Tourism Marketing
The NWDA is responsible for tourism in the region at a strategic
level. We are responsible for promoting the region’s assets and
tackling negative preconceptions. Our role is split into two areas,
which can be broadly defined as Tourism Marketing and Tourism Development.
Tourism Marketing is about promoting a region which is
attractive to those who are considering visiting from either
outside the region or elsewhere within the region. We do this
through: developing attack brands, running tourism campaigns,
promoting business tourism and producing tourism publications and
websites.
Attack Brands
The attack brands are the lead brands promoted by the NWDA and
the Sub-Regional Tourist Boards. This is a market-led approach
concentrating on the region’s strengths. The region’s Attack Brands
are Manchester, Liverpool, Chester and The Lake District.
Promotion of the attack brands has included a set of short films
presented by travel journalist and broadcaster Simon Calder, which
were shown on a number of websites and online film outlets. The
four attack brands were also included in the 15 short break ideas
covered by Stuart’s Stories and covered in the
culture and essentials sections of PRIME magazine.
Blackpool’s
redevelopment over the next few years is key to the
town achieving attack brand status.
Campaigns, Publications & Websites
The NWDA supports a number of tourism campaigns and publications
focusing on subjects such as the region’s cultural offering and its
beautiful gardens and superior golfing facilities.
Regional Gardens Guide
In 2008, the regional gardens guide was produced for the first
time by Visit Chester and Cheshire with support from the NWDA, and
focused on Cheshire and its year of Gardens. As well as being
distributed by post, Gardens of Cheshire and England’s Northwest
was also handed out at key garden events, including 25,000 copies
at the RHS Flower Show at Tatton Park.
England’s Golf Coast Guide
Over 75,000 copies of the fourth edition of the England’s Golf
Coast Guide were distributed to coincide with the Open Golf
Championship 2008, which took place at Royal Birkdale, in
Southport. The brochures contained a stitched-in guide to
Southport.
Culture Campaign: Stuart's Stories
The Agency’s Culture Campaign is fronted by BBC Radio 2 DJ,
writer and Northern advocate Stuart Maconie. Called Stuart’s
Stories, the campaign focuses on 15 stories about visits to parts
of the region.
Industrial Powerhouse
The NWDA also supports Industrial Powerhouse, a regional
industrial heritage campaign promoting attractions such as the
Anderton Boat lift, where Victorian engineering lifts the boat
you’re in 50ft between two waterways, and the Wirral Maritime
Heritage Trail, on the region’s only peninsula, where shipbuilding
boomed during the industrial era. More information on Industrial
Powerhouse attractions.
Regional, National & International Campaigns
Along with the England’s Northwest website, the five
sub-regional tourist boards help market the region as a place to
visit. The NWDA and the five sub-regional tourist boards work with
Visit England and Visit Britain at both a national and
international level.
One example of this is the five sub-regional tourist boards
supporting the national tourism Special Offers campaign,
co-ordinated by Visit England, by providing offers and discounts
for key attractions in the region such as Manchester United and
Tatton Park. The offers were promoted online and via published
voucher books.
Tourism Websites
The NWDA supports the Culture in England’s Northwest, Natural
Northwest, The Gardens of England’s Northwest and England’s
Northwest Tourism websites.
Visit our tourism websites:
Visit the national tourism websites:
PRIME
The Agency produces PRIME; a quarterly magazine designed to
promote the wealth of Northwest cultural events and attractions,
and which aims to inspire people to visit the region and to explore
the wide range of cultural events and attractions on offer. The
magazine was awarded a Bronze Award at the annual Design Business
Association 2008 National Design Effectiveness Awards.