Cumbria Tourism

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• Cumbria Tourism
• Windermere TIC
• 19th November 2009

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Current TIC Network Structure
Local Authority (16) directly managed
Windermere, Kendal, Ulverston Barrow Grange Pe
nrith, Alston, Kirkby Stephen,
Appleby Silloth, Workington, Cockermouth White
haven, Millom Carlisle, Brampton
Cumbrias 27 TICs
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Current TIC Network Structure
Local Authority (16) directly managed
Windermere, Kendal, Ulverston,
Barrow Grange Penrith, Alston, Kirkby
Stephen, Appleby Silloth, Workington,
Cockermouth Whitehaven, Millom Carlisle,
Brampton
National Park Information Centres (3) directly
managed Keswick Bowness Ullswater
Cumbrias 27 TICs
Visit Scotland (1) Southwaite
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Current TIC Network Structure
Local Authority (16) directly managed
Windermere, Kendal, Ulverston Barrow Grange Pe
nrith, Alston, Kirkby Stephen,
Appleby Silloth, Workington, Cockermouth White
haven, Millom Carlisle, Brampton
National Park Information Centres (3) directly
managed Keswick Bowness Ullswater
Private Sector (7) Ambleside Broughton Sedbergh
Coniston Egremont Maryport Rheged
Cumbrias 27 TICs
Visit Scotland (1) Southwaite
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TIC Classifications
Strategic Geographical gateway, transport
hub, strategically important to
destination Destination Hi
gh footfall visitor destination eg
town centres, visitor
attractions Local High local users with
footfall lt 50k pa
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Strategic Destination TICs
Cumbrias Key Strategic Destination TICs Bowne
ss, Keswick Ullswater Kendal, Ulverston
Windermere Barrow, Carlisle, Penrith,
Whitehaven Ambleside, Coniston, Rheged
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Visitor Throughput

• Average footfall
• 206,000
• Average bookings value
• 482,000

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SLDC current situation as we know it

• Significant budget problems
• Total TIC Budget appox 700k (gross)
• Windermere TIC
• Expenditure 337k
• Income 115k
• Net cost 222k (100k central management costs)
• Premises owned by SLDC, little investment since
  1985
• Final decision on future of TICs due 9th December
• Deadline for other organisations to deliver the
  service extended to March 2011
• Grant scheme for next 3 years

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Cumbria Tourisms Role

• Guidance on new partnerships, new methods of
  delivery and better use of public funding
• Modernise and invest in key centres (eg Bowness)
• Continue and improve staff skills and training
  programmes
• Gather and disseminate intelligence and best
  practice
• Supporting new countywide Cumbria Visitor
  Information Partnership
• Face to face still a high priority
• LAs and LDNPA to play an active and continuing
  role

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Windermere Business Survey November 2009

• Online survey 30th October 12th November
• Purpose
• Identify importance of Windermere TIC to the
  local and wider economy, and to individual
  businesses
• Explore the future vision of the TIC
• 370 businesses contacted
• 98 responses (27)

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It provides an important feeling of welcome to
visitors to Windermere Town
(62)
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It plays an important role as an information
point at the gateway of the Lake District
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How important is Windermere TIC for your business?
Divide between businesses who rely mainly on the
internet and those who receive business from the
TIC
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How important is the TIC to Windermere Town and
the visitor economy
Very few businesses (9) rated Windermere TICs
impact in the local and wider economy as
unimportant
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Do you think the TIC should close?
Overwhelming majority of respondents feel that
not keeping the TIC open is a clear message from
the county to visitors that they are not welcome
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Pay a greater commission on accommodation
bookings?
17
Pay a commercial rate for advertising space?
18
Could the TIC be better situated?
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Who in future should be providing the service?
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Survey Conclusions

• Perception that a TIC presence is vital,
  regardless of whether it delivers direct value to
  businesses
• it provides a shop front for the whole
  area to visitors coming to this unique part of
  the UK.
• 2. Majority of respondents prefer current
  location
• 3. BUT 272 (73) businesses didnt complete the
  survey

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• Your views and feedback?