of tourism with residents.
Improve
perception of Tourism value to IW economy.
Improve
interagency PR co-ordination (Council, Partnership, Tourism, etc) one
department.
Improvements
through being better resourced.
FACILITATORS SUMMARY
What
do tourism do well – Marketing & Sales
IWC web site
Branding – ‘No
Island’
Long term
investment (as opposed to commercial short term)
Wide range of
markets
What could
Tourism improve – Marketing & Sales
Brochures v. web
Off
season/balance seasons
Commercial
publications first
Focus/concentrate
Need TIC’s
Free unbiased
membership and information (could be conflict here)
‘Breath in/breath
out’ – future proof
What could
Tourism improve – TIC
Language training
One
focus/appropriate mix
Merge/co location
Shabby
Grade attractions
Act as eyes/ears
for other bits of IWT
12m x 24 x 7 (?)
Kiosk v. top
notch
Waterloo station
not IW activities
Timely/speedy
information to TIC’s eg: lack of F & M information
Handle the volume
of information
Multi skilled
adaptable staff
‘Lowish’ queues =
Avg 2
One single
distribution centre
What could
Tourism improve – Call and Distribution Centre
Lack of storage space for publications – costly
Balance cost/staff/service
ITC – online booking for people ie: Hotels direct
Brochure to the public quickly (Cost) - Commission
Growth of market
Pay v. results
Support for Members
Special activities ie: coverage of walk
What could
Tourism improve – Press & PR
Co-ordinate plan
– national target media
Proactive –
chase, involve, wine & dine
Raise tourism
profile with residents and the value it brings
Co-ordinate
agencies – PR (one PR Department) to promote the Island
Resources
Where is product
development responsibility?
Balance –
industry lead v. future big spends
Conflict/choices
Quality of whole
experience – IWT connections
Small businesses
- IWT first contact, 6 out of 10 fail?, is marketing to blame, professionalism
v. hobby
Training/support
(STB) a) incoming business via
estate agents
b)
for frontline staff
Vision (all
agencies/commitment/co-ordinate)
Tim Addison -
IWT
Classic dilemma
for IWT, there could be an over dependence on commercial activity to maximise
revenue to the cost of longer term issues, such as sustainable tourism and the
development of tourism.
Co-location of
TIC has to be thought through carefully, good example of museum and TIC in
Newport, but this may not be the answer in Cowes , Ryde etc.
It is important
that the value of Tourism to the Island is expressed and understood. TIC are a direction post for Island
businesses.
There was a
common IT theme amongst the issues and IWT would benefit from an investment in
ICT.
John Bentley –
IW Partnership
There was an
issue over IWT and their aim at the market, was it the traditional bucket and
spade market or should it be more up market.
An issue over understanding that market and its trends and analysing the
future demands that would be of benefit.
Where is market research done and by whom?
An issue over
quality of customer care, quality of food, have we a reputation for quantity on
the Island at the expense of quality.
What is the answer to the question, “where are the good restaurants”?
Product
development is something IWT don’t do, who does do it, where is it? Where should it sit – Economic Development
– IWC?
Small businesses
link to IWT seem a failure – 6 out of 10 reported to go bust after 3 years. Issue of professionalism versus amateur
hobby. Small businesses not good at
marketing themselves they need training.
Improvements
vital to IWT as we are competing in a domestic and international market place
for tourists.
We need to
convince members of the changes afoot as the review develops (Appraisal Group
meetings).
We need to seize
the initiative and grab members attention, the meeting is an excellent idea.
The responsibility
for the product lies outside IWT and we need some form of support/co-ordination
from IWC.
We need to make
new people in tourism product aware of the professionalism that exists to
assist them.
Training is an
important issue for an incoming business.
We are missing a vision of what “Tourism”
should look like, what its priorities are and how does it fit into the overall
island picture. No overall Island
tourism strategy.
Training of front
line services staff is very important for the development of Tourism, for too
long we have had the “take it or leave it” attitude. I am not sure whether there is a link between IWT and Cowes
week?
IWT does not have
a remit to promote Cowes week, remit is
to sell partners products, IWT often the calling place for people with ferry,
beach, road, parking problems, which are problems IWT not responsible for. There is very much a divergence of
reporting within IWC on items related to Tourism.
We ought to use
our intelligence to solve the problems, all councillors should apply themselves
to the issues.
There is not a
lot of integration of IWC services. On
the question of possible IWT externalised, it was a problem of focussing on
what this would achieve and the affect on staff.