Festival season is in full swing in the Beautiful South

With the good weather holding and the school holidays in full swing, tourism businesses across the South East will hopefully be benefitting from increased visitor numbers and revenue.

Here at Tourism South East we are reviewing our operation following the 50% cut in our core funding from SEEDA.  I wrote to you all in July with this news and would just like to reiterate our commitment to continuing to provide a full range of services.  We’ll be keeping you informed on the reshaped support for you and the visitor economy.

The introduction of our Welcome Host Gold customer care programme has gone extremely well and I am delighted to announce that it is part of Gatwick Airport’s recently unveiled £1 billion investment programme. 

I am also pleased to report that we have received a record number of entries for this year’s Awards which proves, once again, that tourism businesses in the region are dedicated to providing an excellent visitor experience.

Enjoy the sun if you get a moment!  And perhaps get out to one of the Beautiful South’s fantastic festivals or exhibitions – from Goodwood to Glyndebourne, Garlic to Gormley!

Mike Bedingfield
Chief Executive, Tourism South East

Stop Press! Hold the date!
Venue announced for Tourism Conference

Lingfield Park will host this year’s Tourism Conference on 16 September.  The ‘must attend’ event will incorporate the AGM and Tourism Council and will focus on emerging trends and structures in tourism in the South East.  If you want to prepare today and prosper tomorrow, keep an eye out for more information coming shortly on this event (free to members).

Awards for Excellence - record entries and free PR workshop

We’re delighted that entries for 2010’s Awards for Excellence are up 30% with Best Tourism Experience, Large Visitor Attraction and Outstanding Customer Service categories seeing the highest leaps.  Tourism businesses can join us at the stunning Mercedes-Benz World on 21 October for a memorable evening of celebration, entertainment and networking.  Tickets will be on sale shortly.

National Marketing Strategy takes shape

Championed by VisitEngland and chaired by Sue Wilkinson, Member and Visitor Marketing Director for The National Trust, the new Strategy Steering Group has begun its analysis.  A draft National Marketing Strategy is on course for September 2010 with the final strategy and action plans ready for implementation by January 2011.  Target markets, key destination brands and a clear proposition for England are among the key priorities.  Mike Bedingfield sits on the Steering Group speaking on behalf of all tourism businesses in the South East and ensuring that the regional voice is heard on the national agenda.

A Winning Golden Welcome

The addition of the innovative Welcome Host Gold to the programme of Welcome to Excellence customer care courses has resulted in many new businesses signing up.  Most recently, Gatwick Airport has begun developing a bespoke version of the nationally accredited programme as part of their £1 billion investment plan.

Storming the e-marketing world ….

Early booking discount catches the E-marketing evolution

Just £65 per person (£85 off normal price) books you a place on one of our sell-out e-marketing courses.  Hot topics include Search Engine Optimisation, Social Media and Google Tools - all littered with pitfalls for the unwary.  Places must be confirmed by 30 September and numbers are restricted so book now to be sure your name is on the list.

South East England catches the social media bug

LoveUK, the popular VisitBritain Facebook blog, has been winning followers for the Beautiful South.  Early reports on the pilot South East week indicate combined audiences of over 107,000 plus good feedback and interaction on the social media site.  Features include Ronnie Scott’s All Stars at Royal Windsor Racecourse, The Ashmolean Museum, Arundel Ghost Experience, Isle of Wight Newport Main Carnival and Portsmouth attractions.

Catch the Road Show bus direct to new business

This September sees the Beautiful South Road Show visit four cities in four days.  The whistlestop tour calls at Cardiff, Birmingham, Manchester and Edinburgh with trade breakfasts for coach and tour operators and lunch events for local media.

Extra promotion for 50 businesses is available through the media all-prize draw featuring everything from tickets for leading attractions to luxury weekends.  Donations will benefit from a higher profile at the events so do get in touch with your prizes.

Capitalising on Marketing campaigns

Join the highly successful Time for Us campaign

Looking for a cost-effective way to reach affluent couples living in the South East, London and the Midlands?  Then why not join Tourism South East’s highly successful Time for Us marketing campaign … be a part of a website attracting over 66,000 unique visitors last year, and reach a 26,000-strong database.  Campaign opportunities start at just £100.

Family Fun reaches over half of Mail on Sunday readers

May’s Family Fun supplement in the Mail on Sunday achieved 51% recall amongst readers – this is double the normal rate!  Plus, 60% visited a featured website giving great exposure to destinations and attractions.  Other positive feedback included a 56% uplift in awareness of the South East and a staggering two thirds of readers planning a future visit.

South East – Year of the Museum update

This campaign, funded by MLA Renaissance South East and partners, has been active in domestic and international markets, both consumer and trade.  One of the legacies is a Time Out Guide to Museums (there are over 300 in the South East).  As well as being inserted in the Time Out Guide in May, a further 225,000 copies are being distributed around the South East and London between now and August 2011.  Read the full activity report here.

Portsmouth Tourist Information Service scales new heights

The Visitor Information Service team in Portsmouth have just added the Government’s Customer Service Excellence standard to their Awards success (regional Gold in the Tourism South East Awards for ExSEllence and national Silver in the Enjoy England Awards for Excellence).  Working with this practical tool for driving customer-focussed change led to the Assessor praising ‘the exceptionally customer focused service with knowledgeable and friendly staff going the extra mile to meet customer need’.

Hidden Britain South East Project cycles to success

The region’s Hidden Britain project goes from strength to strength with Tourism South East and partners securing a third successive application for funding from The Rural Development Programme for England.  Recent support for rural communities includes helping Hassocks start a new community-owned cycle hire business.  Awarded West Sussex Social Enterprise Partnership’s top prize (£5,000) and recently featured on the BBC as a model for communities doing tourism for themselves, Hassocks’ new venture opens in August.

Tourism South East talks tourism growth and market knowledge

Commenting on VisitBritain’s newly released independent report on the future of tourism, Mike Bedingfield welcomed the forecasted 60% industry growth over the next decade.  With annual national tourism revenue set to reach £188 billion by 2020, Mike championed the Beautiful South in recent interviews with BBC Radio Surrey and BBC Radio Berkshire as the region continues to ride the ‘staycation’ wave.

A week in the life of …. Sarah Davis, Area Tourism Partnership Manager

Based in Tourism South East’s office’s in Eastleigh, Sarah travels throughout Hampshire and the Isle of Wight to deliver effective local support to the tourism industry.  Her week can take her from working with cruise companies in Southampton to arranging shows for the Isle of Wight exhibition group to a spot of jam-making in the New Forest.

Dates for your diary

Regional Events

Members’ Conference incorporating Annual General Meeting and Tourism Council
Lingfield Park, Surrey - 16 September 2010
Contact: communications@tourismse.com 

The Beautiful South Awards for Excellence
Mercedes-Benz World, Weybridge - 21 October 2010  
Contact: beautifulsouthawards@tourismse.com 

Area Tourism Partnership Events

Sussex
Sussex Tourism Partnership Annual General Meeting
Venue - to be confirmed - 4 November 2010
Contact: projects@sussextourismpartnership.co.uk 

Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire
Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Members’ Networking Event 
Chiltern Open Air Museum, Chalfont St Giles - 11 August 2010
Contact: membership@tourismse.com

Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Members’ Networking Event 
Mapledurham House, Reading - 8 September 2010
Contact: membership@tourismse.com 

Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Members’ Networking Event 
Oxford Castle - Unlocked, Oxford – 9 December 2010
Contact: membership@tourismse.com 

Hampshire
Hampshire Members' Networking Event
Mottisfont Abbey, near Romsey – 22 September 2010
Contact: membership@tourismse.com 

Surrey
Surrey Members’ Networking Event
Farnham Castle, Farnham – 30 September 2010
Contact: membership@tourismse.com

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