What’s hot for 2012

Current outlook

At the Visitor Economy Forum I attended last month, forecasters were cautious about the business outlook for 2012.  STR Global indicated that the majority of UK hotels are being affected to some extent by slowdown in demand, with major chains reporting evidence of people downgrading their grade of accommodation , and others deciding not to make a trip at all.

On the positive side:

• London has seen a 12% increase in available accommodation for visitors, with almost no adverse effect on occupancy levels – indicating increasing demand and prices holding firm.
• Budget accommodation is more in demand than ever, and site shortage has resulted in the likes of Travelodge expanding into spaces above high footfall retail premises such as supermarkets, particularly in outer areas of the capital.
• Budget operators are scouring the most attractive protected landscapes and national parks in the English countryside for suitable premises to take over and expand into.
• A new Premier Inn has recently sprouted on the rooftop level of the new Westfield shopping centre at Stratford International
• Unconventional online lettings agencies are springing up to promote apartments and homestays with easy access to London; but quality could be an issue. Look out for user generated reviews to counter this risk.

Business Opportunities

• Keep an eye out for  pop up shops and retailers – or even consider starting one yourself.  Taste of London pop up restaurant festival will be in Regents Park June 21-24. Presale tickets available online now.
• London 2012 merchandise is now on sale at John Lewis, Next, Adidas, The Post Office and official shops at St Pancras, Heathrow and Stratford City. Get yourself, your staff and your business dressed up for the Olympic torch relay when it passes by. No one in the UK should be more than 10 miles from the route, according to the organsiers.
• Obviously attractive popular official 2012 merchandise, like posters and pin badges are already on sale and may sell out nearer the time – so buy them now.
• Shop now for Union Jack accessories, window dressing and get thinking on how to celebrate the games with customers and staff.
• Editorial teams in the media are already out there looking for stories about places and happenings in Britain in 2012. If you’ve got anything  new, unusual or eccentric coming up, or if you win an award for something in your business – this is the year to share it with the world – and issue a series of news releases.  Dont forget to post them onto your website.
• This is likely to be a year of innovative and opportunistic developments like no other.
• New businesses may find it hard to get established unless eye catching promotions or discounts are offered. Social media makes it possible for a small business to make a big noise though.
• Don’t forget it’s the Queen’s Golden Jubilee (with an extra long weekend holiday in June to boot).
• Yet more opportunities await those businessses able to capitalise on the bicentenary of the birth of the novelist Charles Dickens, who enjoys a global network of fans. He travelled all over the UK, with many hostelries  he patronised still in business as hotels and restaurants. Visitor attractions in many towns and cities where he lived worked or set his novels (Portsmouth, London, Rochester, Broadstairs, all spring instantly to mind) are in line for a welcome windfall as well.

Regional winners and losers

Again, according to STR Global

• Of all UK cities outside London, Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow and Leeds are all prospering most.
• Brighton and York are also likely to do well thanks to strong demand boosted by steady year round visitors attending meetings conferences and business events.
• Edinburgh willl continue to suffer from remedial repair works to crumbling tarmac along the controversial Princes Street tram route (laid along  in the very heart of the city in 2009); and although work was suspended over Christmas and New Year, word has spread on social media of unsightly hoardings and traffic disruption. I saw it myself in the autumn, and it’s likely to discourage or disappoint some visitors until it completes in July.

Leisure trends

Olive Insight, reporting further on their ongoing research for Visit Britain, both during and in the aftermath of the last recession, have found

• More people are now ( 61%) worried about the economic outlook in Britain than they were during the recession in June 2009 (when the figure was 40%).
• Earlier research showed that there was a tendency for consumers to ring fence their spending on holidays; but somewhat worryingly, this appears to no longer be the case.
• More people than ever are now looking to stretch their budget by taking advantage of deals and special offers.
• Businesses take note! Propositions offering service upgrades, added value, an inspiration you may not have thought of for yourself, or an opportunity to enjoy a bit of self indulgence, work best.

Will Brits still go abroad?

Here’s a  round up of current thinking:

• Demand for domestic holidays in 2012 is likely to strengthen because of the economic situation
• Our current near-recession makes our  offering more competitive as a destination to visit.
• Research from  TUI claims that outbound demand from Brits is holding up for traditional summer destinations such as mainland Spain and the Balearics, for those who want to get away from the fuss this summer.
• I suspect that other southern European Eurozone countries with economic issues, such as Greece, and even Italy, may not be so lucky in the current economic climate.
• In my neck of the woods in Kent, people are feeling cautious about leaving the country; mainly because they don’t want to miss out in this year of a lifetime.

Can we help you?
Virtual Viv is part of the team at Manifold Associates, working in the UK and travelling the world independently to inform you with incisive commentary in words and pictures about news that matters. We want to help businesses  maximise the benefits of the forthcoming exciting months.

Our recent projects have included researching and authenticating, on behalf of Visit Kent, locations still recognisable today, that have associations with Charles Dickens in advance of the bicentenary of his birth. We welcome freelance photo journalism assignments and writing commissions. Vivienne Boucher has recently been comissioned to write a feature article about The Kent of Dickens, which has been published in the January 2012 issue of BBC Countryfile magazine.

Maybe you’re a business looking to capitalise on the opportunities that 2012 might bring to you. If so, please get in touch.

 

What hope for those seeking or offering accommodation for London 2012?

 

Are you among those who were successful in obtaining tickets for London 2012? Well I’m afraid that you’ve now got another challenge  on your hands if you’re planning a visit to London during the games! If you’re travelling a fair distance to get to the Olympic Park, or any of the other venues in  London or elsewhere, you’d better get thinking about your strategy for finding accommodation.

In this post I’ve tried to take a realistic view about alternative strategies that I feel could have a realistic chance of success. Accommodation providers should already be making efforts to market their accommodation  availability during both games periods next year. In an unscientific straw poll I found that at this stage much already appears to be sold out .

You might want to consider planning how you (or your guests) are going to get to the games venues by public transport or otherwise, and find out whether a day trip is feasible. No doubt you can also appreciate why it’s already very much in the interest of all accommodation providers to research and publish information online and offline for visitors about likely journey times, the convenience of their location,and how to get to  2012 games venues by public transport.

If you need to stay over, here’s Visit London’s official accommodation finder for London 2012

Many of the evening sessions at The Olympic Park in London finish late – around 10pm, and it already looks as if most events will be sold out, so you can be almost sure that it’s going to be a battle to find accommodation, unless that is, you’ve already booked an official package available through Thomas Cook which guarantees you accommodation linked to tickets.

Favoured locations to stay in the London area
Given an unlimited budget and a free choice, in London I’d recommend looking to stay towards the east of London, or Docklands, and choosing The City, rather than the centre of the West End, in the months of July, August and September, when the weather in London generrally tends to be both hot and humid. Hotels in these areas should already be emphasising the benefits of their location in their marketing materials, and illustrating it in images.

As part of the deal for games ticket holders at London venues, those lucky people  will all get free travel on London public transport for the day of the event they hold tickets for, making location slightly less of a consideration, although they’ll still need to consider traffic and travel time to the venue involved. Here’s information about the area of London covered by a Games Travelcard on the day, which might allow people to widen their search area.

Other considerations

Another possible option for games ticket holders might be to narrow down their accommodation choice to a particular area that they favour, and then walk the streets on their next visit to London (well before the games), to try and find likely looking prospective accommodation. Accommodation providers may therefore find walk-ins by prospective guests enquiring about London 2012 will increase, and need to consider how to handle them.

Being near any sort of waterfront is clearly a good option for accomodation, but it is only likely to be available at a premium cost.Most people’s first choice is likely to be anything on or near any part of the River Thames, a canal, or a green space. Proximity to Hyde Park and all the games venues will probably cost people a premium, as will a position on or near water or any of the garden squares dotted about in Kensington, Pimlico or Belgravia. But you’ll be lucky to find any accommodation at all in London at the moment; because huge allocations have already been snapped up by the games organisers for officials, sponsors and competitors; and the balance is probably being held by tour operators for their regular clients on scheduled tours.

At this stage, the situation is likely to be the same in and around other games venues such as Weymouth (sailing), and Windsor (rowing). With football tickets so far proving less popular, you might be luckier in those cities where matches are being played – at the moment – but even there I wouldn’t wait too long!

Possible strategies

If a prospective guest is prepared to pay upfront, they might just get lucky by being persistant with the hotel(s) of their choice by contacting them direct, as soon as their date of stay is known.

The alternative is for them to hold their nerve, register  interest on any accommodation web sites or written waiting lists they can find, that will accept their expressions of interest; and be prepared to take a chance later, immediatelywhen contacted, if an opportunity should arise. You can bet that some unsold rooms are likely released from allocations nearer the time; but the chances are that rates will remain high, and only the less attractive locations, and probably only the lowest category rooms within each property, will have availability at the very last minute.

I’m not sure I’d rate my chances for rooms during the games being available on Late Rooms or Last Minute.com; but they too could be worth trying nearer the time, as could multiple chains such as Best Western, Holiday Inn Express, Premier Inn and Travelodge in locations with good rail connections into the capital.

Alternatives to hotels during London 2012

1. Stay with friends or relations near a games venue (offer to pay)
   
2. Consider a home exchange
3. Look at apartments
4. Contact property management companies offering rentals
5. Dip your toe into the waters of alternative accommodation providers that I’ve picked up from the media. These all come with a ‘health warning’ because I haven’t used any of them personally:
   Camp in my Garden ; Air Band B; self catering and camping in Lee Valley Parks ; Silver Door; Go Native; Glamping; http://www.bedandfed.co.uk/;

Good luck!

Can we help you with marketing ?

Virtual Viv is part of the team at Manifold Associates, working in the UK and travelling the world independently to inform you with incisive commentary about things that matter in marketing.   Freelance assignments welcomed. Maybe you’re a business looking to capitalise on the opportunities that London 2012 might bring to you. We’re flexible and versatile. If you’d like to discuss how we might be able to help you with marketing, please get in touch.

PS To access a list of all my posts about the games, click on the words ‘London 2012′ under the heading ‘Tags’ on the right.

More information about The Boundary restaurant with rooms  in Shoreditch

 

 

Britain – you’re invited! Opportunities for all

Running rings round tradition!

With 2012 less than a year away, I can feel the beginnings of a buzz in the air. The UK government has just published its long awaited tourism strategy; and in one of the first publicly visible actions to commemorate London hosting the games next year, the ubiquitous multicoloured rings have been suspended across the ends of the platforms at London St Pancras International train station.

St Pancras is the departure point for the Javelin high speed trains that are already running to Stratford International, home of the London 2012 Olympic Park, and the new Westfield Stratford City shopping centre that opens there in September this year.

Incidentally, the Javelin high speed trains also already make the journey on from Stratford International to Ebbsfleet International, Ashford International and other attractive places to stay in the county of Kent, such as Canterbury, Faversham and Medway. Read my previous post on the subject.

Exciting times for UK tourism

It’s an exciting time for everyone involved in the British visitor economy. There are lots of new opportunities for everyone to derive lasting benefit from having the eyes of the world, (and, thanks to digital media, more of them than ever before) on Britain. More information about London 2012.

What’s more, if you run a business involved in the UK visitor economy, you can sign up for a travel trade trade newsletter , access some useful free marketing tools, and tell Visit Britain news about your plans for 2012 at the Tourism2012games website. Businesses can also register to tender for 2012 contracts on the Compete For website; and anyone can subscribe to daily news about London 2012 at insidethe games.com. You might even want to become a retailer of official 2012 merchandise, or other souvenirs offering something typically British, yourself.  Read my post on what makes a good souvenir.

London 2012: growing visibility ‘on the street’

A store selling official games merchandise is already up and running at London St Pancras International . The huge range, also available online, includes everything from fine jewellery and tea cups to pin badges, stationery, oven gloves, sportswear, steel athlete construction kits, and even a book of keep fit exercises. With prices starting at £5, there’s something for every budget, and it’s ideal for people looking out for something different to take as a gift for people overseas. Here are some more of my ideas for typically British gifts, from a list of English fragrances to ideas about where to buy English food products.

Other official London 2012 shops can already be found at Paddington station, John Lewis Oxford Street 5th floor and Terminal 5 airside at London Heathrow Airport. In addition, Adidas is the official sportswear partner, and Next is the official clothing and homeware supplier for London 2012 (both have their own ranges; but note that not all stores carry the range yet, so check out the respective websites for details). More information about the official merchandise range.

More visible games related branding and outlets selling merchandise will no doubt follow, as London, and games venues in other parts of the country, start to get dressed up in anticipation. Britain is already getting into celebratory mood this year, starting with the Royal wedding, that will take place at Westminster Abbey on Friday 29th April, now a public holiday. Prince William’s fiance, Kate Middleton’s parents business Party Pieces is already selling commemorative accessories with a union jack theme , if you’re planning a party.

Get your games tickets sorted – pronto!

Now is also the time to apply for games tickets. They start at just £20 each, and all the information you need can be found at www.tickets.london2012.com

2012 logistics

I recently attended an industry workshop concerned with London 2012 at Windsor Racecourse, and was amazed and hugely impressed at the sheer scale of the logistical organisation already well in hand within the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in preparation for the London 2012 rowing events taking place there at Dorney Lake, part of Eton School . No doubt it’s the same at other locations. I know the sailing facilities at Weymouth are already fully operational and the White Water rafting centre is opening imminently at Waltham Cross.

There’s a lot to think about when organising any major international event let alone these games, from obvious things like security for participants, officials and spectators, to parking and traffic management, through to the less obvious considerations such as finding ways to ensure that daily life for local residents is disrupted as little as possible, while all the while encouraging local businesses to gear up to receive, and indeed welcome, increased call volumes, footfall and media interest.

The Windsor tourism team is already looking at working with social media, and is planning a smartphone app. I think there’s going to be a big opportunity for savvy businesses to harness social media channels to capture incremental business and passing trade, for example with the aid of smart phone apps and websites from providers such as Urban Spoon, Top Table, Groupon, Facebook Deals and Living Social. To preview the potential check out what Alton Towers theme park are already doing with social media.

Accomodation inclusive packages

There will also shortly be accommodation inclusive London 2012 ticket packages available from branches of Thomas Cook in Britain. More information.

Looking for insider information?

Virtual Viv is part of the team at Manifold Associates, working in the UK and travelling the world independently to inform you with incisive commentary about things that matter in marketing and the international visitor economy. Freelance assignments welcomed. We’re flexible and versatile. If you’d like to discuss how we might be able to help you, do get in touch.

Looking to push the boat out? Take advantage of crazy offers and publicity stunts

Is there a point to crazy offers?

Tourism businesses sometimes need to take a risk and get innovative with their promotional ideas if they want to attract the more adventurous prospective customers. Here’s a selection of hotel offers at the more extreme end of the spectrum that take some beating.

While I don’t think that hoteliers expect many bookings from their crazier promotions; there’s no doubt that it gets them talked about, both online, and in the media generally! After all, the first stage in influencing a prospective customer favourably on behalf of a busness, is to create awareness that the business exists in the first place. Publicity stunts are designed to  attract media attention, and are frequently associated with photo or video opportunities, so perhaps they’re not quite such a crazy idea after all!

Publicity stunts that deserve attention

Air Portugal found it worked for them when they executed a well planned flash mob event at Lisbon Airport Christmas 2009 which helped put a smile of the face of their customers, and other weary air passengers. Look at their faces. Naturally, the event was filmed for posterity and the professionally edited results were posted onto You Tube, the video sharing web site. Meanwhile, in Belgium, flash mobs have been out ambushing rail passengers at Brussels and Antwerp train stations. Note how these events have also been posted onto You Tube too.  On You Tube visitors to the site rate the films they watch, and forward the best on to their friends, talk about them on Twitter,  insert links to them on their Facebook page, or recommend them on sites such as Digg.com. That’s how social media works. It’s what used to be called ‘word of mouth marketing’ – it just works a bit quicker and with much bigger numbers.

Just look at the number of views! As you can see from these examples, it’s not a bad idea if you’ve got a creative streak, to produce a video that illustrates your customers, or staff, or both, really enjoying themselves, even if they do need a bit of support from professional or enthusuiastic amateur actors, musicians or dancers. If the results are truly original and entertaining the results can spread online just like a virus; and that’s why such films are called viral videos.

Do you need help?

Are you a business or organisation involved in the visitor economy that needs help to boost awareness and is looking to secure more media coverage to reach prospective visitors or guests? Manifold Associates could help you come up with compelling ideas to encourage the world to beat a path to your door, or search for your business on the world wide web. We can also introduce you to our network of professonals, who make a living creating promotional video, if you don’t feel up to taking a DIY approach.

Visit our website for more information about what we have to offer, including what customers think about our services as marketing consultants.

An insiders guide to making an exhibition of yourself

When I was recently offered the opportunity of showcasing my business at a consumer exhibition, I jumped at the chance. It seemed to offer a good opportunity to see if I could  generate some local sales leads, even although it meant giving up a precious day of my time over a weekend, usually reserved as sacrosanct family time. However I soon discovered, whether you’re a visitor to an exhibition, or an exhibitor hosting a stand, if it’s a summer event, there can be a lot to think about. One thing’s for sure, during the course of the day I learned a lot!

Supporting charity
The exhibition was part of a community open day for the Kent air ambulance, and held at their headquarters and operational base. The life saving air ambulance service of Kent is entirely dependent upon the community, particularly the groups, clubs, business, organisations and individuals who fundraise on its behalf. It happens to be based in our local village, and is a real lifesaver when major incidents or serious road traffic accidents occur. I’ve seen how it the benefited a local farmer we know, who was seriously injured in a tractor accident on neighbouring land, some distance from the nearest road.

I try to support local charities, and it’s something clients notice long term, on a subliminal level. That’s why I make sure I always buy Kent Air Ambulance Christmas Cards, and contribute to their fundraising activities when I can.

Some of the interesting ways Kent Air Ambulance create an additional buzz for visitors of all ages on their open day, which is aimed mainly at fundraising from the general public, is to bring in children’s amusements, vintage car owners clubs, and an entertaining Star Wars costuming group called UK Garrison.

How weather plays a part

If an event is partially held outdoors, as this one always is, the weather can be an important influence on overall success. This is something that exhibitors and visitors need to bear in mind. On this occasion the event was held on one of the hottest days of the year (so far).

One has to dress appropriately for temperatures approaching 30ºC and high humidity, which dictated an airy linen dress for me (linen or silk, blended with cotton as a less expensive alternative,  are usually the best bet for the more formal items of clothing when it’s really hot), and comfortable shoes. There’s nothing more off putting for visitors than a perspiring exhibitor!

You don’t want to look like you’re suffering from stress if you hope to make a positive and favourable impression on people. My advice is check the weather forecast and dress accordingly, and go for a layered look if there’s any uncertainty. Exhibition visitors will also feel more comfortable heeding this advice.

Another aspect to consider is the effect of extreme temperature on plant displays. In these times of austerity it seemed appropriate to use skills honed in the local church flower arranging circle to save on the cost of decorating my stand, by creating two fresh flower arrangements myself. My arrangements included some billowy pink peonies from the garden. In spite of overnight conditioning, some of the peonies began to wilt noticeably in the heat. By mid afternoon it became necessary to remove two blooms that had begun to go brown round the edges. Keep everything watered, and whisk away any dead or dying stuff – at exhibitions appearances count for a lot.

Postioning considerations

I was lucky that my stand was postioned by an entrance, which is usually a high traffic area, (retail experts call this space with high footfall), and therefore with greater potential to generate stand visitors.  Corner spots are often good too, as you can capture visitors passing in two directions. Premium stand positions may be priced to exhibitors at a premium. In this case try at least to get an ‘early bird rate’ by committing to exhibit early on.

Something I hadn’t thought about at all was air flow. I’d decided to use multi coloured helium balloons to help attract attention to my stand. It wasn’t a bad idea, but what I didn’t realise was that a position by a door can mean a strong one way draught develops, and my balloons were being dragged in unwanted directions across the front of the stand and into a neighbouring space. So I had to forget the long weighted strings I’d planned to use to display them either side of my stand, and tether them on a shorter string to the pole adjacent to the entrance. Take some duct or gaffer tape as a contingency.

Creating an impact on your stand

Hosting an exhibition stand involves capturing the interest of passing visitors, who as a matter of course usually try and avoid eye contact.  This is somewhat unnerving at first, but you can use the implications to your advantage. Here are a few other ideas I’ve picked up:

• Have a handout, which explains what you do at a glance, and what the stand is all about. It gives you an excuse to accost people as they pass.
• Offer a business card prize draw in a glass bowl. It can be useful for generating leads and has the benefit of forcing people to venture up to your desk.
• Branded carrier bags can work well, but make them tasteful and give thought to relevant but lightweight content.
• Everyone attending an exhibition likes to pick up free stuff and have something to put it in, but most gets thrown away later, unless it’s attractive, genuinely useful or both. No one wants anything heavy or tacky.
• Signage and display material should support your message; but at a glance.
• Pop up banners are a great idea, but give careful thought to the format and content in detail, or the investment can be wasted. Have your name and logo prominently on the top, not at floor level where people can’t see it, let alone read it.
• Draft a bulleted list of services offered, and try and use one, or perhaps two, clear graphics or representational images to illustrate what’s on offer in your handout. Make sure to include contact information and your website address.
• Avoid assuming that visitors understand jargon words or acronyms.  For example, if you’ve won an award it’s better to imagine explaining it to someone outside your industry sector, and explaining in full each word making up the constituent letters.
• Hand out business cards, so bring a good stock, and collect them from visitors if it’s a trade show. Consumers won’t have them though; so you must either ensure you give them a reason, or way, to remember you, or you must solicit their contact details, for example by collecting competition entries!Otherwise you have no way to follow up their interest.
• Tell your friends and business contacts you have an exhibition stand. They’ll probably enjoy coming to see someone they know, and it gives you an opportunity to update them on new services or developments they’re likely to be interested in.
• Watch the inimitable Geoff Burch’s guide to making an exhibition of yourself on You Tube

Give thought to taking a break

If you’re in the awkward position, like I was, of running an exhibition stand on your own, give thought to a way of allowing yourself time to take breaks. I persuaded my husband to look after things while I took a lunch break, and this also had the benefit of allowing me enough time to visit other stands and distribute my handout.  It probably doesn’t look good to have to eat  lunch in front of visitors to your own stand.

My final piece of advice is to make friends with fellow exhibitors at stands nearby. They might be prepared to reciprocate if you agree to mind their stand for a few minutes, and you never know, they might even be interested in what you have to offer.

Taking things further

As well as occasionally making an exhibition of myself , if you run a small business, I can teach  you DIY PR and marketing skills. For larger organisations looking to outsource, I can deliver PR and marketing related training workshops and help with  content strategy on a freelance basis. For more information about the services we offer, contact me at Manifold Associates or visit our website.

Until next time…

Be a bystander in 2012… or sail into history?

A question of salt

This weekend I came to stay in Maldon Essex, somewhere I’d never been to before. I already knew about Maldon salt of course, I use it myself in cooking.  I half expected to see the salt factory, and take a tour, but there was no signage in evidence in the town, and there’s nothing on the website to indicate that it’s possible to visit, just lots of information including a video presentation about the manufacturing process, and a history of the business.

It was a sunny day, so, instead, based on a vague notion that Maldon must be on the coast or a tidal river,  I strolled down the High Street in seach of the quay from my base at the Blue Boar Hotel, a photogenic old coaching inn. Full of character, I was amazed to discover it even has its own on-site Farmers brewery, and, on the day I visited, a beer festival was in progress to re-inforce the point!

Summer attractions on the Hythe at Maldon

Passing by way of the well signposted local visitor information office, which although closed, distributes a free local guide, I soon found the quay, passing historic St Mary’s church on the way.

The Hythe is a lively place with several waterfront pubs, and posters advertising crabbing competitions (with monetary prizes) and other exciting sounding children’s adventure activities taking place locally. More information about visiting Maldon.

On the day I was there, river cruises were operating on the tidal river Blackwater, although I was unfortunately too late in the day to join one. However, one other interesting thing I found were plenty of advertisements from a company called Topsail Charters,  offering various adventures on board historic Thames Sailing Barges, one of which was tied up alongside the quay.

About Thames Sailing barges

I’ve discovered that, in their heyday, around 1860, there were up to 5,000 of these fine old ships, with their distinctive red ochre sails, operating as cargo vessels on the east coast of Britain, with the last few working until the 1960s. In Maldon the version known as a ‘stackie’ was used to transport bales of straw and hay, stacked to a level halfway up the mast, away from local arable farms.

Built for ease of handling, with a mast that pivots to allow them to sail under relatively low bridges, Thames Sailing Barges have a shallow draft and flat bottom. This means that they can rest without support on mudflats at low tide, in the shallow tidal rivers and creeks that are found along the Thames estuary. At the turn of the twentieth century the sailing barge fleet still numbered over 2,000 – but today only a handful of these traditional barges survive, restored and converted for leisure usage.

More pictures of sailing barges

Onboard adventures

With prices advertised for Maldon departures starting at £17 per head for a two hour two island cruise to £30 for a 3 and a half hour trip with a traditional ploughmans and apple crumble lunch, a cruise onboard a Thames Sailing Barge can be an attractive proposition. There are also various options for birdwatching cruises (sailing is almost silent, remember); and you can even hire out a barge out of season for a static self catering weekend if you’re worried about seasickness.

There are options for everything from team building events, to weddding receptions held aboard Thames Sailing barges. They’re available from Ipswich, London, Maldon or Tilbury, with operation broadly possible on the east coast of Britain between Aldeburgh in the north, down to Faversham in Kent in the south. More information and full details.
There is also a Thames sailing barge based at Whitstable in Kent offering summer cruises. More information

Thames estuary summer racing schedule

For a real adventure and fantastic photo opportunities, you can watch Thames sailing barge match races , held each summer.  Here are the remaining dates of the to be held in the summer of 2010:

* July 3 Thames (Gravesend)
* August 7 Swale (Faversham)
* August 28 Southend
* September 4 Colne (Brightlingsea)

Book well in advance if you’re interested in joining a racing barge for the day (for safety reasons on board participation is not permitted). Some of the races can also be followed on a spectator boat. These are annual events, so  check online for dates announced for future years.  Spaces for 2012 are likely to be particularly in demand in the weeks immediately prior to the London games, so I’d recommend planning ahead.

London 2012  – opening ceremony news

This week it’s been announced that Oscar-winning Danny Boyle and Stephen Daldry, will direct and produce the Opening and Closing Ceremonies for the London 2012 Games. Find out how to register your interest in booking tickets.

A standalone production company, London 2012 Ceremonies Ltd, has now been set up and will be based in Three Mills Studio near the Olympic Park in East London, which I saw on a recent visit. For more information about what’s happening on on the ground in East London and at the Olympic Park at the moment, see my previous post dated May 25 on the subject, visit the London 2012 website or Inside the Games, a news site.

How Viv can help you

There will be increasing media interest in stories about tourism and the UK visitor economy during the run up to London 2012 . Commission me to help you with writing  about, filming or  photographing your destination or business, or simply researching and writing punchy copy about newsworthy events you’re involved in organising.

I’ll cut to the quick and won’t go over the top with waffle, puff  or hyperbole. A true content strategist, I can package up information in the form of anything from website content or advertorials, to news releases or video scripts, to match your end user needs.  I’ll take real pride in doing a great job, so why not contact me at Manifold Associates to find out more.

Until next time…

Could tourism be a winner in the election?

The coming battle

One thing’s for certain. Some time during the next three months there’s going to be a general election. All the indications are that it will be one of the most closely fought struggles to win  the ‘hearts and minds’ of the British people since the Second World War.

I wonder if tourism could become an issue in the campaign. It might not look likely at this point; but if and when a parliamentary candidate comes canvassing, we can be ready. The Tourism Alliance has produced a handy briefing document to mobilise everyone involved in the visitor economy, with its manifesto for tourism, which anyone can download. It demonstrates the hard facts of economic value we all help deliver. It’s somewhat annoyingly been deemed to contribute ‘invisible earnings’ to the economy. So, as an industry, let’s get more visible!

Why tourism deserves to be an issue

Get ready to lobby any politicians who come calling, with the central message that they need to ‘take tourism seriously’, (far more seriously than the current government  does at the moment). With London 2012 around the corner, we’ve got lots to shout about.

We simply can’t afford not to make the most of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to showcase ourselves as a visitor destination, while we’re  centre of attention on the world stage.  We mustn’t pull any punches about why we’re an industry that deserves more government backing, whoever ends up in power.

What’s tourism worth?

The World Tourism Organisation confirms that the UK has the sixth largest tourism industry in the world (after France, Spain, USA, China and Italy). It supports 2.65m jobs, in 200,000 businesses, some 80% of which are classified as ‘small or medium sized enterprises’(SMEs). Among them of course is my own, Manifold Associates, so I feel perfectly entitled to have an opinion about our industry, which is worth £114Bn annually to the UK economy.

Key messages for politicians

• Tourism is fairly evenly spread across the UK. Its benefits can be felt everywhere from large cities to coastal  resorts, market towns and isolated rural communities
• It’s a service industry that’s highly labour intensive, offering excellent employment opportunities for young people. Employing a highly diverse workforce, it offers  greater  opportunities for part time employment than any other sector of the economy
• There are relatively low barriers to entry and considerable underutilised capacity, enabling the industry to respond quickly to changes in demand
• The high latent demand by visitors attracted by the country’s heritage, vibrant culture, sport, and education (including English language learning), combined with the powerful international appeal of London, means that the sector can offer a high and rapid return on investment
• The industry can deliver sustainable growth; but as a country the UK needs to take action to improve the competitiveness of our visa and air passenger duty charges, which don’t bear favourable comparison with the 25 EU countries included in the Schengen agreement
• Support is needed for wider delivery of programmes that assist tourism businesses to operate more sustainably and encourage inbound travel. This is a truly heartfelt plea, as training programmes that are helping to develop this potential already exist; but even I have to earn a crust, so, frustratingly, it just can’t happen unless these projects get more funding.
• Provide adequate funding for Visit England to capitalise on the opportunity to grow domestic tourism

Time for tactical marketing

With the election at the very most three months distant, now’s also the time to think about tactical marketing and PR opportunities coming our way.

Just last week, The Daily Telegraph gave national coverage to news that Robert Cook, boss of the Hotel du Vin and Malmaison brands, has already equipped his hotels near the three main party headquarters with red yellow and blue cushions carrying the message “when you stay at Hotel du Vin you are guaranteed a seat”.

Politicians of all persuasion, their agents and spin doctors will be descending on marginal constituencies across the land in the coming weeks, as soon as the election date is finalised, if not before. They’re all be on the lookout for campaign winning photo opportunities, and locations suitable for holding press conferences and media interviews. So there’s no time to be lost. Get thinking about the opportunities for your business, and update your contact database. Start making plans now, so you don’t miss out!

Practical help

Manifold Associates is here to help tourism businesses looking for hands-on help with media relations and marketing in the coming months. We also deliver training that gives even the smallest business confidence and practical skills to help you quickly get organised to start doing things for yourself.

Respond below, or visit Manifold Associates for more information about what we offer.

Until next time…

Dress Code: a way to win friends, or influence people?

Do dress codes make sense?

This week’s news that people dressed in pyjamas have been banned from Tesco in South Wales, set me thinking about the value, or otherwise, to hospitality businesses of publicising dress codes. We live in a much less formal society in the 21st century.

Personally speaking I wouldn’t dream of visiting the supermarket or anywhere outside my home dressed in pyjamas. It appears however, that a small minority of people have no idea that the way you dress can cause offence, and that  a small minority of people don’t care about the effect of their bare torso, or the slogan on their t shirt, on the sensibilities of their fellow human beings.

Whatever happened to the old adage  ‘when in Rome, do as the Romans do‘.  Experience suggests that when abroad, or when faced with people from other cultural traditions, one must take care, and this is usually a safe strategy.

I’m not sure if there’s been an effect on the standard of dress by patrons of Tesco in Wales following their announcement. Although I realise it could be controversial, offering guidance on dress code  is something that I think can be helpful for patrons of hotels, restaurants, places of entertainment, or attendees of important social occasions. It applies   particularly when fine dining restaurants are involved; and it’s especially important for people hosting functions, banquets or other special events in premises where other members of the public are in evidence, to be upfront in communicating what’s expected.

Consequences of ignorance

If a business is prepared to bear the cost of security staff, to back up enforcement of dress code, people who in many instances have paid hansomely for entrance, can  get turned away. It famously seems to be reported in the media every year at events such as the Henley Royal Regatta (Stewards Enclosure) , or Royal Ascot (Royal Enclosure), where the dress codes are both specific and prescriptive concerning what’s permitted. Incidentally I’m sure it’s far better from a PR point of view, if those affected are quietly helped behind the scenes to make the necessary adjustments or changes to their appearance, rather than being excluded; and I’m sure that that’s what usually happens in the majority of cases.  Without enforcement, however, it’s always possible that some people could get offended.

In such circumstances confrontation might be a consequence of inappropriate dress.  So it’s often helpful if hosts, or event organisers, offer proactive written ‘guidance’ about what’s expected; because it helps guests avoid being embarrassed in company by their outfit, or getting offended by that of a fellow guest. Sometimes pictures on websites and in advertisements, illustrate the point, support the message, and are all that’s necessary. Good photography can be particularly helpful in this regard.

In general most people, especially overseas visitors,  like to conform to what they perceive to be ‘the norm‘, as was proved by John Sergeant’s experience, when presenting his recent Channel 4 series ‘On the Tourist Trail’ .  In one episode he took a party of female American visitors to be his guest at Royal Ascot. They had a lot of fun dressing up in the style of  ‘My Fair Lady’ (check out ‘Ascot Gavotte’ on You Tube),  and ‘playing at being posh’ ; but the programme showed them feeling uncomfortable and somewhat let down, when they spotted a small minority of racegoers in the grandstand not sporting similarly high sartorial standards. It’s always going to be important to manage peoples’ expectations carefully. It can be an uncomfortable, even embarrassing experience for people (and hosts) who have parted with a lot of cash and made a big effort to comply with dress code, only to see a minority visibly flouting the guidance with seeming impunity.

An invitation to participate in a formal event or a specialist active sport,  need not be a cause of grief to invitees due to the expense involved, either. I believe that it either is, or should be, easy and convenient for the hosts and/or organisers of events to volonteer to provide guidance and offer to make an introduction if necessary. (both for men and women) to suppliers who can hire out whatever’s necessary, from hats and dresses, to a sari or a black tie outfit, morning dress, or active sportswear, such as riding kit or wet suits.

Case study

Graham Grose, Managing Director of  the Thurlestone Hotel, south Devon, understands the issue better than most. Writing in the autumn newsletter, while admitting that it needs ‘careful management’ in view of the increasing trend towards last minute bookings, he refers to the  enforcement of dress code in the hotel’s fine dining restaurant as being ‘one of the trickiest problems we have to deal with’.

The management team at Thurlestone have been working on procedures to try and ensure that even late booking clients are made aware of this particular restaurant’ s strict ‘jacket and tie policy at dinner: ‘ We request that gentlemen wear a jacket, although the majority choose to wear a tie as well. Some guests, however prefer to dress more informally, and a theme … (running through online comment about Thurlestone) is that this dress code somehow makes us ‘old fashioned’ and ‘fuddy duddy’. On the other hand our feedback … is that this is a minority view and that most of you consider dinner in the Margaret Amelia restaurant to be a traditional ‘fine dining’ experience with appropriate attire an integral part of the experience. It is a matter of courtesy toward fellow diners, especially the ladies, and, unlike some other hotels we have no intention of relaxing our dress code’.

Sources of information about etiquette and dress code

For further information abou etiquette and dress code on important social occasions and events in Britain, Debretts is one of the  definitive sources. They even have a blog ‘Miss Debrett’ on the subject. For guidance and information about the meaning of the plethora of different dress codes, many of American origin, that now appear on invitations from ‘contemporary business casual’  and ‘creative black tie’  to  ‘smart casual’  simply Google ‘dress code’, and you’ll soon find the answer on a number of websites that appear in the results. No-one is ever offended if you ask what’s appropriate.

Let me know what you think about the subject!

Until next week…