Tourism
The visitor economy is a vital part of the wider economy of the
region, with strengths in both rural and urban areas. The Northwest
is well placed to take full advantage of the opportunities
presented by the changing nature of the tourism market. The region
offers visitors a distinctive and diverse range of experiences.
These contribute to the quality of life for everyone and also
present further opportunities for development.
Tourism Strategy in the Northwest
The Agency has the strategic responsibility for tourism in the
Northwest. This strategic role has led to the creation of five
sub-regional tourist boards, which are the primary delivery
partners for tourism in the region.
The Strategy for Tourism in England’s Northwest serves to guide
the continued growth and success of the industry. It outlines the
steps needed in order to achieve the shared vision of delivering a
world-class offering for all visitors to England’s Northwest. This
is supported by a number of tourism strategies.
In addition, the Business Tourism Framework and Visitor
Information Framework add depth to the tourism strategy, whilst the
Sustainable Tourism Framework provides a sound foundation for all
marketing and development outlined in the main strategy. The
Tourism Research Strategy for England’s Northwest ensures that we
have a strong evidence base for all of the actions outlined in the
Strategy for Tourism.
Visitor Economy Commission
With the help of the region’s tourism
industry, the Visitor Economy Commission for England’s Northwest
works to shape the agenda for tourism across the Northwest. It is
an independent committee made up of some of the industry’s most
respected professionals and aims to influence expenditure, practice
and policy in areas that affect the region’s visitor economy.
The Commission publishes topic papers on
strategic issues that directly impact on the region’s visitor
economy and invites tourism businesses and professionals to present
their views; online, in person or by correspondence.
At its quarterly meetings the Commission considers
the evidence and views submitted by the industry and then publishes
opinion and makes recommendations. Findings are directed towards
significant decision-makers, both regionally and nationally, and
will help shape the region’s tourism strategy.
The strength of the Commission’s voice is a
reflection of its membership and the evidence it is able to gather.
It relies on the input of the region’s tourism businesses and
organisations to inform the debate and shape recommendations.
Creating Great Destinations - The Guide to Place Making
Tourism is one of our most important and vibrant sectors.
Growing the visitor economy is one of our primary aims. We have
realised, however, that this is more than simply building
attractions, hotels and resorts, important as they are; It’s about
creating “attractive places”. This means making places
attractive for local people to spend time as well as providing
places that are appealing for visitors. One leads to the other. Put
simply, good places to live are good places to
visit.
The Strategy for Tourism in England’s Northwest (add hyperlink)
reflects this thinking. It places emphasis on developing the
visitor economy, rather than a narrower focus on tourism. Place
shaping involves the challenging task of creating successful
destinations from diverse ingredients.
England’s Northwest has made tremendous progress on this agenda.
In both our urban and rural areas, we have seen huge improvements
in the public realm, attractions, festivals and events as well as
the quality and variety of visitor accommodation. There is a
genuine buzz about them. In the course of a decade, Manchester and
Liverpool have leapt from off-the-radar to becoming two of the most
successful city destinations in Europe. There is a
great deal to be proud of, but still much to do to create
destinations that are the envy of the world.
The Tourism Team at the NWDA has developed tools to assist all
those in the region with an interest in place shaping. The main
purpose of the Creating
Great Destinations report is to
publicise these tools and to encourage everyone to explore and make
use of them.
Regional Tourism Websites
Official regional tourism website www.visitenglandsnorthwest.com
Regional tourism policy website www.nwtourism.net