Visit Essex Lisa Bone 2018 Highlights Growth in the value of - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Visit Essex Lisa Bone

2018 Highlights • Growth in the value of tourism by 7% • New visitor map • New Essex group show • Overnight familiarisation trip • Essex Hospitality Association • Two funding applications • New Facebook members page • Growth in Facebook and instagram • Successful training courses • Growth in the Essex Big Weekend • Participation in 4 international marketing campaigns

Marketing • Award winning website • New digital and social media strategies • Campaigns • Press and PR • Group travel • Local marketing • Visitor map • 3 rd party promotions e.g. 2 for 1 offers with railways • Creation of itineraries

Current projects

US Connections • Faith and religion • Itineraries (thematic and destination) • D-Day & Special relationship • Guiding expo • Ancestral • Training • Migration and voyages • Bookable product • Trade distribution • Trade shows • PR and Press trips

Mayflower • Trade shows • PR and press trips • Social media • Video • Itineraries and brochure • Engagement with tour operators • Event and cultural programme • www.mayflower400uk.org

Gourmet Gardens Trail • Gardens • Website • • Accommodation Itineraries • • Open spaces Video • • Food & drink attractions Trade shows • • Restaurants/cafes Travel trade training • Experiences e.g. foraging & • Press/familiarisation trips cookery courses (Explore GB) • House of Britain • VisitBritain online platform • Partnerships; Abbey UK, E- Voyage, Expedia, Garden Tours, UK Inbound

England’s Creative Coast • Geocaching Domestic marketing • • Artists installation Rail promotions • • Turner Gallery exhibition Press trips • • Homestays Partnerships (culture trip and Air bnb) • Consumer digital platform (itineraries, listings, itinerary builder, interactive mapping, inspirational content.) • Promotional film • Travel trade training • Trade shows • VisitBritain’s online platform • House of Britain & E-Voyages (fams, newsletters, brochures)

Essex path to prosperity • Trade shows • PR and press trips • Interactive mapping • Themed trails • Itineraries • Training

PROFIT • • Southend DNA and animation Think Tank • • Big data analysis Closing event, 19 Sept, Clayhill Vineyard • Consumer research • 1:1 Expert Coaching and business • Expert panels and co-creation planning • Masterclasses - Digital marketing • Inspiration trips - General marketing - Customer service - Collaboration - Assessing your performance - Brand development - Product development - Business advice e.g. tax www.profittourism.eu

Locals • Big Weekend • East Anglian pass • Shows (food and drink, Tendring) • Days out supplement • BBC Essex • Advertising • Local press • Spirit of Essex festival

Travel trade • Essex Group travel show, 8 October, Colchester FC • Excursions, Jan 2020 • Familiarisation trips • Press and PR • Targeted approach to large tour operators • VisitBritain trade platform • Essex travel trade guide

Domestic • Stay longer in Essex this Summer campaign - PR - Blogger press trips - Imagery - Itineraries - Digital marketing campaign • Autumn “This is Essex” awareness campaign

Looking ahead to 2020 • Mayflower • Thames path opening • Science and creativity festival • Thames Estuary festival • HMS Beagle

Digital Marketing - Award winning website - Advertising/ re-marketing - Photography - Video content - Filmed itineraries - Blogs - Consumer newsletter - Blogger fam trips

New Website • Interactive mapping • Enhanced listings • Links to TripAdvisor • Booking function • Advertising opportunities • Itineraries • Simplified layout • VOTEL

Social media - COMPETITIONS/ OFFERS/EVENTS/LIVE VIDEOS - Member events and news - Calendar event e.g. fathers day, christmas - Twitter following daily trends - Instagram stories, twitter moments and facebook stories

How to support our digital marketing -Update your events on our website and update entry - Ensure you have reciprocal links to our website - Add visit Essex logo/web address to newsletters, email signatures etc. - Provide us with imagery and videos - Advertising - Follow us on social media platforms - Tag us in your social media posts and create shareable content - Provide us with competition prizes - Blog content

Member Events • Essex hospitality meeting, Braxted Park 31May • Summer networking event, Essex County Cricket club 26 June • PROFIT closing event, Clayhill Vineyard 19 September Training • Videography 18 April £55 • Event Management 16 May £55 • Travel trade May FOC • Blogging October TBC • Building a brand January TBC • Customer Care November £55 • Data interpretation February £50 • Destination training On request £50

What we need from you - Images and videos - Press releases - Respond to PR call outs - Enter tourism award - Read our newsletters - Follow us on social media Participate in surveys and research - - Join our Facebook members group

Sources of information - Newsletters - Training courses - Members section of website - Member events - VisitEngland website - Facebook, Visit Essex members page

The Team Lisa Bone Tourism Manager Carol Jolly Marketing Manager Cheryl Owen Membership & Sales Manager Suzanne Rose Digital Marketing Officer Anna Boon Tourism Officer

Lisa.bone@essex.gov.uk www.visitessex.com