OPINION DISCUSSION BY MALCOLM BELL
Give us a break weathermen and lets fight back
Don't you just hate it when others appear to delight in an issue that may be
superficial or insignificant to them, but is critical and where jobs and businesses can
be at risk from inaccurate and misleading comments. It will not come as a surprise
that the weather presenters are driving me and many in the tourist industry to rant
and rave during the current unseasonal conditions.
Rather than help the great British public in these difficult and austere times to have at
least some fun and pleasure in their holidays and free times, they seem obsessed to
make them even more depressed. Rather than provide more detailed local forecasts
and highlight the days when it will be dry let alone fair and sunny, they are obsessed
with making a bad situation far worse than it should be. As I write this article the
week has been fair with two sunny days, two fair days, and there will be one wet day.
So when a news reporter called to say that they were planning to film in Cornwall I
suggested the following day, but they replied that was no good as it was forecast to
be a good day and they were coming the day after when it would be raining for most
of the day!!!
This, in my opinion, is unprofessional reporting given the actual weather that week.
Likewise I despair when weather presenters all too often seem to delight and get
excited about poor weather and skip over the periods of fair weather. Come on guys, I
do not want any of you to lie, all we want is the truth and nothing but the truth.
So what can we do? Well I have lobbied the Met Office over the years and by and
large they are very professional and in the short term provide accurate forecasts. It is
the throw away lines by presenters that are making a bad situation far worse and I
ask the industry, where justified, to contact the TV programme Directors each time a
flippant comment is made to remind them they are there to deliver accurate and
professional forecasts and not try and be stand-up comics at our expense, let alone
turn a drama into a crisis! Let us fill their Facebook pages with great pictures of
people having a good time in Cornwall - we have the power to fight back!
Likewise, we all need to promote the paid-for and free activities available to visitors
who are coming to Cornwall, and to those who we want to attract. Using the power of
the web and social media to show Cornwall as it is, not what they may think it is, to
ensure they have a great time and come back next year. There are many sources of
information that we can highlight such as www.visitcornwall.com and the VisitCornwall
blog on wet weather activities , there’s even a specialist website www.101-things-todo-on-a-rainy-day-in-cornwall.co.uk.
Malcolm Bell
Head of VisitCornwall
ENDS
VisitCornwall
VisitCornwall is a service of the Cornwall Development Company, Cornwall Council’s
arms length economic development company.
VisitCornwall undertakes the destination marketing function for Cornwall and
promotes the area’s distinctive qualities to the domestic market and key international
markets through targeted marketing campaigns.
visitcornwall.com is the official tourist board online visitor guide.
Join VisitCornwall on Facebook www.facebook.com/ilovecornwall
Follow VisitCornwall on Twitter www.twitter.com/ilovecornwalluk
Watch VisitCornwall on Youtube www.youtube.com/cornwalltouristboard
Further information
Julia Hughes – Tourism Press & PR Executive
01872 322928 julia.hughes@visitcornwall.com
Malcolm Bell – Head of VisitCornwall
07800649178 malcolm.bell@visitcornwall.com
Malcolm is working away from the office today (Friday 13th July) but if required can
provide telephone interviews, alternatively is he is available for face-to-face interviews
early next week.