The North East has been selected as the location for a major tourism project which aims to attract more investment, welcome more sporting, business and cultural events, support business growth, create new jobs, and boost domestic and international tourist numbers.
Last year’s independent review into DMOs, carried out by chair of British Tourist Authority, Nick de Bois, found the landscape is overcrowded and fragmented. For example, there are more than 150 DMOs of all shapes and sizes in England which makes it difficult for tourists planning breaks and businesses looking to invest.
To fix this problem, the government is streamlining DMOs by accrediting the top performing organisations so they can grow the visitor economy and attract major business, cultural and sporting events. The plans were set out earlier this year.
Destination Development Partnership
As part of plans to overhaul the current system, NewcastleGateshead Initiative in the North East has been selected to lead a pilot in partnership with Visit Northumberland and Visit County Durham working across seven local authority areas.
The Destination Development Partnership (DDP) will receive £2.25m to help develop and market the region as a “must-visit destination” while attracting further private investment and driving growth.
The aim of the partnership model is to extend the tourism season and attract more visitors from across the UK and abroad through initiatives such as the creation of Tour de Yorkshire, following the Tour de France stage in Yorkshire back in 2015, or the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham this summer.
By working in partnership, tourism boards hope to attract new hotels, develop attractions such as the Eden Project in Cornwall, build on local heritage and cultural assets through the likes of UNESCO World Heritage bids, grow the food and drink offer and maximise the potential of the region’s natural assets.
Working with the tourism industry and the growing digital cluster, partnerships also aim to make sure that the tourism offering is fully accessible to all visitors including families and visitors with access needs.
Tourism Minister Stuart Andrew said: “The North East has much to offer tourists from around the world, but we want to go further and attract even more visitors.
“We are looking at what more we can do to streamline the way the region’s tourism bodies work together, improve the region’s offer and the way it markets itself. With £2.25m in funding, we hope the North East can be a pioneer for other areas in unlocking its potential and putting its best foot forward.”
Andrew Stokes, director, VisitEngland, added: “The UK Government’s decision to proceed with a pilot approach is a valuable opportunity to prove the DDP concept, demonstrating the benefits that these reforms will have if rolled out nationwide. We will also be able to really measure an element of funding at a regional level to develop tourism and what impact that will have, strengthening the case for future funding.”
Next steps
Evidence will be collected throughout the pilot to understand how effective the proposed model is and to support any future funding considerations.
If the pilot is successful, the government will look to roll the partnership model out to other regions across England.
