New plan for future of Northumberland's tourism
Tourism chiefs in Northumberland want to attract more and higher-spending visitors in a bid to further develop a vital industry which ploughs £710m a year into the county's economy.
A new draft plan for the future of tourism in England's most northerly county aims to tackle existing problems said to be hampering progress - including weaknesses in its food, drink and shopping offer, and the highly-seasonal nature of the industry.
The document sets out a vision that by 2015 Northumberland will be attracting a growing number of visitors, who are spending more per head during their stay because the quality and range of experiences have grown, and are being enticingly promoted and sold.
Tourism officials says if an extra £5 could have been obtained from each of the 10 million overnight and day visitors to the county in 2007, it would have pumped another £50m into the local economy.
Northumberland Tourism chairman, Peter Kemp, says this equates to each visitor being persuaded to buy an extra pot of Earl Grey tea and a locally-produced scone or sandwich.
The agency and its partner organisations have drawn up a draft Area Tourism Management Plan (ATMP) which sets out the aims and strategic priorities for the development of tourism in Northumberland for the next five years.
It says that while the total contribution of tourism to the county's economy in 2007 was £710m, there is still scope for growth.
The industry remains highly seasonal, with more than a third of all tourist days coming in the July to September period, and surveys have shown many visitors are disappointed with the food and retail offer compared to other similar areas of the county.
Mr Kemp says: "There is a common view that Northumberland has all the right natural assets to become an even more successful visitor destination, but has yet to full advantage of them." The draft plan says it is widely considered that Hadrian's Wall and Kielder Water have yet to reach their full potential, and there are opportunities for more visitor activity at Berwick, Alnwick and Seaton Delaval Hall.
It says Northumberland should target the high-value visitor market to boost tourism spending, support businesses and create jobs. It wants to see visitors staying longer because there is more to see and do throughout the year.
Key capital projects which could help achieve the aims of the strategy include an archaeological study centre and exhibition space at Vindolanda on Hadrian's Wall, the acquisition and redevelopment of Seaton Delaval Hall by the National Trust and a programme to make market towns more welcoming to visitors.
Caroline Stewart, deputy chief executive of Northumberland Tourism and principal author of the draft document, said yesterday: "We must all work together to deliver the activities if we are to realise our ambitions of a healthy and vibrant tourism industry.
"That vision is one that creates jobs and sustains business, while at the same time contributing to the enhancement and celebration of Northumberland's authentic and distinctive way of life, natural and built environment, and reputation.
"The vision is made up of two over-arching ambitions: to increase visitor spend and derive maximum benefit from tourism across Northumberland's businesses, communities and culture and heritage."
THE NUMBERS
Independent studies have concluded that in 2007 around 12,750 jobs were supported by direct tourist spending in Northumberland, and a further 2,911 by indirect revenue from tourism.
Tourism is said to account for an 11.8% employment contribution to Northumberland, putting it in the top three of employment sectors. Around 1.92 million overnight tourists visited the county in 2007, spending 7.7 million nights in the area.
Eight million day visits were made. The total contribution of tourism to the local economy that year is estimated at £710m. In the North East as a whole, tourism is said to be worth £3.9bn to the economy, employing 60,775 people. The region has seen overnight visitors rise by 12% since 2003 to nine million.
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