VisitEngland – Supporting the industry on the Road to Recovery Lyndsey Turner Swift Our Recovery Role
To drive immediate tourism recovery through building back visitor spend as quickly as possible and supporting the Industry
VisitBritain – DEMAND SIDE FOCUS VisitEngland – SUPPLY & DEMAND SIDE
Restimulate International Demand – tight Support England’s tourism focus on converting visitors who are most industry to recover and restimulate domestic likely to visit in 2021/22. demand.
Joint: VisitEngland and VisitBritain Together
Be the Authority on Tourism: Provision of expert advice to industry and government
Deliver Transformation: (A) Digital transformation to better communicate with our customers and deliver efficiencies for the future (B) Implementing the people strategy
Bidding For and Winning events. Supporting Tourism Recovery
Driving initiatives to help English tourism businesses and enable industry
Signposting to latest Insights and advice Reassurance messaging Helping businesses guidance and support become recovery ready Business Advice Hub during COVID-19
• Easy to navigate available business support
• Connecting businesses with resources and key service providers
• Practical tips, legal obligations and local support
• County level local support finder
• Home of the TETTW Inbound Tourism Toolkit, TXGB, We're Good To Go, Recovery Webinars
https://www.visitbritain.org/business-advice Business Advice Hub during COVID-19
Operating during COVID-19
• Practical guidance on how to operate in a COVID-Secure way
• Signposts to key Government guidance
• Links to useful guidance from trade associations e.g. UKHospitality, Institute of Tourist Guiding
• Latest information on opening restrictions
• Sector-specific guidance Did you know that . . . the 'Operating during COVID-19' • Updated regularly page on the Hub was the most visited page on VB.org in Dec 20 & Jan 21?
https://www.visitbritain.org/business-advice/operating-during-covid-19 Business Advice Hub during COVID-19
Support for tourism and event businesses during COVID-19
• Navigate Government support schemes
• Easy link to Gov.uk financial support finder
• Updated when new initiatives are announced
https://www.visitbritain.org/business-advice/support-tourism-and-event-businesses-during-covid-19 Business Recovery Webinars
• Help tourism businesses in England to prepare for recovery and rebuild demand by providing advice from industry experts
• Recent webinars with partner Google Digital Garage: ‾ Writing for Social Media on February 25th ‾ Get your Business Visible on Google on March 16th
• View previous sessions: https://www.visitbritain.org/business- advice/business-recovery-webinars
• 9,840 views to date (8,298 attendees + 1,542 recording views) • 91% Agree/Strongly Agree useful We’re Good To Go Industry Standard
Providing a ‘ring of confidence’ for the consumer • Free UK-wide standard requested by industry
• Over 45,000 applicants to-date (since 25 June)
• 890 businesses signed up across Peak District and Derbyshire
• Tourism businesses can demonstrate they are adhering to government and public health guidance – participants up-dated on core guidance changes (55 to date)
• Spot checks unannounced both scheduled and complaint driven
• All businesses signed up are now able to download the WTTC ‘Safe Travels’ stamp for use in international marketing
https://goodtogo.visitbritain.com/your-business-good-to-go-england We’re Good to Go Video TXGB – Helping Suppliers Reach Consumers
What is TXGB? How can it help you? • A B2B platform ✓ Distribute your product more widely, to established, • Helps suppliers connect to a wide range of sales channels new and niche channels – all from one place ✓ Integrate your bookable product with local destination marketing campaigns. • Helps distributors of all sizes have access to England’s diverse range of bookable product ✓ Manage all this in one place ✓ Easily add booking capabilities to your website and • Enables destinations to become distributors – and offer a social channels (if you don’t already take bookings low commission channel / tailored marketing campaigns online) so that you can maximise direct bookings
www.txgb.co.uk Developing Tourism Product
• £45.5m Discover England investment over 5 years Discover England’s Great Walking Trails • Grow tourism in the Regions of England ➢ One of 14 large-scale £1m projects (Years 2 & 3) • Increase the competitiveness of England’s tourism offer ➢ Additional funding granted to extend reach and drive internationally and domestically recovery (Years 4 & 5) • Develop bookable tourism products in line with market ➢ Support to help business prepare for the recovery trends and in response to consumer demands A Discover England Fund success story: • Promote and enhance partnership working ➢ Great partnership working across the National Trails – completion of 14 new inspirational itineraries • A co-ordinated approach to product development and ➢ Engagement with the travel trade - 10 walking promotion holiday companies producing 7 bookable itineraries ➢ Partnership with the Outdoor Guide producing videos and content featuring Julia Bradbury ➢ Continued engagement with the international travel trade ➢ MPDD working on the National Parks Experience Collection project CAMPAIGN UPDATE
#EscapetheEveryday Timeline 2020
WE’RE GOOD TO GO VB/VE Launch of We’re Good to Go Industry Standard ENJOY SUMMER SAFELY Support for government campaign and £5m available for DMO’s to support the campaign messaging on their own ESCAPE THE EVERYAY PAID channels CAMPAIGN ENDS Paid campaign suspended. Following the announcement of national lockdowns ETE pivots to an ‘at home’ message.
June July Aug Sep Oct Nov
ESCAPE THE EVERYDAY LAUNCH Transition from Enjoy Summer Safely to VB/VE Autumn Staycation campaign KNOW BEFORE YOU GO Launch of VB/VE’s public information messaging to promote responsible, safe travel Escape the Everyday Consumer Campaign Industry and Brand Support What’s Coming Up? Business Support from VisitEngland
• COVID-19 Best Practice Case Study videos o A series of B2B video case studies of businesses who have successfully adapted and diversified to survive the challenges of COVID-19 – due March 2021
• Virtual Taking England to the World Training o Content has been adapted and piloted, plan for roll-out underway o Supports business to be international ready, but now also tailored for the domestic market
• Business Support Roadshows o To aid business recovery by ensuring that micro, small and medium tourism businesses connect with VE/VB resources and initiatives – pilots March/April 2021
• The Pink Book: Legislation for Tourist Accommodation o 11th edition – due April 2021, will also include Visitor Attraction content for the first time Supporting Destinations and Wider Industry
• Supporting the strategic development of DMOs • Embedding best practice in place-based growth and local tourism structures • Joint recovery messaging and increased political support through English Tourism Week and other activities • Partnership working and joint activity with Industry Bodies, particularly on support offer and to share expertise • Capacity mapping to inform our marketing Marketing to Stimulate Demand
• Aim: drive immediate visitor spend as quickly as possible • Domestic market will be the first to offer a recovery opportunity in the first half of the year, with international markets to follow • Escape the Everyday will continue to be the umbrella campaign platform for our domestic marketing in 21/22 • Responsible tourism messaging is key to managing pent up demand and encouraging positive behaviours • Cities will play a major part in our activation but campaign designed to support the whole industry • Escape the Everyday toolkit to offer industry the chance to take part in the campaign • Products created through the Discover England Fund, including England’s Great Walking Trails and Peak District and Derbyshire will continue to be embedded and promoted Supported by our Research and Insights
… informing our and the industry’s decisions
• International and domestic forecasts
• Domestic consumer sentiment research
• International consumer sentiment research
• Ad-hoc research, such as the Future of Tourism International traveller sentiment research – key findings “How likely would you consider an international leisure trip for more than one night in the next 12 • 70% consider it likely they will go on an international leisure trip months?” in the next 12 months and 40% say they definitely will – a 12% 13% 11% resilient desire to travel despite pandemic uncertainties 16% 18% 20% • Destination choice: overall, just under 4 in 10 respondents 28% 30% (38%) have a clear plan in mind about where they want to go 31% on their next international leisure trip – most are yet to decide
• More say they are financially better off (16%) than worse off 44% 40% 36% (7%) compared to pre-COVID – most either unaffected or uncertain
• While holiday (79%) is the most likely journey purpose for the Total
next international leisure trip, 35% said that VFR would be a Long Haul Long driver, including high numbers in Australia, Saudi Arabia, Irish Haul Short Republic and India Probably/definitely not Maybe Probably Definitely
Base: All respondents (8245 international leisure travellers). Fieldwork December 2020. Destination for next international leisure trip
Within Europe, Britain is ranked highly for most long haul markets. For short haul, there is a lot of variation – Britain is higher
up the list for Southern Europe and Nordics, although further down the consideration list for France, Germany and Netherlands
Italy
USA
India
Total
Spain
China
Neths.
France
Norway
Canada
Sweden
Australia
Germany
Irish Rep.
Long Haul Long
Short Short Haul Saudi ArabiaSaudi Outside Europe 56% 36% 75% 76% 71% 83% 39% 38% 86% 36% 43% 37% 29% 75% 34% 36% 62% Europe 59% 72% 46% 29% 46% 57% 66% 76% 42% 76% 70% 70% 73% 29% 76% 71% 52%
Britain (England, Scotland & Wales) 13% 12% 13% 8% 12% 23% 8% 6% 11% 10% 18% 8% 15% 6% 13% 14% 12% Rest of Europe 54% 66% 42% 26% 40% 55% 63% 71% 41% 68% 64% 66% 66% 26% 70% 64% 47%
Britain rank within Europe 4 5 2 4 2 2 6 9 6 5 3 9 2 3 3 3 4
“Where do you plan to travel on your next international leisure trip?” Base: leisure trip intenders (Multiple Answers) Base: Respondents who plan on taking an international leisure trip in 2021 (n=8078) Attitudes to travel
Most say they will look to go to less crowded places, book late, and will favour their home country. But mixed opinion on whether travellers will favour familiar destinations
(% Completely + Short Long Irish Saudi Total Australia Canada China France Germany India Italy Neths. Norway Spain Sweden USA Somewhat agree) Haul Haul Republic Arabia
I will look for less crowded places to visit, even if it 74% 70% 77% 65% 72% 84% 66% 72% 88% 73% 75% 70% 68% 82% 72% 64% 70% means “missing” must-see attractions.
I will leave booking until 63% 63% 64% 59% 63% 71% 61% 72% 71% 63% 64% 72% 50% 62% 74% 49% 56% later/last minute I will favour local destinations in my home 60% 54% 65% 69% 60% 66% 54% 51% 75% 54% 49% 49% 51% 66% 68% 58% 60% country instead of traveling I will be intending to take 55% 43% 67% 51% 53% 81% 42% 39% 88% 53% 44% 36% 37% 71% 47% 43% 55% fewer but longer holidays I would be comfortable using public transport 51% 41% 61% 53% 39% 82% 46% 42% 74% 49% 34% 42% 42% 55% 39% 36% 50% within the destination I will favour destinations I have been before rather 50% 44% 56% 57% 49% 55% 38% 47% 74% 56% 32% 43% 49% 60% 41% 48% 49% than new places
Q22: Some people have expressed various opinions about the coronavirus outbreak and their travel plans and preferences. To what extent do you agree with the following statements? Base: All Respondents (n=8245) Domestic Consumer Sentiment Tracker Trip Intent and Planning/Booking Behaviour
• 16% of adults aged 16+ in the UK anticipate taking an overnight domestic trip this spring (defined as between Apr – June). • This rises to 37% saying they intend to take one this summer (between July and September) • In both cases, intent has climbed versus last wave, up 2 points for spring trips and a significant 10 points for summer • Also of note is the proportion who claim they ‘don’t intend to take a trip, which has declined by 11 points compared to last wave, currently residing at 23% of adults • There continues to be a reticence to wholeheartedly commit, with 43% of those who anticipate taking a domestic overnight trip this spring saying they have planned it, while 29% say they have actually booked it
Proportion anticipating going on any overnight domestic trip, Proportion of Spring Intenders that have already planned or Percentage, Wave 26 booked their forthcoming trip, Percentage Wave 26
29 37 43 Yes 24 23 No 16 17 71 57
Spring (April to Summer (July to All October 2021 Don't know but it's Don't intend to take Spring Trips Already Spring Trips Already June) September) onwards intentions something I would a trip PLANNED BOOKED like to do
QVB2a. Thinking of the next UK holiday or short break you are likely to take, when are you likely to plan, book and go on this trip? QVB2b. And when else do you anticipate going on a UK holiday or short break? VB11. Broadly speaking, how comfortable or uncomfortable would you feel doing the following in the next month or so? Domestic Consumer Sentiment Tracker – Other key findings
Appetite for Risk: ‘Appetite for Risk’: Level of comfort conducting a range of activities separately and combined, Average Score where 1= • Outdoor activities, such as ‘going for a walk in a country park’ not at all comfortable doing activity and 4= very comfortable receives an average score of 3.2 out of 4, indicative that most doing activity, Wave 26, UK people are comfortable participating in this activity. However, indoor activities or those involving close proximity to other people 3.2 are perceived a ‘riskier’ undertaking, with visiting a busy city 2.5 2.4 centre receiving the lowest score of 2.0 out of 4 2.2 2.2 2.1 2.0 Confidence: • 38% of UK adults feel confident they would be able to take a domestic overnight trip by June, up 6% since the announcement Appetite for Going for a Shopping in Eating at a Visiting an Travelling by Visiting a of lockdown lifting. Increasing to 68% by September, up 18% risk walk in a your local restaurant indoor public busy city country shopping attraction transport centre Anticipated Destination: park/ local centre trail • The South West is the leading destination for trips this winter and extends its lead for spring trips (Apr – Jun) with a 27% share Destination Type: • Countryside (34%) and traditional seaside town (33%) are the lead destination types being considered for Spring trips, with large cities at 15% Fresh shoots in the English Tourism Landscape
• England roadmap out of lockdown published • DCMS Recovery Plan in development • Government has launched the DMO Review • English Tourism Week, 22 - 31 May • Cornwall on the world stage – G7 Summit, June 2021 • England’s Coastal Path • Three of England’s National Parks turn 70 – inc. the Peak District • UEFA European Championship final – London, July 2021 • The Hundred – new cricket league, summer 2021 • Rugby League World Cup – October/November 2021 • Blockbuster film releases – No Time to Die (Bond) (October 2021) / Batman (2022) • Major events and celebrations: Platinum Jubilee 2022; Festival 2022; Commonwealth Games – July/August 2022 Lyndsey Turner Swift Head of England Planning & Delivery
E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.VisitEngland.org Twitter: @VisitEnglandBiz @SwiftLyndsey