Tourism Falkirk 2020 Falkirk Area Tourism Strategy 2015 - 2020 1 Contents Page 3 Page 17 Foreword 3. Delivering the Vision Page 4 Page 20 1. Tourism in Falkirk 4. Diagrammatic The Current Position Summary (Tourism “Rocket”) Page 9 2. Tourism in 2020 Page 22 Vision, Targets and 5. Monitoring and Review Strategic Priorities 2 Foreword Welcome to Tourism Falkirk 2020, our five year plan to grow and develop tourism across Falkirk district. In recent years the area has firmly made its mark on the international tourism map with the arrival of the Falkirk Wheel and iconic Kelpies. We’ve also seen great investment by the private sector: in new hotels, venues and attractions. This plan aims to build on the success to date, and to make Falkirk “a destination of first choice for high quality, value for money and world-class attractions -offering memorable customer experience, delivered by skilled and passionate people.” The strategy sets out a framework how we’ll achieve this vision and gives some Councillor Adrian Mahoney tough but, I hope, achievable targets to make a real difference to the local Portfolio holder for Culture, economy. Leisure and Tourism Falkirk Council The plan has been developed by the Council and its partners in conjunction with local tourism businesses, national stakeholders and local communities. I’d like to thank everyone who has contributed to the shaping of the strategy. Now let’s all work together to achieve our ambitions... and make the Falkirk area an amazing place to visit. 3 1. Tourism in Falkirk The current position Context In the past 20 years, the Falkirk area has seen dramatic developments which have transformed its landscape and economy. These include the Falkirk Wheel, Callendar House in Falkirk, Bo’ness & Kinneil Railway, the Hippodrome in Bo’ness and the Helix in Falkirk, all of which have had major impact on the social, cultural and economic future of the area and which continue to bring a wealth of opportunities to increase tourism. There has been a parallel effort, through My Future’s in Falkirk and other collaborative marketing with tourism partners, to raise the profile of Falkirk as an area for tourism and economic development opportunities. Much progress has been made in shifting the perception of Falkirk in a positive way, including the development of a Visit Falkirk logo and brand building activities. Falkirk is truly in the tourism business. In recent years, the Council, in consultation with strategic partners, has drawn up an annual Tourism Action Plan. Major pieces of work have been undertaken including two VisitScotland Growth Fund campaigns and the promotion of the Falkirk area at VisitScotland Expo. Visit Falkirk is now a strong and recognisable brand for activities. The scale of investment in tourism to date, most recently the opening of Helix Park and the Kelpies, has created much further potential and opportunities which can best be addressed by longer-term planning. The Tourism Strategy aims to set out what Falkirk wants to achieve over the next 5 years and establishes the priorities to deliver the vision. 4 • Culture and Sports Strategy 2014 -2024 about problems, priorities and solutions Existing Strategies (Falkirk Community Trust) and collaborates with government Tourism is already guided by a wide and agencies on industry’s behalf – to • Kinneil Estate Masterplan (Falkirk range of existing strategies and policies improve political and public commitment Community Trust) which support economic development and to tourism. tourism in the Falkirk area. • Antonine Wall Management Plan 2014 • Scottish Enterprise – identifies and -19 (Historic Scotland) The national and local strategies relevant exploits opportunities for Scotland’s to tourism include the following. • LEADER European Funding economic growth by supporting Scottish Programme 2014 – 2020 (under companies to compete, helping to build development) globally competitive sectors, attracting National Strategies new investment and creating a world • Falkirk Delivers Business Plan • Tourism Scotland 2020 (Scottish class business environment. Tourism Tourism Alliance) is a key sector for Scottish Enterprise activities. This suggests that tourism players Strategic Partners should be aligning with the Tourism The delivery of the Tourism Strategy will • Scottish Railway Preservation Society Scotland 2020 strategy to ensure “each rely on the Council working closely with – dedicated to the advancement of and every one of us within the industry key strategic partners such as those listed Scottish railway heritage and operators rallies round the strategy, embracing below. of the Bo’ness & Kinneil Railway. the common agenda it sets out, giving it • Historic Scotland – directly responsible our full support and taking the initiative • Falkirk Community Trust – a not-for- to Scottish Ministers for safeguarding in our own areas”. profit organisation responsible for the management and operation of leisure, the nation’s historic environment • National Tourism Development culture, sport and tourism attractions including the Antonine Wall and Framework (VisitScotland) throughout the Falkirk area. promoting its understanding and enjoyment. • Falkirk Delivers – provider of town Falkirk Area Policies centre management services in Falkirk, • Scottish Natural Heritage – responsible Bo’ness, Stenhousemuir, Denny and for the care and improvement of and Strategies Grangemouth. Includes a Business the natural heritage, helps people enjoy it responsibly, enables greater • Strategic Community Plan 2010 – Improvement District for Falkirk Town understanding and awareness of it, 2015 (Falkirk Community Planning Centre. promotes its sustainable use, now and Partnership) • Business Gateway Falkirk – provider for future generations and the lead • Single Outcome Agreement (Falkirk of business support and financial partner for the John Muir Way. Community Planning Partnership) assistance to start up and existing businesses throughout the Falkirk area, • Forth Valley College - Scotland’s first • My Future’s in Falkirk, The Way based within Falkirk Council. regional College, delivering more than Forward (Falkirk Council) 750 courses from its campuses in • Scottish Canals - working to deliver Alloa, Falkirk and Stirling. The college • Tourism Action Plan 2014 (Falkirk the Scottish Government’s strategic currently has over 1600 students Council) objectives for public benefit - for studying business and tourism related • Tourist Signs Policy (Falkirk Council) everyone who lives, works or plays subjects, making it an important along the Scottish canals. contributor of tourism skills to local • Development Plans (Falkirk Council) • VisitScotland - the national tourism tourism businesses. • Towards 2020, Falkirk Council’s agency for Scotland working with Falkirk Council and many strategic European Strategy key partners throughout Scotland to partners have already undertaken integrate the key priorities of marketing, • Local Transport Strategy (Falkirk significant joint working under the ‘Visit quality assurance and providing Council) Falkirk’ banner for promotional activities information and inspiration to visitors and projects. • Litter Strategy (Falkirk Council) within local tourism and economic strategies in alignment with Tourism There is a need to develop and harness • Sustainable Falkirk Strategy and Action 2020. plans which facilitate the continuing Plan (Falkirk Council) growth and development of tourism and • Scottish Tourism Alliance - brings • Open Space Strategy and Parks maximise its impact. The Falkirk Area public and private players together, Development Plan (under development, Tourism Strategy should articulate a to encourage the voicing of opinion Falkirk Council) vision for tourism for the period to 2020. 5 It should also create the basis for more are now moving towards a new system Some further insight from other visitor partnership and collaborative working to which aims to improve the reliability of studies is noted below. maximise visitor numbers and spend and local tourism statistics. This system will • Peer-to-peer reviews have become to maximise future business investment in report on the volume and value of tourism increasingly important in recent years, tourism. from 2013 onwards. 2014 will be used as to the extent that half of travellers will the base year for measuring the progress not book a stay before consulting an of the Tourism Strategy in the years up to online review site. A study claimed that Recent Tourism 2020. up to 87% of the 2,000 hotel review Performance Tourism has an impact across the wider readers questioned said the reviews economy. While much visitor expenditure had a ‘significant influence on their The key measures of tourism is in sectors such as accommodation, purchase decisions’. performance are the number of visitors food and drink and travel, these to an area and the expenditure of visitors • 95% of visitors to the Helix thought businesses are supplied by many other in an area. The best available current the park was either ‘amazing’ or ‘quite trades throughout the area and beyond. estimates are as follows. good’. The national tourism strategy stresses Volume and Value of Tourism in the that tourism is everyone’s business. • 50% of visitors to Bo’ness & Kinneil Falkirk area Railway heard about it by word of mouth and 37% through social media/ Visitor Numbers Tourism Research internet. 98% said it was good value for money. 650,000 and Information 640,000 Information from surveys of visitors • Only 8% of those