Managing Recreational Travel:Destination Travel Plans for Visitor Attractions

Richard Adams

Associate

 

 

Overview

• London context• Project background • Initial thoughts• Work to date• Where next?

Trafalgar Square with grass! Photo: AP

London context

• A world destination

• International gateway

• Many, many, attractions

• Huge trip generation

• Huge economic value

Source: London Tourism Vision 2006 – 2016, London LDA / Mayor of London

London context…visitor numbers

SITE TOTAL VISITS 2007 CHARGE/FREE % +/-

British Museum 5,418,265 F/C +12%

Tate Modern 5,191,840 F +6%

The National Gallery 4,159,485 F -8%

Natural History Museum 3,600,119 F -4.1%

Science Museum 2,714,021 F +11%

Victoria and Albert Museum 2,435,300 F +3%

Tower of London 2,064,126 C -1%

National Maritime Museum 1,695,739 F +10%

St Paul’s Cathedral 1,623,881 F/C 0%

National Portrait Gallery 1,607,767 F +0.5%

Tate Britain 1,593,277 F 0%

Kew Gardens 1,427,096 F/C +5.1%

British Library 1,355,425 F +15%

ZSL London Zoo 1,132,366 C +25.1%

Westminster Abbey 1,058,362 F/C +2.9%

Houses of Parliament 994,926 F/C +11%

Imperial War Museum (London) 754,467 F +6%

Source: Association of Leading Visitor Associations (ALVA) www.alva.org.uk

Project background

Mayor’s London Sustainable Development Framework, 2003

• Sustainable tourism development• Avoid ‘hotspots’• Manage & minimise negative impacts• Culture, social, congestion and environment• Maximise travel choice and use

Project background

A new way to work: corporate scheme

How many sites in London have travel plans ?

Can we travel plan visitor attractions ? (You need to ask ?!!)

What benefits might there be ?

How do we deliver these visitor travel plans ?

www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/projectsandschemes/workplacetravelplanning/7604.aspx

Initial thoughts…

Similar…but different!

• Character of site - influence on visitor demographics & nature of trips

• Complex trips

• Groups & families

• Educational role

• How to apply the ‘Corporate’ model ?

 

 

Making it work…trial the process

Stage 1Scope for potential sites to develop Visitor Focused Travel Plans

Stage 2Set up meeting with selected organisations to explain the benefits of a

Visitor Focused Travel Plan and agree on approach

Stage 3Organisation formally registers its interest in the scheme with TfL

Stage 4Assignment takes place: Site specific surveys and audits are undertaken

and the travel plan for the organisation is drafted for comment

Stage 5Once the travel plan has been approved by the organisation and quality checked by TfL then both parties meet to discuss the recommendations

contained within it

Stage 7The organisation continues to implement the travel plan and to monitor its

progress. TfL will continue to provide support and advice through local travel plan co-ordinators working across London

Stage 6Implementation of the travel plan begins, including the various

undertakings agreed as part of the ‘Quick Win Implementation Package’

Process Summary

 

 

Work to date…fast track to Stage 4!

• Literature & desktop review

• Meetings with two ‘pilot’ sites

• Site Audits• Visitor figures, trends & projections• Background information - socio-demographic, market segmentation etc. • Existing conditions, facilities & identify opportunities• Specific attractions/ initiatives• Projects & planned enhancements• Marketing & communications

• Visitor Surveys - based on iTRACE ‘NHS Visitor and Patient Travel Survey’ • Visitor profile (journey information, group composition, frequency & duration of

visit)• Information sources used by visitor to inform journey decisions• Barriers to use sustainable modes & appropriate measures/incentives• Catchments & visitor potential

Making it work…

Understanding the site:

• Access information, what media & in what format ?

• Who provides the information ?

• Public transport facilities, capacity & access (especially Underground!)

• Cycling, walking, car use, coaches, taxis

• Pedestrian environment

• Signage

• Wider travel planning activities

Making it work…issues so far

• Multi-modal access

• The ‘offer’

• Marketing & communications

• Ticketing

Making it work…documenting it

The travel plan strategy

• Objectives, targets & indicators

• Appropriate measures

• Marketing & communications

• Responsibilities

• Costs & timescale

• Action plan

• Monitoring & reporting - iTRACE

Taking the strategy forward

• Legacy

• Ongoing roles & responsibilities

• Role and value of ongoing monitoring?

Making it work…identify quick wins

Increase visitor numbers, sustainably, by:

Practical…

• Enabling measures

• Physical improvements

Technical…

• Travel information

• Refine marketing & communications

• Web, leaflet, other

• Ticketing & other offers

Next destination?

• Analyse results

• Report findings, make recommendations

• Over to TfL!