Argyll and the Isles Strategic Tourism Partnership

Stronger Together; the Journey so Far

Tourism Summit 01st

March 2012

Report

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Introduction

The Argyll and the Isles Strategic Tourism Partnership (AISTP) held another Tourism

Summit to follow up on the success of the event in Oban 2011 when you, the industry,

sent a clear message on what the AISTP should be doing for you. Whilst a key

objective was for the AISTP to listen again to the industry, an equally important

objective was to allow the AISTP to tell the industry what we have been doing over the

last year.

This year 140 delegates registered for the event held at the stunning location of

Portavadie Marina on the Cowal peninsula. Your feedback was clear that you enjoyed

the venue, the food and the programme of events and we are grateful to our sponsors

for assisting in making the day a success; these include;

What is the Argyll and the Isles Strategic Tourism Partnership?

The Argyll and the Isles Strategic Tourism Partnership is a collaboration of tourism

industry and public sector representatives who collectively seek to shape and inform the

strategic direction of tourism within the Argyll and the Isles. The key objectives of the

AISTP are as follows;

Act as a catalyst for optimal development of the tourism industry

Partnership approach to a better understanding of the industry and future trends

Develop industry to promote the sustainable development of the tourism industry

Assist prioritisation and promotion of the tourism industry in a sustainable

manner

Argyll and the Isles Tourism Summit; Oban 2011

Over 120 delegates travelled to Oban from many parts of Argyll and the Isles to

participate in the first event of its kind in Argyll. The key actions that the AISTP agreed

to deliver were;

Prepare Tourism Summit Report with actions identified

Adopt an umbrella identity

Communication and member engagement

This summit was an opportunity to explain how these agreed actions are being

delivered and this report captures the highlights of the day.

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Argyll and the Isles Tourism Summit; Portavadie Marina 20112

The Speakers

Malcolm Roughead, OBE, Chief Executive Officer of VisitScotland

presented the keynote address. Malcolm’s key message was the

importance of investment in tourism related infrastructure, particularly

during a recession to ensure that the region has a competitive edge

when buoyant markets return.

Malcolm presented a market overview for 2010 for Argyll and the Isles

based on visitor survey undertaken in 2011. The key statistics are as

follows;

The economic value of tourism in 2010 was £244m; this is split as follows;

o International £41m

o Domestic £143m

79% of our visitors are repeat visitors compared to 21% of new visitors

The top reasons for visitors choosing to visit Argyll and the Isles is as follows;

Scenery

49%

History 14%

Recommendation 19%

Particular attraction 22%

Area I know well 22%

Specific activities available 14%

Undertake a particular activity 17%

Accommodation deal 14%

All forecasts appear to demonstrate potential growth from the domestic markets and consequently Argyll and the Isles is well placed to take advantage of the coming period of the ‘winning years’. With nearly 80% of visitors returning, it is clear that visitors are satisfied with their experience in Argyll and the Isles.

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However, businesses must identify the opportunities that will arise from the winning years and in particular, the Homecoming in 2014.

Malcolm advised that to date, organisations within Argyll and the

Isles had received £113,875 from the VisitScotland Growth Fund,

however, Malcolm was pleased to advise that this figure had just

increased to £177,375 on account of the AISTP just having been

granted £63,500 from the Growth Fund and cited the AISTP as

terrific example of sustainable partnership working in tourism.

Mike Story, Vice Chair of the AISTP led us on the

‘Journey so Far’ outlining how the strategic tourism

partnership has evolved from a ‘talking shop’ to a body

that is taking important actions to grow tourism including;

Membership of the AISTP was changed so that

the partnership became industry led, and

reinforced with strong public sector support and

facilitation.

Tourism Summit March 2011 – key actions for the

AISTP developed.

April 2010; feedback and actions from the Tourism Summit indicated a 93%

approval rating.

Formation of key subgroups to develop the following key areas;

o The Umbrella Identity and Branding

o VisitScotland Exposition and other Expo’s

o Communications

o Other areas for development included the website and funding

Formation of key alliances with Argyll Food Producers, Forestry Tourism,

Scottish Land and Estates, The Scottish Government, Argyll & the Isles

Agricultural Forum and others.

Mike then set out the AISTP, through the new trading organisation would be working for

the tourism industry as follows;

The AISTP will become an advisory board for a new trading organisation; Argyll

and the Isles Tourism Ltd. Led by directors from industry, membership will be

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made up of representatives from the local tourism destination and marketing

groups from across the region.

The delivery of a two year £164,000 programme funded by;

o Argyll and Bute Council

o Highlands and Islands Enterprise

o VisitScotland Growth Fund

o Leader Argyll and the Island

The programme will deliver;

o The Argyll and the Isles ‘Umbrella Identity’ and Brand

o A combined Argyll and the Isles presence VS Expo 2012 and other

expositions.

o An upgraded and optimised website.

o Key objective of influencing the success of our industry by massively

increasing the visibility of Argyll and the Isles as a world class tourist

destination

o Targeting key sectorial markets including food and drink, wildlife, history,

heritage, marine, accommodation, scenery, outdoor activities, in which to

represent Argyll and the Isles.

The website www.argyllandtheisles.com will be completely overhauled to reflect the

new Argyll and the Isles overarching brand, and to showcase Argyll and the Isles as a

world class destination. It will offer the tourism industry, local destination and

marketing associations, and customers, a range of social networking applications and

striking imagery, both professional and customer submitted. In addition, the site will

include an information repository with a portal for members, travel trade and other

media, presenting a strong regional identity with rich content on what to see & do in the

area. Finally, the site will include an image library and toolkit for travel trade & industry

and a database of familiarisation trips for journalists and the travel trade

representatives. A key objective will be the development of the site as a regional portal

and message board for the local destination and marketing associations and therefore

will not seek to displace the existing media already developed by the local destination

and marketing associations

Mike’s final message is to reinforce that tourism is everyone’s business and that the

AISTP will work with you to deliver;

An increase in the visibility of our region.

Lobby for improvements in roads and a fully integrated public transport

network.

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Lobby for better 3G and broadband.

Assist in the development of regional visitor management, including 24/7

information and booking screens with integrated information provision.

Work with Argyll and the Isles marketing groups to support and strengthen

them.

James Stewart, Chief Operating Officer for the Royal Yachting Association

Scotland (RYAS) provided an overview of the strategic importance of marine tourism to

Argyll and the Isles; currently worth £40m a year.

Marine tourism is not just about sailing but all water borne events

including angling, diving, paddle sports etc. Argyll and the Isles

have a world class opportunity to develop this market due to its

natural assets of great sailing waters and iconic seascapes.

The key is to understand your specific markets for growing your

business so ask yourself some questions. Boaters can be tired and

grumpy at the end of the day and are looking for the step ashore to

be a welcome. Boaters are influenced by time, tides and weather

and therefore can be a captive market. Is your location a venue, destination or a

‘stepping stone’ to somewhere else? To help understand your market, speak to your

local points of contact, for example, local boating clubs, training centres and volunteers.

James presented a case study on The Toper National in North Berwick where the

average sailor was less than 18 years of age. There were over 300 contestants and

often had family and friends travelling with them resulting in over 1,000 visitors in the

locality for a week! If you are not sure where to start, contact RYAS and begin that

communication.

Carron Tobin from rural Dimensions provided a practical insight into cultural tourism

and its relevance to Argyll & the Isles using the experience of the Heart of Argyll

Tourism Alliance to bring to life what is happening locally.

Cultural Tourism has many definitions but focuses on providing

tourists and visitors to a region with a deeper understanding and

direct experience of the local lifestyles, the history of the people,

their art, built heritage, and elements that shaped their lives. Cultural

Tourism is a growth sector internationally and cultural tourists are

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generally considered to be big spenders, keen to visit museums, taste local food, buy

local crafts and participate in local traditional events and festivals.

Using the ‘heART of ARGYLL’ initiative as a case study, Carron set out the importance

of ‘authenticity’ of place and within the community to cultural tourism.

The ‘heART of ARGYLL’ initiative is being progressed by the Heart of Argyll Tourism

Alliance which is in itself a legacy of the £3m Heritage Lottery funded Dalriada Project.

A partnership has been established between Artmap Argyll, Kilmartin House Museum

and the Alliance and work is progressing on a 2 year programme of events and festivals

celebrating the cultural heritage of the Mid Argyll area, notably Kilmartin Glen, Knapdale

and the Crinan Canal. In addition work is progressing in Ardrishaig exploring the

potential to use community based public art to encourage visitors to stop in the village

and explore the canal. This cross sectorial partnership has secured a significant

investment from Creative Scotland under their Culture & Tourism funding.

The message is that we are surrounded by cultural tourism and through partnership

working there are opportunities for all to identify the opportunities and ‘package’ them as

part of a wider compelling reason for visitors to stay longer in our destinations.

Michael Russell MSP for Argyll and Bute had a message

relating to three core issues.

Investment; during periods of economic downturn is the time for

laying down foundations for the tourism industry and investing in

opportunities for when the market returns which it will do. Mike

cited Portavadie Marina as such an example that will

undoubtedly be successful in the longer term.

Variety; there is a range of tourism markets around the world

and Argyll is no exception. Argyll and the Isles have the opportunity to capitalise on

culture and the environment, two key sustainable economic assets which we have in

abundance.

Connectivity; our transportation infrastructure is critical to our success and whilst roads

are a problem effective, lobbying is on-going. Rail and air are not being ignored and

more can be done in these sectors. In respect of digital connectivity, whilst broadband

is moving towards resolution, nothing is moving in respect of 3G mobile phone

communications which is essential for tourism businesses. Michael finished by stating

that he will continue to lobby on improved connectivity for Argyll and pledges his support

as the constituency MSP for the AISTP.

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Q&A with Expert Panel

The speakers agreed to sit on the expert panel and were joined by Ian Cleaver,

Managing Director of Highland Heritage. Facilitated by Robert Pollock, Head of

Economic Development and Strategic Transportation for Argyll and Bute Council, the

key messages for the AISTP were captured as follows;

The strategic approach to tourism transport infrastructure in Argyll and the Isles

needs to be improved including aviation to increase potential tourism flights into

Argyll.

Accurate and appropriate signage to tourism related business is an issue that

needs attention.

A strategic approach is required to the provision of up to date visitor information.

What are the market opportunities around major events i.e. Olympic games?

Access to finance is a major issue for tourism businesses.

Opportunities in ecotourism.

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Workshops

Rene Looper from TuMinds Social Media Tourism Consultancy provided a fascinating

insight to ‘social media for business, why?’ A summary of his key messages are

captured below.

Social networking enables people a lot easier and quicker to

communicate with others and we tend to share experiences with

our friends and family using Facebook and Twitter. We also

share experiences with people we've never met using review

sites like Trip advisor, Qype, Yelp and location based marketing

platforms like Foursquare and Facebook check-ins. Customers

can easily post and share their personal experiences with

millions of people using these sites and people are eager to hear

about personal experiences and recommendations of people

they've never met!

14% of people trust advertising, whilst almost 80% of people

trust recommendations! Therefore a business is better off spending time on how they

are perceived on the internet.

Having a Facebook presence in the form of a Facebook page offers many advantages

for businesses: Although it's not entirely free, the investment is time, which needs to be

managed and the trick is not to spend too much time on it but try to minimise it to 15-30

minutes a day. Details of the social media talk including the slides and video see

TuMinds web site on http://www.tuminds.com/

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David Adams McGilp, Regional Director from

VisitScotland and Steven Dott, Senior Tourism

Manager from HIE led the workshop on Marine

Tourism and the key messages are captured below.

Central marine information resource.

Regionally this could be

www.argyllandtheisles.com - is there an

appetite/requirement for a national resource

beyond existing TIS/Marine Scotland/Marine Strategy Forum/ Firth of Clyde

Forum/ Fisheries Advisory Boards?

Sources of advice for industry: TIS Guide was cited as popular and useful

example.

TIS guides online update potential - capable of posting new/updated information

immediately

Information for visitors - what’s missing from the suite of services already

available?

Signage - important for all visitors (from land and sea) - what is where?

Development priorities will differ from location to location, but a sub-group of AIT

could establish consensus on a regional scale and feed into national investment

programmes.

Marketing & PR. The roles and responsibilities of industry are acknowledged in

terms of providing itineraries/ideas/destination exposure for familiarization trips

for UK and international media.

Product Development – recognised potential opportunities for development of

products such as Sea Kayak trail (1st in Scotland) role for public sector to

facilitate this but must be industry led.

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Carron Tobin of rural Dimensions led the workshop on Cultural Tourism and

facilitated a discussion around the following questions;

How well do we understand our cultural offer?

What do we do well at the moment?

What is needed looking to the future?

What opportunities are open to us based on our unique cultural heritage?

Argyll and the Isles has many ‘cultural claims’ including the cradle of the Scottish Nation

at Dunadd, the birthplace of Christianity in Scotland at Iona, the seat of more than 30

clans and has many important associations including artists, writers and inventors.

However, we are perhaps guilty of not fully appreciating how others (especially

overseas visitors) see our heritage. Within this we need to better understand what

cultural tourists are looking for and to this end we should make much more use of the

fantastic resource provided by Tourism Intelligence Scotland.

We need to develop a range of authentic packages as actual products providing the full

experience from how people get here, where they stay, what they eat, their evening

entertainment as well as what they see and do during the day.

Events are a very effective way of engaging visitors in cultural heritage but could these

be better coordinated across the region in a manner that attracts new markets?

Niche sectors for Argyll and the Isles includes Clan Tourism (rich legacy), Technological

tourism e.g. aviation and Bute, John Logie Baird, the Argyll Car (road tested on the Rest

& Be Thankful), Faith Tourism (e.g. religious pilgrimage including St Kessog, St

Columba) and how does the industry optimise around the thematic years i.e. Year of

Creative Scotland, Natural Scotland and Homecoming 2014

Finally, what role can the AISTP play?

Strategic engagement with agencies, funders and cultural groups.

Develop key cultural heritage anchors/stories that are part of our Argyll and the Isles offer to the outside world.

Consider generating a series of case studies from here and further afield to share and inspire.

Devise a cultural heritage strategic plan and more immediate business plan setting out realistic actions to make more of what we have

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Argyll and the Isles Tourism Award

Ian Cleaver, Managing Director of

Highland Heritage was recognised for his

dedication to tourism though out a long

and distinguished career with over 40

years’ experience in the tourism sector.

Since 1981, Ian has built up a hugely

successful family owned coach tour

company which for over 30 years has

showcased the best of Scotland and in

particular Argyll and the Isles. During the

period 2002 – 2008, Ian was a board member of the Argyll and the Islands Enterprise

and was Vice Chair of the former Argyll and the Islands, Loch Lomond, Stirling and the

Trossachs (AILLST) Tourism Board. Ian, a member of the AISTP, was clearly shocked

but delighted at receiving the award which was presented by His Grace the Duke of

Argyll.

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Appendix 1; Analysis of feedback recorded on evaluation forms

Delegates who attended the tourism summit were asked to complete an evaluation

form.

Overall, how useful did you find today’s event?

Very useful: 41 (66%) Quite useful: 18 (32%) Not very useful: 0 (0%) Not useful at all: 0 (2%)

Did the event:

Inspire you to collaborate to support tourism in the area? Yes: 56 (95%) No: 3 (5%)

Inspire you to support a collaborative approach? Yes: 57 (97%) No: 2 (3%)

N.B Where percentage total is less than 100, not all respondents ticked all boxes

How beneficial did you find the content of today?

Very Useful Quite Useful Not very useful Not useful at all

Speakers 39 (66%) 20 (34%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%)

Expert Panel Q&A 24 (42%) 28 (49%) 5 (9%) 0 (0%)

Presentations from local marketing groups 26 (45%) 27 (47%) 3 (5%) 2 (3%)

Networking Opportunities 41 (71%) 17 (29%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%)

What workshop did you attend?

Marine Tourism 14 Cultural Tourism 20 Social Media 23 None 2

How beneficial did you find the workshop?

Very Useful Quite Useful Not very useful Not useful at all

30 20 4 0

How did you rate the following?

Very Good

Quite Good

Not very good

Not good at all

The venue 56 2 0 0

The food 56 1 1 0

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Any other comments: All comments included verbatim

Just congratulations on a great event. It was worth the journey. The best tourism event (both inspirational and networking) I have been to in Argyll since I moved here in 2008. Well done and I am really glad to hear that there is now one umbrella organisation promoting ARGYLL.

Unfortunately not enough time to discuss many of the points raised during the workshop. More time needs to be allocated to workshops for next summit.

Definitely a worthwhile event and pulling people together from all parts of Argyll, and for showing a communal commitment.

Great event, well organised! I felt fired up and I'm not even running a business in Argyll and the Isles! ;) Didn’t rate the workshop as I was running it myself ;) Rene

Networking opportunities were limited - it is always difficult to identify key contacts pertinent to one’s own business. I have been to an event where there was a 'speed networking' session before, which was helpful, where delegates wore colour coded badges to identify which part of the industry they represented. Excellent event overall! - Thank you.

Workshop - big topic too little time Q&A - got bogged down in Tarbert Since the event we have contacted AITSP by e mail on 2 accounts and have not received a reply to either (to my knowledge noon today Tues Contact via the website form.

Great event, very well organised. Congratulations to Martin Breslin from VS, Stuart Green from A&B Council and everyone else involved. Mike Story is the breath of fresh air that's needed to inspire all those doubters in Argyll to work together.

Short of time at the workshop. I believe it has been proposed to move to other Tourist Venues in future years which I think is a great idea to promote and familiarise all of us with the group we are part of and the 'product' we are promoting.

A great day and showcase for the AISTP.

Keep it annually

Very enjoyable - thank you

Thanks

Well done - see you next year

Keep it up!

Email contacts for delegates/groups please

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I'm not convinced that the feedback from the workshop will be accurate. It was very rushed. Be good to give the workshop a bit more time next time. I'm not sure the workshop facilitator was really listening (Marine). Overall a good event and worth running. I will attend next year. Thank you

Signage would have been helpful. Meeting room cold

Less ambitious agenda would aid networking which is why I will always try to attend

I like the "Stronger Together" theme perhaps you can get Alex Salmond to attend next time

Remember social enterprise, community involvement and cultural tourism

How about more regular workshops on the issues

Going from strength to strength each year

Well done

Stick to the timetable - would have liked more Q&A's

Superb venue and catering. Well run event

Keep it up!

Fantastic event, enlightening and productive for a newcomer to Argyll tourism. Thank you

Very well presented - informative

Vegetarian roll at breakfast!

Excellent venue with positive contribution

Good choice of venue, helping to promote the new facilities

Stage presentation very poor. Sound bad. Slides with too much text on. Projector keystone. Otherwise Portavadie excellent venue. Lunch could have been quicker

Produced on behalf of AISTP by Argyll and Bute Council