QUALITY IN TOURISM | WHEN AN INSPECTOR CALLS
destinations are being encouraged to
showcase their quality and uniqueness,
drawing visitors to stay with them as a base
for day trips into the historic city of Bath.
Case Study: Blackpool
Blackpool is the UK’s most visited seaside
destination, with historic popularity,
having retained this title for more than a
century. Aside from its obvious popularity,
the destination has identified and is
implementing a new destination strategy
to reduce overtourism and extend the
trading season.
Blackpool tourism is traditionally centred
in Peak summer, with visitors coming from
the UK and abroad, with a secondary peak in
October and November for the illuminations.
These peaks are typified by significant
visitor numbers, with limited tourism for
listen to music from the Pump Room Trio.
In 2013, Bath & NE Somerset attracted
approximately 967,000 staying visits from
UK and overseas visitors, combined with 4.8
is now keen to manage visitor numbers, the rest of the year. As part of their new
fluctuations throughout the year and strategy, Blackpool Tourism is trying to
spread throughout the town. change the perception of town, elongating
VisitBath work hard to tackle these
their events programme, encouraging
million day visits, generating an estimated issues and work closely with neighbouring increased use of the Winter Gardens and
£405 million pounds worth of visitor spend areas to form partnerships that encourage capitalising on trends such as Strictly Come
in the local economy. The destination is visitors to move around the destination and Dancing to portray the town in a different
popular with overseas visitors, accounting the wider area. Sites such as Glastonbury, light. The ambition is to extend the tourism
for 28% of their total visitor numbers. This Stonehenge, Bristol and the Cotswolds are season and encourage a more long-term,
number has grown steadily, and the town included and hotel owners in less popular sustainable and stable visitor strategy.
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www.hotelowner.co.uk
September 2017