Our Land is a collaboration between protected landscapes, businesses & private sector partner responsibletravel.com to develop and promote sustainable rural tourism. www.our-land.co.uk provides a national platform for Protected Landscapes & is the leading place online for a visitor to find a locally distinctive rural holiday in a 1 Our Land is funded for three years (2011-2014) with nearly £1million from the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE), which is administered through Defra. The host authority is the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. £1m of funding: ‐ Milestones ‐ Outputs ‐ Targets ‐ Reporting
Transcript
Our Land is a collaboration between protected landscapes, businesses & private sector partner responsibletravel.com to develop and promote sustainable rural tourism.
www.our-land.co.uk provides a national platform for Protected Landscapes & is the leading place online for a visitor to find a locally distinctive rural holiday in a collection dedicated to National Parks & AONB’s.
1Our Land is funded for three years (2011-2014) with nearly £1million from the Rural Development Programme
for England (RDPE), which is administered through Defra. The host authority is the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
£1m of funding:‐ Milestones‐ Outputs‐ Targets‐ Reporting
Challenge: to identify impact Our Land is having on business members and on protected landscapes
• Research across the region (the 9 SEPLs) to establish:• evidence of the contribution Our Land is making to the
rural economy• the impact Our Land is having in raising awareness of
landscape and achieving behavioural change
• Interviewed 22 businesses across 7 of the 9 landscapes
Marketing & bookings• Bookings: some positive
indications but tracking an issue
• Marketing: making use of wide variety of online channels, so focus efforts on those that produce
• Occupancy & spend: ‘don’t know’ and ‘around about’!
“…they have made a conscious choice to look at Our Land, the AONB, the countryside – whilst on e.g. LastMinute.com customers are just looking for anything”
Why Our Land?
• Emphasis on wildlife, nature, countryside
• Location – landscape• Sense of area• Looking for something
different
“… people don’t want sustainability rammed down their throats – we’ve gone past all that and so many are now doing it”
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Economic contribution
Employment• Small businesses,
husband & wife team• Farms• Part time
“…they wouldn’t have jobs if our business weren’t here.”
Visitors• Almost always by car• Walking, cycling,
sightseeing, attractions – and will travel
• Recommendations – pubs & restaurants
• Will support other businesses – appreciate networking
Overheads & sourcing• No idea or incomplete
info• Strong commitment to
supporting local suppliers and producers
• Rely on local knowledge• Aware of suppliers
expansion
Anecdotal… “our customers account for up to ¾ of the pub’s business during the summer … new tenants told they wouldn’t make a go of it without the hostel and campsite”
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5
CustodianStewardship
GuardianAdding valueBringing in income
Provides jobs & money for local
economy
Protect & enhance wildlife habitats
Look after it thoughour sustainable ethos
Maintain character of theCountryside
Looking after itCleaning up litter
Try & keep as natural as possible
Importance of location/landscape
Help enjoyShare knowledgeRaise awareness
Share appreciationInform and enthuse
Talk about itSee myself as an
educator
Impact on business behaviour
Challenge – how to continue providing such support
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Benefits• Has brought in
bookings • Attracted right type
of visitor• Contacts with more
businesses• Made more aware• None!
Support wanted:• Events, training,
networking, fam’s• Advice on grants• Literature, brochures• “Conversations like this”
As a result of Our Land• Already doing what is in the
Promise… but it’s a progressive thing
• Made me think more about what we’re doing
• Made more aware of what’s around us
• Highlighted need to act & think locally
• Learnt more about area – provide more info about area
• Kept us focused
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In summary
• A small research undertaking to gain an overview of Our Land’s impact
• Able to provide the funding body with the information they require on our achievements
• Would take a much bigger research project to quantify economic impact of Our Land on the rural economy
• Some businesses could use support / guidance on the best way of collating data
