Performance through Partnership
The Surrey destination guide
Visitsussex.com
BBO members networking event
Canterbury, Kent
council and the chamber of commerce and tourism industry which
To further cement the working relationship between Tourism South
led to the establishment of a new strategic body – the Isle of Wight
East and Visit Kent, an externally facilitated review began and will
Tourism development Board. Tourism South East engages through
culminate in 2009/10.
this body and the associated marketing group with a view to achieving
synergy between local and regional priorities/activities.
Buckinghamshire, Berkshire & Oxfordshire
The Partnership committee agreed to release funds to support the
an ‘associate membership’ arrangement remained in place with the
introduction of member networking events. These were extremely
chamber of commerce and Tourism as part of the ambition to simplify
successful in enabling members to effectively network and have aided
and join up support services for the industry. Tourism South East
recruitment and retention of members. Over 160 businesses have
also retained the services of Marilyn hughes as the Island’s Skills
attended networking events throughout the year. Tourism South East
coordinator and delivered a wide range of free or subsidised courses
coordinated four familiarisation trips in Oxfordshire for TIc staff and
and workshops for businesses throughout the year.
Bed & Breakfast operators. The sub-region attractions group was
reinstated and Tourism South East supported West Oxfordshire in
Surrey
delivering the Explore Oxfordshire event. Finally, Tourism South East
It was a year of considerable change and achievement for the Visit
arranged a tour of the BBO area for new chairman, John Williams,
Surrey Partnership. Michael More-Molyneux of Loseley Park took over
that included a Local authority chief Executives’ Breakfast meeting
as chair and catherine Knight joined as the Visit Surrey Partnership
debating how tourism supports local economies in tough times.
Manager. despite limited resources, catherine’s arrival, with
considerable support from public and commercial sector partners,
Sussex
helped to step up the momentum.
The Partnership commissioned consultants to provide an external,
objective view on the organisation’s future development. a number of
Of particular note was the launch of the first Visit Surrey destination
recommendations were made, one of which was the creation of a new
guide, a coordinated presence at Excursions 2009 and continued
Partnership committee and the development of a series of focussed
improvements to visitsurrey.com. achieving broader local authority
working groups.
engagement will be a priority in the year ahead.
a permanent Partnership cordinator was appointed, as well as
Kent
development Officer for the Visit Sussex website.
The Visit Kent Partnership, including principal partner Visit Kent
and chaired by Bill Ferris from The historic dockyard, chatham,
Tourism South East funding of the Partnership has helped deliver
continued to play a strategic role in overseeing tourism delivery. a core a number of initiatives including The Sussex Breakfast Project,
partnership project was the Kent and Medway development Strategy
marketing and Pr activity, a Sussex 2012 Plan and a new cultural
prepared by Locum consultants.
Sussex initiative.
Tourism South East also worked closely with Visit Kent to deliver
Further development of the VisitSussex website was undertaken,
and resource a number of other projects and posts. amongst these
including offering free of charge promotion to all tourism businesses
was hilary Moger, Visit Kent’s Quality Manager who delivered face to
in Sussex. The website also saw the introduction of polling which
face advice to over 100 existing and prospective tourism businesses
enabled on line booking and banner advertising functionality.
over the year and the Kent Skills coordinator, Kirstin Beeching.
considerable Visit Kent resource was dedicated to three Interreg bids
a Sussex Tourism Partnership Industry day took place in March which
for which the results will be known in mid 2009.
was well attended by a broad cross section of businesses.
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www.industry.visitsoutheastengland.com