REPORT OF
Marketing and Tourism, Education and Leisure Directorate
TO THE:
Economic and Safety Scrutiny Committee
Monday November 4 2002.
TITLE:
Tourism Strategy Planning
RECOMMENDATIONS:
1.
2.
3.
4.
That the draft strategy framework is agreed.
It is agreed that it is both a corporate document and function.
That tourism is recognised as a corporate function.
That the tourism strategy is adopted as a corporate document
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The purpose of this report is to outline the draft framework for the proposed
tourism strategy and direct the planning of its production and
implementation. (A corporate approach to its input and delivery is paramount,
as is corporate and private sector support for the strategy and within the
consultation process.) The report stresses that a corporate approach to both
the development of the strategy and subsequent implementation is vital. It
further highlights the need for effective partnership with other public
agencies, the private sector and the community.
CONTACT OFFICER:
Lindsey Stockill 778 0341
Robin Culpin 778 0335
1.0
Background
Marketing and Tourism (nee Marketing and Communications) within
the Education and Leisure Directorate acquired the tourism role for the
city in July 2001. An extensive consultation process for the tourism
strategy for the city commenced at the beginning of 2002 with
externally led (brainstorming) workshops and (one to ones) meetings
with key council officers and private/public sector stakeholders.
It was initially proposed that the strategy would be completed by
March 2002. However, a number of factors have meant that this
deadline could not be achieved. These factors include the maternity
leave of the Marketing and Tourism Manager, delays in receiving
feedback from workshops, the fire and subsequent rebuild of the
Tourist Information Centre and the demands of making the
Commonwealth Games the most successful sporting event ever held in
the United Kingdom. It has been necessary, therefore to prioritise the
work of the small Marketing and Tourism Team in recent months.
This report provides an update on progress to date and a new
timetable for completion of the strategy.
(The Marketing and Tourism Manager went on maternity leave in
March 2002 and the post has since been covered by existing Marketing
and Tourism staff. The tourism strategy has thus been led by the
Deputy Marketing and Tourism Manager who has been managing the
team in the meantime.
A long wait for the statistical feedback from the workshops, a fire and
subsequent rebuild of the TIC, and the Commonwealth Games
amongst other factors have delayed this process.)
The delays have, in a curious way, been rather fortuitous for new
research data and opportunities will produce a more-informed
document.
The Games themselves coupled with key changes in the national
tourism agenda have opened up new tourism markets and products for
Salford. They have also further emphasised the wider context of the
tourism agenda for Salford and the subsequent importance of an allencompassing strategy for the city.
Initial studies predict an extra 300,000 visitors will spend an extra £12
million per annum in Manchester, with The Quays (an international
focal point for the Commonwealth Games) expected to accrue
substantial gains from this upturn. Visitor figures for Salford’s Tourist
Information Centre alone have seen a significant increase since the
Games that continues to be maintained.
A comprehensive consultation programme to re-brand the city also
commenced in September. The Corporate Communications Group is
working very closely with Hemisphere (the agency leading the process)
on this programme and it is intended that a new brand will be ready to
launch in February 2003. This outcome will inform a major aspect of
the wider tourism strategy and will be the starting point of a lengthy
branding implementation programme.
The delay in developing the strategy has, therefore, co-incided with
improved direction and wider context which will produce a document
which better reflects the current situation and new opportunities.
2.0
Draft Framework
The wider context of the strategy has been considered in detail post
Commonwealth Games and a draft framework is proposed as follows:

Introduction

Context of strategy
What is tourism?
What is a tourism strategy?
Why do we need one?
Role of tourism in Salford
Role of tourism service in Salford

Background
Local
Regional
National
International

Strategic Objectives
Mission Statement
Vision
Aims
Positioning
Outcomes and benefits

SWOT (Analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats –
SWOT)

Tourism product
Existing tourism initiatives:
The Quays
Worsley
Chapel Street
Water venues
New Product Development (inc product tourism drivers):
Cultural tourism
Business tourism
Sports tourism
Events tourism
Community tourism
Alternative/green tourism
Product tourism eg church tourism, walks, pop tours etc

General Tourism issues
Environmental challenges
Social impacts of tourism
Economic impacts of tourism
Sustainability

Key tourism issues
Lack of identity (inc signage, no city centre etc)
Image of the city
Relationship with Manchester
City pride/ownership
Education
Partnerships
Funding and resources
Corporate function

Marketing tourism
Existing markets
Potential markets
Branding & awareness
Stakeholders
Key customers
Visitor information provision
Profiling

Collaborative working (inc six pledges)
Partnership strategies
Partnership forums
Community plan
Regeneration strategy
Cultural strategy
Events strategy
Economic development plan
Marketing the city group

Research and Consultation
Audit
National statistics
Local statistics
Tourism indicators
Consultation process

Action plan
Short term
Medium term
Long term

Implementation, monitoring & evaluation

The future of tourism in Salford

Conclusion

Appendices
3.0
Consultation
Consultation with a number of partnerships and key stakeholders
continues with specific reference to the proposed framework. Hence it
is imperative that the latter is deemed a suitable format and the way
forward is agreed.
Work with Salford University is also in hand with plans for contributions
from MSc & PhD tourism students for specialist sections of the
strategy. The experience and expertise of the Leisure and Hospitality
department is also being utilised to ensure thorough methodological
research, monitoring and evaluation.
4.0
Corporate Approach
The framework proposes a detailed and evolving strategy which will set
the vital role of tourism in the context of a number of corporate
documents including the community strategy, cultural strategy,
economic development plan, and unitary development plan. The
strategy will also demonstrate the way in which tourism can, and does,
play a significant role in the achievement of corporate objectives and
the links with cross directorate functions such as regeneration,
planning, events, sports and education. Input from local strategic
tourism partnerships such as The Quays, Chapel Street Regeneration,
Worsley Tourism Forum, Local Strategic Partnership and regional
forums such as the North West Tourist Board are also crucial to its
success.
Producing the strategy without a comprehensive and collaborative
approach is not an effective way forward. The strategy impinges on
numerous groups corporately and privately and will rely on them to
implement and successfully deliver aspects of this strategy – a working
document.
Corporate ownership and input from the outset is required to ensure a
strategic, collective and unified tourism product for Salford. The city’s
domestic tourism alone needs to be integral to the political and
economic agenda and a major component of the six council pledges.
5.0
Timescale
It is intended that the Marketing and Tourism Manager (who returns
part time at the end of November) will work closely with the Deputy
Marketing and Tourism Manager, who is currently leading the
development of the strategy, to progress the consultation and acquire
corporate input by the end of January 2003. A draft strategy will be
ready for consultation at the end of February in conjunction with the
launch of the new brand for the city.
6.0
Action Plan
An extensive tourism action plan for the Commonwealth Games has
successfully been achieved and tourism development work has
continued nationally, regionally and locally in the context of visitor
information provision, tourism partnerships and development of new
products and strategies within a working tourism action plan.
However it is imperative that these belong to a wider corporate tourism
policy for the city of Salford and targets and strategies are agreed and
implemented to ensure we are developing and promoting quality
tourism experiences to increase access to tourism from within and
outside the city.
Lindsey Stockill
Acting Marketing and Tourism Manager, Marketing and Tourism, Education and Leisure Directorate
22 October 2002