Tourism is one of the largest million; industries in the UK, worth VisitBritain, approximately £74 billion in contribute to 2003 and employing some 2.2 • offering over 400 working the work of the million people, 8% of the holidays a year, enabling Tourism working population. volunteers to work at our Alliance, properties; participate in
The National Trust is a significant the DCMS player in this industry. With a • over 80 of our farm tenants Tourism turnover of more than £300 million offering bed and breakfast Reform a year, we currently protect and accommodation, there are 50 Implementation manage on behalf of the nation camping and caravanning Group (TRIG) over 600,000 acres of countryside sites and 21 YHA hostels on and are and over 700 miles of coastline our land; members of the across England, Wales and Association of Leading Visitor Northern Ireland. This work • running 135 restaurants, cafes Attractions (ALVA). underpins the essential and tea rooms with a environmental resources upon collective turnover of £17.5 As both a charitable conservation which tourism depends. million - the nation’s largest body and a business, we have a network; key interest in promoting a In addition we care for a significant sustainable tourism sector. For proportion of the country’s • promoting and using regional the Trust this means: designated sites and buildings of and local produce and crafts in natural and cultural significance, our shops and restaurants – • promoting regional and local opening 300 houses and gardens including 25 local vineyards, characteristics; to the public. 32 local cheese makers and 20 local ice cream makers; • supporting local economies We welcome around 13 million through tourism spend, and visitors to our pay-for-entry • investing significantly in providing employment properties annually and there are domestic advertising and particularly in rural areas; an estimated 50 million visits to promotions – including events, our coast and countryside press and media activity and • improving public transport and properties each year. as a partner with VisitBritain. reducing tourist dependence on cars; We also undertake a vast range of We also campaign and support tourism-related activity to support advocacy of the importance of • working in partnership with and promote these visits. These sustainable tourism across local communities and include: Government and with opinion businesses to improve the formers and decision makers tourism offer, and its • operating Europe’s largest regionally and nationally. sustainability; and network of owner-managed holiday cottages – with over We are members of a number of • increasing awareness of the 320 cottages and an annual Destination Management impacts of tourism with turnover in excess of £5 Partnerships, supporters of visitors and providers alike.
2 3 National Trust The Lizard and cottages Kynance Cove Inside Policy from practice Tourism Learning from experience
From our practical experience, we People visit the Trust for a variety of Our experience across the English know that tourism contributes reasons; research has shown that regions, Northern Ireland and Wales much needed income to local over 40 different types of leisure suggests that whilst many tourism economies and increasingly activities take place on our strategies refer to the importance of demonstrates the important link properties. In addition, it has been natural, cultural and historic assets, between a high quality found that over 90% of visitors the need protect these assets is not environment and the future engaged in informal learning while well recognised as a priority, nor is it economic sustainability of rural and visiting a property. People are considered fully in other policy urban communities. interested in finding out about the areas, such as transport and land history of the place itself, the people use planning policy. This link is clearly illustrated in the who lived there and the ‘everyday findings of our Valuing our life’ at that period in history. Through its experience the Trust is Environment studies, which found able to recognise the benefits that a that 40% of the jobs created Our working holidays give people the broader interpretation of the role of through tourism rely directly on a opportunity to gain new skills, meet tourism can bring, for example in high quality environment and that new people and take a break, relation to sustainable urban and this increases to 60% to 70% in contributing the equivalent of 2,350 rural regeneration. The contribution rural areas. weeks of conservation work a year. of tourism to local identity and distinctiveness, and the As well as being a hugely While the impacts of the 2001 Foot opportunities it offers for personal important economic driver, we and Mouth outbreak illustrated how reflection and public benefit are all believe tourism has much to offer important tourism is to rural too often overlooked. wider social and environmental economies, this experience and the objectives. This includes providing lessons learned have not been fully Whilst there are ‘market’ issues opportunities for education and appreciated. within the sector that need to be lifelong learning (by visiting or addressed, for example in terms of volunteering at a property, for As a result, the Trust believes the skills, quality and data, these need example), underpinning the viability wider role of tourism is still not to be considered in the context of of a large range of often small rural properly recognised, in either current the broader benefits that tourism can businesses and providing attractive debates about tourism or the public bring. places where businesses and policy framework which supports it. communities can thrive. National Trust cottages
National Trust cottages on year to their favourite cottage. demonstrate the benefits of The reasons for the high demand for holidaying at home by generating our cottages are clear in the income not only for the Trust’s comments made by our guests - conservation work, but also for local they are attracted not just by the service providers such as facilities and comfort on offer, but by restaurants and shops. character and location.
The Trust owns and manages all of Many cottages are well over 100 its cottages and they generate a years old, with original and unique surplus of over £2 million which is features, and the landscapes and ploughed back into the Trust’s work. beauty of the places in which they are situated are a key part of their The cottages are very popular, with attraction. A National Trust holiday cottage at an annual occupancy rate of 78%, Doyden Castle, Cornwall situated on a headland with views over Lundy Bay far above the average figure for It is important that accommodation self-catering accommodation in the grading systems take account of the to achieve this by providing UK. In addition some of our character and setting of properties, guidance on the attributes of cottages are booked up two years in as well as the facilities; the Trust’s cottages and their locations. advance, with people returning year own “Acorn” grading system strives
Page 2 Policy from practice Tourism The Lizard and Kynance Cove
Although the South West earned over hostel, improved public access, £4 billion from tourism in 2003, Cornwall opened the Poldhu Marconi Centre at is still England’s poorest county. the birthplace of modern communications, invested in a solar With £2.5 million of investment over 10 powered café at Kynance Cove and years, the Trust is delivering long-term, changed farming practices to restore sustained benefits to the area around habitats. the Lizard Peninsula. Projects such as these have the Through a mixture of economic, social potential to provide a wide social and and environmental investment, we have economic benefit, bringing more helped to transform the Lizard people and therefore money into an Peninsula, a coastline with dramatic cliff area and community, through The Lizard lighthouse seen from walks, masses of rare wild flowers and spending on local accommodation, Bumble Rock and Lion's Den. fascinating geological features. services and attractions.
With the help of partners we have Increasing access to such beautiful the café at Kynance Cove removed intrusive buildings and cables, areas both inspires and educates local and the Marconi centre. converted neglected hotel buildings into people and visitors alike, such as the the country’s most southerly youth use of renewable energy solutions in
Future challenges graph below shows, a 10% rise in UK residents taking foreign holidays, domestic tourism would generate £6 There are a number of challenges especially short breaks, and is billion in additional revenue, whilst the that face the tourism sector as a denying the UK much-needed tourism same rise in international would result whole. The ways in which these are spend. The current emphasis on in just £1.2 billion. addressed are vital for the tackling this imbalance has been on sustainability and stability of the encouraging more overseas visitors to Moreover, the benefits and burdens tourism market and for providers to the UK with, for example, VisitBritain of domestic tourism are also more be able to continue to offer a good spending £35.5 million on widely spread over the UK, given the service to visitors. international marketing compared to focus of international tourists on £10.4 million on marketing England to relatively few locations. As a market The tourism deficit the domestic tourist in 2002/3. domestic tourism also has the scope and potential to expand more The tourism deficit has grown However, in terms of tourism revenue, significantly and sustainably. dramatically in the last 10 years, with the domestic market far out-strips the UK holiday-makers now spending international market with UK residents Providing better opportunities to £17 billion more abroad than visitors contributing over £60 billion a year holiday at home, meeting the growing to the UK are spending here. This compared to just under £12 billion desire for short breaks and extending growth has been fuelled by the rise in from international visitors. As the the tourist season would bring 20 welcome economic and other benefits to rural (and urban) communities. In 18 addition it would reduce the risks domestic 16 involved with volatility in international international tourism and reduce the pressure for 14 further significant expansion of an 12 environmentally damaging aviation sector. 10 8 The ‘real thing’
6 In an increasingly discerning and 4 competitive market, quality is fundamental to success. As 2 illustrated by the Trust’s cottages, it is £bn in tourism revenue generated 0 often the character and setting of 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% accommodation rather than the range Increase in Tourism Page 3 Policy from practice Tourism
of facilities that matters most when people are choosing where to stay A way forward on holiday. However quality is not Tourism is the world’s fastest growing just about the physical attributes of industry. In the UK the sector needs to the accommodation - it is about the totality of the experience. look at ways of growing tourism in a manner that is sustainable in the long term
- protecting assets based upon A quality experience depends upon environmental quality and maximising the access to beautiful coast and countryside, well-maintained social, economic and environmental footpaths, local foods and crafts, benefits to local communities. historic towns and villages, a lively With this overall aim in mind, cultural life or even just a sense of tourism policies, plans and tranquillity, together with good tourism developments and strategies, whether local, regional customer service. their introduction for existing or national, should: sites;
The value of the natural and • Support, protect and enhance historic environment, local and • Recognise the wider the environmental assets regional character and access to importance and significance of (natural and cultural) on which the “real thing” needs to be tourism and the need to recognised by the tourism sector tourism depends; integrate tourism into wider as a vital resource that needs to be planning and policy making; well managed and cared for. • Promote and support local characteristics and • Have sustainable tourism - Traffic distinctiveness, ensuring integrating social, economic visitors have access to the and environmental aims - as In 2003 73% of tourists used cars “real thing” - a quality, the primary objective; as their means of transport. This authentic and inspiring culture of dependence on cars and experience; • Be accompanied by a private transport is one that the Government target to reduce Trust is trying to change in relation • Support local economies and the current tourism deficit and to our own properties, by work with local communities; an assessment of the different developing a toolkit to help ways that this can be properties find green transport • Improve education, training achieved; solutions for their visitors. and skills within the sector; • Place greater emphasis on the For example it is now possible to • Promote opportunities for domestic market, especially in holiday for a week in Falmouth lifelong learning and access marketing and promotion; and using the National Trust supported for all; network of local ferries and other • Establish mechanisms to give public transport for a diverse range • Promote the improvement of advice and support to small- of day trips. In effect the journey public transport and support scale tourism providers in has become part of the holiday and car free tourism opportunities, order to help them adjust to adds value to the visitor including requirements for changes in the local market experience. Visitor Travel Plans for new and to central policy changes. Coming soon - Contact details: Museums Policy & Campaigns Energy micro-generation The National Trust 36 Queen Annes Gate Photographs London SW1H 9AS Page 1 - NTPL / Leo Mason
Page 2 - NTPL / Ian Shaw Phone: 020 7447 6455 Page 3 - NTPL / Joe Cornish Email: [email protected] Page 4 - NTPL / Leo Mason www.nationaltrust.org.uk
The National Trust is a registered charity. We are independent of Government and receive no direct state grant or subsidy for our general work. Charity No: 205846 © The National Trust 2005