Summer snapshot of English countryside and coast 2011

I want to show you how well chosen pictures can help you communicate a really powertful message. They really can save you a thousand words.

My shot of the  river Medway, that appears above, shows it flowing through the gap, (now known as the Valley of Visions), that it has cut through the chalk of the Kent Downs, near Medway. See how Dickens’s words add to the power of the image when set alongside as a caption.

The words of the greatest writers can be used for marketing purposes, although you must still take care that the context of their use is entirely appropriate, and be prepared to seek permission from the author’s descendants. Naturally, it’s an advanatege when the text is out of copyright, as in the case of Dickens, because no royalty is payable; but acknowledgement of the source is still a pre-requisite. Great words can help you tell a story that makes a real impression on the mind, or teaches you something that will always be remembered.

I’m sharing some of the photos I’ve been taking while walking in the local countryside of Kent this summer. See how, when the words of one of our greatest writers about the places pictured are added, the images take on an entirely  new life and significance. It all supports my belief that the Dickens connection willl encourage tourism to the countryside of Kent as well as towns and cities in 2012, which will mark the bicentenary of his birth. Read more about Dickens 2012.

Dickens actually grew up in the nearby Medway town of Chatham, and chose to live out his final years at Gad’s Hill Place, overlooking the same part of the Medway valley, above the village of Cuxton, which is shown in the picture below. I’m starting to understand why.

Dickens knew Kent well, and loved it so deeply that he chose to honeymoon in the county, spent many holidays along its coastline, and  featured it in many of his best loved novels, including ‘ Great Expectations’ and ‘David Copperfield’.

 

What has really amazed me as I’ve shot these images of beautiful countryside, is how empty some parts of the landscape still are. They must be pretty much unchanged since Dickens came this way. He spent many holidays writing in Dover Folkestone and Broadstairs.

Here’s what he wrote about his coastal walks  in south east Kent when he was writing for his magazine Household Words in Folkestone in 1851

Our situation is delightful, our air is delicious, and our breezy hills and downs, carpeted with wild thyme, and decorated with millions of wild flowers, are, on the faith of a pedestrian, perfect.

Wild flowers above the white cliffs of Kent, where Dickens enjoyed 'going for a blow'

Britain is actually a pretty crowded island.  Southern England has an average population density of around 658 people per square kilometre (which is greater than the average for the Netherlands) and yet it’s still possible, indeed I’d even say easy, to get away from it all, if you know where to go and are prepared to walk – like Dickens did – even on summer weekends, as my pictures illustrate.

This magificent view looking west from the cliffs above South Foreland towards Dover harbour is likely to have been on the route of one of Dickens's 20 mile walks from Dover.

Writers sometimes get stressed out and find themselves in need of a break. Dickens was no exception. Here he is again, writing to fellow author Wilkie Collins about taking a break from working on Little Dorritt in Folkestone in 1855:

‘You know my state of mind as well as I do. How I work, how I walk, how I shut myself up, how I roll down hills and climb up cliffs; how the new story is everywhere, heaving on the sea, flying with the clouds, blowing in the wind; how I settle to nothing’.

Dickens’s writing reaches across the years as only the greatest can. In another letter, written to his actor friend Macready the same year, Dickens wrote that he was constantly tempted  ‘to run out on the breezy downs here, tear up the hills, slide down the same and conduct myself in a frenzied manner, for the relief that only exercise gives me.’ I understand  the feeling: working hard makes me feel I need to take a trip to the gym myself to unwind.

In a letter to his wife dated May 1856, Dickens told her that he ‘did nothing at Dover (except for Household Words), and have not begun Little Dorrit no. 8 yet (his novels were written and published in instalments). But I took twenty- mile walks in the fresh air and perhaps in the long run did better than if I had been at work’. It could almost have been written yesterday.

Until next time…

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 things that matter in marketing.   Freelance assignments welcomed. Maybe you’re a business looking to capitalise on the opportunities that London 2012 or Dickens 2012 might bring to you. We’re flexible and versatile. If you’d like to discuss how we might be able to help you, please get in touch.

The long haul traveller’s wish list

Having recently returned from a trip to Australia, I feel I’ve greatly improved my understanding of actions that businesses can take to improve the service they provide to long distance travellers; and what sort of offerings attract these sorts of customers in the first place.

Having found myself on the client side of the fence for a change, I thought I’d take this opportunity to share some of the lessons I learned during the course of my recent solo travelling. It was quite an eye opener. With London 2012 only one year away, I believe it’s definitely something all businesses ought to start thinking about. After all websites, and online communications generally, know no boundaries, and global travel and trade is easier than ever before !

Seven simple steps to a friendlier world

1. Smile, it makes everything easier, and people always appreciate a few simple words of greeting. Show yourself or other people on your website
2. Encourage everyone to use their language skills with the aid of national flag lapel badges and symbols on websites.
3. Make good use of multi lingual or pictorial information  or symbols and/or menus. Sales benefit because people can order and purchase with confidence. You get your message across more effectively.
4. Everyone travelling alone should receive a special welcome.  In restaurants singles should automatically be offered a seat at a table they can share with others if they wish
5. Offering FREE wifi is a major attraction to people
6. Listening is a skill that should not be underestimated, or taken for granted
7. A tip can be appropriate for particularly good service, or a job well done. Otherwise take the time to write a glowing online testimonial about it.

A helping hand for the long haul traveller

Long haul air travel is defined as involving a non stop flight of six and a half hours or more.  If, like me, you’re travelling to a destination that involves flying for over 20 hours to get there; you simply can’t make an unplanned trip back home without great inconvenience and expense, so there’s a huge up front investment of time and money on the part of the traveller to get all the important details of the trip sorted out in advance. There’s more at stake; so I’d urge everyone serving travellers to play their part in helping to ensure that everyone takes home the happiest of memories.

Here are my 25 top tips for maximum enjoyment of long haul travel. If you’re marketing something likely to be of interest to long haul travellers, you might find something of interest here too!

1. Get a personal recommondation  for a really expert travel agent to help you sort out the logistics. Get details of the local representative in each destination. They can be your real friend in time of crisis.
2. Do as much pre research as you can to determine your preferred route, destination and acceptable standard of accommodation
3. Work at getting any upgrade you can qualify for
4. Join the loyalty programme of all airlines and hotel chains you patronise
5. Take out a comprehensive travel insurance policy, just in case the worst happens
6. Find out the procedure to follow in case you have to change or cancel a flight or hotel reservation
7. Look up all possible friends in the places you’re travelling to, and listen to their advice
8. Reconfirm every tour booking 48 hours or 2 working days in advance
9. Find out exactly what the weather will be like everywhere you’re visiting, so you take the right clothes
10. If you’re travelling to or from Australia or New Zealand, avoid jet lag after arrival by making a 2 night stopover in Asia or USA en route both ways.
11. Upgrade to premium economy (or higher) on the long haul flights if you can possibly afford it.
12. Avoid all one night stays as far as possible (except on escorted tours, where other people can worry and help with lost luggage)
13. Get a tough but colourful luggage tag, so your case stands out from the crowd
14. Avoid hotel restaurants except for breakfast; but get recommendations about places where you can enjoy the local vibe
15. Only accumulate or buy stuff you can take home; or pay extra to ship special large items you can’t live without. Find out about unaccompanied excess baggage shipping and how overseas visitors get a tax refund on large items. Here’s information about how overseas visitors can obtain tax refunds for items purchased in the UK. Here’s information about reclaiming tax on items purchased in Australia.
    
16. Try to buy souvenirs that are made locally. Read my posts about souvenirs and postcards.
17. Ask for recommendations about local experiences or interesting places to visit
18. Follow interesting sounding directional signs
19. Invest in some digital luggage scales to minimise the headache of keeping within the airline free baggage allowance. Try Balanzza.
20. Don’t take more than 3 pairs of shoes
21. Look out for restaurant special offers on chalk boards outside the premises
22. Sign up for alerts on restaurant offers with Facebook deals and Living Social
23. Get an international subscription to ‘Global Gossip’ or set up Skype on your smart phone
24. Dont buy preserves, food or drink to take home that falls foul of airline liquid restrictions.
25. Delete the  out of focus digital photos you’ve taken as you go along

Looking for more inside information about 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. We’re flexible and versatile. If you’d like to discuss how we might be able to help you, do get in touch. Until next time, resolve to get more adventurous.

Should everyone be able to find ‘Secret Britain’?

Are you among those who caught the latest BBC television series Secret Britain, which has attracted rave reviews? Personally, as a tourism industry insider, I found the first episode of the series all rather frustrating, although I admit that the landscapes were visually stunning. It’s hardly surprising that’s the case, such is the astonishing variety of scenery to be found when travelling in the British Isles.

In the first of four one hour long episodes of ‘Secret Britain’, presenters Matt Baker and Julia Bradbury presented fairly vague information showcasing various ‘secret’ sites in southern England, from Cornwall to Kent, a region of Britain I know well. What I found particularly frustrating was that the sites given so much high profile airtime were nearly all either inaccessible or pratically impossible for the ordinary viewer, or potential visitor inspired by a programme such as this, to visit; but perhaps that was the point. They wanted to ensure they were kept secret.

Secret locations revealed

The presenters understandably admitted that locations shown where frangrant orchids and fly orchids were seen growing somewhere on the South Downs, could not be identified for security reasons. Unfortunately the fact that the South Downs was recently declared a National Park, and that that there are plenty of practically unknown places within it where visitors are welcomed, yet relatively few venture, was not even mentioned. For example, within the Park in deepest West Sussex, you can still walk up the old Roman Road, Stane Steet, and visit well preserved Roman mosaics at relatively unknown (because it’s privately owned) Bignor Roman villa, or explore the wonderful Weald and Downland Museum at Singleton, near Chichester. Not far away, on the shores of Chichester Harbour you can visit the ancient Saxon Church of Bosham, which was illustrated on the Bayeux Tapestry. That’s just a little sample of some of the secret (or at least little known beyond the local area) places to visit in Southern England that deserve and would appreciate more attention, yet don’t get it.

Surely it would make sense for a series such as this to include more locations like the ones I’ve suggested, and to give some indication of their location so that people can get there?  The programme spent a long time rambling about on the Greenways of Dorset, without identifying a single village along the route of Hell Lane, denying the interested viewer, or walking enthusiast, any hope of finding it. Likewise, Matt Baker was filmed in in a seagoing kayak visiting inaccessible caves and beaches, as well as shooting the dangerous looking passage between the mainland and Seven Souls Rock on  Pentire Head near Padstow, experiences that the casual visitor to north Cornwall probably has little chance of duplicating in safety without the accompaniment of people with local kayaking expertise.

I found myself wondering if the programme makers been forced to sign a confidentiality agreement with the couple who took the camera crew to a rocky valley near Tintagel, where they had celebrated a picnic after their wedding? It certainly seemed possible, so scanty was the information divulged about its location.

Frustration mounted further as it soon became obvious that visiting Iron Age hill forts on Ministry of Defence land on Salisbury Plain, surrounded all the while by danger signs warning of unexploded ordnance, and tank manoevres, was equally unlikelyto be accessible to the general public.  Perhaps that too was trying to score a point about keeping the locations secret?

However, it wasn’t the case, as Charleston Farmhouse, near Lewes in East Sussex, once home to Virginia Woolf and The Bloomsbury set, was also featured. It’s a site you can quickly locate by Googling. As were the well known honeypots of Tintagel Castle and Mevagissey in Cornwall. Footage of Dungeness might have  inspired more visitors too. You can also find information about what to see, and how to get there, fairly easily online. I felt that, in general, the programme makers could have found some unappreciated locations with interesting stories attached that were far more deserving of their attention, such as the Royal Military Canal on Romney Marsh, shown above, where you can go for long walks in a landscape with fascinating history and wildlife.  Here there is plenty of capacity for more visitors to venture. I could go on.

For the benefit of any truly inquisitive programme makers out there, I’d like to give you a pointer about just one out of many places I know about in my own area, which deserve to be more widely known.  Cobham Hall is an Elizabethan mansion near Gravesend in Kent, which now operates as an independent girls school. My jaw dropped when I saw the exquisite interiors on a recent visit, including original hand painted antique Chinese wallpaper in a staggeringly well preserved state in one room (it turns out to have been so well stuck on that it has proved impossible to strip it off to sell).

Visitors, a few of whom manage to find their way all the way from the Antipodes, are also regaled with the romantic story of the origins of  the sport of English cricket’s ‘Ashes’. The original urn that is fought over as a trophy for the winners of the bi-annual series of test matches between England and Australia, may now be kept at Lords Cricket Ground in London; but Cobham Hall was its original home. So, if you want to know the full story, and most especially if you have Australian connections, you really should try and visit. Details of opening dates.

What chance for the promotion of Secret Britain?

Annoyingly, last week’s speech by Prime Minister David Cameron on the subject of tourism in Britain received practically no media coverage. It was drowned out by threat of strike action at Heathrow  over the bank holiday weekend (now called off). It’s not at all amusing that negative stories always seem to manage to crowd out good news during the media’s annual August ‘silly season’. Unfortunately they often do!

Significantly it looks like the Coalition Government is planning to try and give the industry more priority, with a white paper and launch of a new national tourism strategy. It still seems doubtful in view of the comprehensive spending review, whether this will actually lead to more funding for the industry, and offer scope for launching PR or marketing initiatives to promote lesser known but deserving attractions, including more like those I’ve highlighted. Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see details of the new strategy and white paper. There could be a lot of interest in secret Britain in the run up to 2012; but I fear that the scarcity of investment to fund its marketing could yet keep a lot of it under wraps.

I think it’s already a good sign though, that Tourism South East have today taken the decision to delay their AGM and conference until November, citing that  ‘this will enable us to deliver a more informed agenda on the future of tourism in the south east.’

Do you need help?

Are you  a business or organisation that needs help to boost accommodation or admission sales, or secure more media coverage to  improve awareness amongst visitors? Or are you a TV production company looking for an enthusiastic specialist researcher with insider knowledge about lesser known or unusual visitor attractions? Manifold Associates could help you by coming up with compelling ideas to bring the world beating a path to your door, or viewers to a screen near you. For further examples of how the presentation of interesting stories behind tourist icons can engage, inform and educate visitors as well as inspiring visits, read my February post ‘Surprising stories behind tourist icons’.

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

Ahoy there! Summer fun afloat in Maidstone (and southern England)

Cowes Week

According to the British Marine Federation only 2.73% of the UK population own some sort of boat, which makes it a somewhat minority interest. However, half the country’s population live within five miles of a canal or river, 11 million people regularly visit  inland waterways every year, and there are more than 32,000 registered boats on the water. Even if you’re a’ landlubber’ this is the best week of the entire summer for the casual visitor to get (albeit temporarily) interested in boating,  and heading for the waterfront  somewhere, whether it’s the coast, or a navigable river.

This week is Cowes Week on the Isle of Wight, just off the south coast of England in Hampshire. More information about Cowes Week. The Isle of Wight is one of my favourite places, although I have to admit I prefer to go there out of season when it’s less busy. Cowes Week is the highlight of peak season. More information about visiting the Isle of Wight.

Maidstone River Festival

In Britain you’re never very far from a river or the coast, and this year for the first time I decided to take the opportunity to visit this year’s Maidstone River Festival, to find out if this annual nautical carnival has anything to offer the casual visitor, as opposed to the convinced ‘yachtie’ type who owns their own boat.  Although it’s on an inland river, and on a much smaller scale than Cowes, as a landlubber myself, I still found it good fun. The serious yachties moor up days in advance, and die hard fans who sail  up the Medway to Maidstone in their own boats, decorate them in line with an annual theme – which this year was the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the WW2 Dunkirk evacuation (masterminded from Dover Castle in Kent, by Vice Admiral Bertram Ramsay, a  distant family relation).

I’d been tipped off that the highlight of the entire Maidstone River Festival weekend is always the Saturday afternoon raft race, and that’s what drew me to visit. I watched as teams of amateurs in fancy dress first contest a competition for best turned out raft, and then race on their home made craft, against the current, upstream from Whatmans Park to old Maidstone bridge, next to the county town’s law courts.  Having completed the race, which was won this year by Maidstone Canoe Club in ‘HMS Thrust’, competitors take turns to try and sink each others craft with flour bombs and jets of water, as they turn and drift back downstream to the start, to the evident delight and amusement of spectators lining the banks, and looking down from the bridges spanning the course (the best vantage point for taking photos).

The event co-incides with a funfair at Lockmeadow; and all along the town centre towpath, and in the car park near All Saints Church, are stalls selling fast food, raffle tickets and other trinkets, and stages with live musical entertainment. It was a lovely sunny day, and I also made another interesting discovery a new waterside restaurant, ‘The Barge,’ moored up adjacent to The Archbishops Palace, which looked like a nice place for riverside dining with a bit more style, inside and out. I plan to give it a try before the summer’s out, although it says on the website that it’s open year round!

There are a couple of other nautical diversions on offer in summer in Maidstone that are likely to be of particular interest to the casual visitor. These include one hour cruises downriver from central Maidstone to Kent Life heritage farm and museum of rural life, on the paddle steamer Allington Belle, which also operates two hour summer evening cruises from the Malta Inn Beefeater and adjacent Premier Inn at Sandling on Wednesdays and Friday evenings at 7.30 pm (booking essential). Motor cruiser Kentish Lady is a family business also operating trips to Kent Life, and they also offer 3 hour trips up the Medway to Teston Lock and back. I’ve walked along the towpath in this area, and can recommend the rural scenery you’ll encounter. For dates and times check the website.

More summer fun afloat in Dorset
Back on the south coast, if you’re looking for something a bit different, the summer barbecue cruise on Saturday nights at 7pm from Tuckton Bridge on the lower reaches of the rivers Stour and Avon in Christchurch, is an interesting propostion on a warm evening, with a one hour trip on the river followed by a barbecue and New Forest Ice cream. More information or phone for details on 01202 429119. A riverside table at the Captains Club Hotel on the river Stour might be a safer (but more expensive) bet if the weather looks a bit iffy.  For those game enough for a more nautical adventure, how about a boat trip out across Christchurch Harbour for a ‘Safari supper’ at the Beach House Cafe on Hengistbury Head. The next one is scheduled for August 13th, but you can also get out to this idyllic location the long way round, via the land train that operates from the main car park at Hengistbury Head, as well as by ferry from Mudeford Quay. Whenever the weather is fine, they put flags up to show from a distance that they’re open.

Expect the weather to play an important part in the success of such ventures as these. Experience suggests that there’s often a last minute flood of bookings in fine weather; but advance booking is vital to be sure of a place whenever such trips do go ahead. My advice is always to enquire well in advance, and, if you’re ever in a position to make recommendations about boat trips, include a caveat about watching the weather forecast, as safety is always paramount, and trips can get cancelled at short notice.

Looking for inspiration or help with marketing ?

If you seek nautical adventure, boat sales or hire for yourself or your customers in your local area, the definitive guides to navigable inland waterways in Britain, including the ‘River Thames and southern waterways’ edition, are published by Collins/Nicholson and available online from retailers such as Amazon.

If you’re a tourism business looking for new marketing ideas, Virtual Viv could help you. We can inspire you by sharing case studies, and can teach you basic DIY marketing skills. Contact us for more information.

Until next time…

Summer’s here and the living is easy!

I went to Gatwick airport this weekend. On a Friday afternoon in July I expected it to be busy, yet the Easyjet check in at North Terminal check in was quiet.  I didn’t have a problem getting a space on the first floor of the short term car park, and I came away glad that I wasn’t flying off to the Med myself. It’s another staycation for me this summer, and it’s already apparent that I’m not alone.

Thanks to factors as varied as the threat of the volcanic ash cloud returning,  people who’ve had their holiday budgets blown by the last Icelandic eruption, to fear of ongoing recession, the World Cup, and the simply fantastic weather that saw Wimbledon fortnight 2010 uninteruppted by rain, all the cicumstantial evidence that I’m aware of seems to point to another boom year for UK staycationing.

Buy produce and learn about fruit growing in The Garden of England

When the weather’s good there’s simply no place like England in summer, and it’s been beautiful in the south these past few weeks. In Kent, aka ‘The Garden of England’, the cherry season is now in full swing – always something I particularly look forward to. At Brogdale, near Faversham, home of the national fruit collection, they held their cherry festival this weekend.

If you live in Kent, are here on holiday, or planning a visit, Brogdale is a great place to buy and learn about the various fruits grown in Kent. Indeed if you want to learn about actually growing your own fruit, Brogdale is one of the best places to come, as you can go on guided tours of the orchards and nut platts and buy the various plants, bushes and trees, which are also sold online. They have a seasonal programme of fruit related events too. This year’s programme is typical:

Cherry festival	July	10 – 11
Plum Day	August	15
Nut Day	September	19
Cider Festival	September	25 – 26
Apple festival	October	23 – 24

Where to find the best cherries

In my humble opinion though, the very best cherries of all are those sold at The Cherry Basket, a pop-up roadside kiosk on the north side of the Cranbrook road outside the village of Goudhurst, in Kent, half a mile beyond the Taywell Farm shop (a good place incidentally for local asparagus, blueberries and strawberries).

The Cherry Basket is only ever there from late June until mid July annually, so catch it while you can – it’s well worth waiting for! That’s my latest picture of their produce above.   This year these most succulent of cherries cost £5.50  per kilo basket. They’re just the best, and there’s absolutely nothing like eating them fresh, straight from the stall. The carefully netted trees where they grow can be seen in the fields right alongside, and you can just taste the freshness.

NEW – what to do when you find something you like in Kent

Share your secrets with the world on the brand new My Kent website.

What I can do for you

As well as being a Kentish cherry fan and active blogger, I’m a content strategist. If you represent a business or a destination management organisation, and you’re looking to outsource, I’m someone who can research, interpret, contextualise and produce original multi-platform content for you, and commission the images to go with it. If  you’re interested in finding out more, contact me at Manifold Associates.

Until next time…

What happens when reality kicks in…

A week in politics…
Following the election, reality has kicked in for politicians this week, with the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats being forced to work together in coalition.

One of the more fascinating aspects of the aftermath of the election was seeing news being created before our eyes. Friends and colleagues confessed to being fascinated by the ongoing possibility of hearing indiscretions in off the cuff remarks, hastily organised press conferences and opportunistic pavement interviews. There’s no doubt in my mind that thanks to this type of reality television, we’ve been able to witness history in the making and gained more insight into the workings of politics.

Incidentally, Weston Super Mare MP John Penrose has been appointed to the new post of Tourism Minister, and Jeremy Hunt confirmed as Secretary of State for Culture, Media, Olympics and Sport in the new UK coalition government.

…demonstrating the power of reality television

The election aftermath also made me appreciate even more the power of reality television. Production companies love it because it’s relatively cheap television to make, yet the ‘fly on the wall’ approach can provide great entertainment value. So this week I wanted to look at winners and losers in reality shows featuring businesses involved in tourism and the UK visitor economy.

A poisoned chalice for accommodation providers?

Accommodation providers featured in reality shows can expect immediate efects on business. I can be certain of this because I’ve interviewed some recent participants. It also helps of course that accommodation providers take advance bookings, and have the opportunities to ask people how they heard about the business either when they enquire, or during their stay.

‘Three in a Bed’ is the latest and greatest Channel 4 tourism reality show I’ve seen(Wednesdays 8pm). It features three bed and breakfast accommodation providers each week testing out an overnight stay in each others premises, and paying what they think it’s worth on check out afterwards. They also take their fellow operators off on a jaunt to a local visitor attraction to give them a flavour of the destination.

I urge you to watch it, partly for its sheer entertainment value; but more importantly as an opportunity to learn from the successes and mistakes of others if you’re operating in any type of service industry.

The opportunity to see yourself as others see you, another thing that this programme highlights,  is an extremely useful exercise. That’s one of the reasons why most of the successful operators featured in the series pay to have themselves inspected and graded by Visit Britain.

It’s become apparent that it’s not always the most highly graded business that ‘wins’ the collective accolade from fellow owner managers each week. It seems to be more down to hard work, attention to detail when it comes to customer service, and value for money.  Part of the deal is that guests are free to choose to overpay or underpay for their stay on check out, depending on how they feel. The greatest entertainment value comes mainly from seeing victims of criticism and underpayment burning with resentment for the entire programme as a result of their experience.

In actual fact, none of the Visit Britain 5 star Gold award winning establishments featured in the programme has won any of the programmes I’ve seen. What’s fascinating is that it actually doesn’t appear to really matter who wins. The programme’s a winner because what it does is to show up, and indeed showcase,  the strengths and weaknesses of each business and business owner, and how they handle people, praise and criticism.

Tourism is a people industry, and the programme shows clearly that people who take genuine pride in giving excellent customer service can expect to be successful. Great people can make a huge impact.

What this programme also demonstrates that there are some people who need real help if they’re ever to make a success of hospitality. They need to learn to be accepting of constructive critism, and above all to enjoy working with people. To be truly successful in hospitality, you need more than drive and passion; you need empathy.

Do programmes deliver measurable business?

I interviewed two businesses featured in recent episodes of ‘Three in a Bed’ (neither of them a ‘winner’ of the programme in which they featured). I wanted to guage whether they thought that their business had benefited from the coverage. The results of this admittedly unscientific straw poll were overwhelmingly positive.

Jenny Hadfield of Jeakes House,  Rye, was very positive and told me that she’d received a lot of interest in the form of enquiries since the programme was broadcast. Her email inbox had got jammed at one point, and she was pleasntly surprised to find that a lot of the interest was from past guests and other friends.  She also felt particularly pleased ‘to have the opportunity to show a good bit of Rye off on national television’, something that she felt could benefit th ancient Sussex town as a destination in the longer term.

Anna Deacon of the funky new Arthouse Bed and Breafast, Canterbury was also very positive about the benefits of participation.  She told me that she’d received 87 email enquiries on the same evening the programme was broadcast, and 10 bookings the following day, with many people commenting that they loved her idea of the relaxed self service continental breakfast they offer. It might not be for everyone, as it was something unanimously criticised by the other business owners in the programme, who pride themselves on the breakfasts they provide.

Longer term benefits for visitor attractions ?

I have to declare a personal interest, in that I was once filmed by Keo films for a BBC2 reality show, at work delivering a marketing training course. It was attended by Tom Hart Dyke of Lullingstone Castle in Kent. Although the  footage was destined for the  series ‘Save Lullingstone Castle’, my moment of fame ended up on the cutting room floor. It could happen to you.

Tom can confirm that both series, including the subsequent ‘Return to Lullingstone Castle’, had the benefit of raising awareness of Lullingstone (and him as a self confessed ‘plant nut’ and horticultural expert)  as well as helping to turn the fortunes of the family run estate around.

A more recent programme in the Channel 4 series ‘Country House Rescue’ fronted by Ruth Watson, aimed to do a similar job for the gardens of Riverhill House, near Sevenoaks, also in Kent. It looks like they’re making a good go of the positive boost to their profile given to them by the programme, and I wish them good luck with the Himalyan themed landscape garden.

Nearby Sissinghurst Castle has also been the beneficiary of reality TV, but as that series of programmes showed, part of the reality concept’s enteratinment value is that it does tend to give a warts and all portrait of participating personalities. Some of it may be down to judicious editing, but I feel it likely that Sarah Raven may not have completely satisfied with her portrayal in the saga of tablecloths and menu changes she wanted for the property’s restaurant in the teeth of strong resistance by staff.

Generally though, reality television can be a great way for visitor attractions to boost awareness,  and through that, to increase visitor numbers or admmissions in the longer term.

As Anna Decon of Arthouse bed and breakfast in Canterbury admitted to me  at the end of our conversation ‘ we were a bit naive when we went into it’; but there’s no doubt that she and partner John Taylor also found the overall experience beneficial. Her parting advice to businesses thinking of signing up for exposure in a reality show?  ‘Be careful’.

I work for Manifold Associates, and my colleague Vivienne Boucher develops and delivers PR, marketing and e-business training for tourism businesses. Much of this work is delivered on behalf of Tourism South East and East of England Tourism.

Until next time…

Oh to be in England…now the blossom’s out!

Spring has well and truly arrived at last! In our area of Kent it’s arrived about two weeks later than usual. Our bluebell woods, marking remnants of ancient woodland  across the Weald of Kent that have never seen a plough, are in full bloom right now – although normally they flower in mid April.

Unusually this year, apple and pear trees are also in bloom across the Garden of England at exactly the same time as bluebells, and rain has come at exactly the right moment to conspire to make the English countryside look its best for the photo opportunities of the election campaign, and the day itself on Thursday – one reason perhaps, why this time of year makes a popular choice for politicians to go to the polls!

I wanted to show you in the pictures accompanying this post, just how beautiful the English landscape is at this time of year, so you don’t miss out. I lived in London myself for over 20 years, and unfortunately in cities you’re hardly conscious of the turn of the seasons.

Weather predictions

Another thing I noticed as I drove up across more beautiful couyntryside to Suffolk this week, was that ash trees had come into leaf before the oak. According to ancient English folklore, it doesn’t bode well for summer weather when trees come into leaf in a different order than usual. It seems from my evidence that we could be in for a rainy summer this year because:

When the oak before the ash, then we can expect a splash,

When the ash before the oak, then we can expect a soak!

Following last summer’s unfortunate predictions about a ‘barbecue summer’ and the recent flak received over what might now be being viewed as an a possible over reaction to the volcanic ash cloud emanating from Iceland, I somehow think that the Met Office may be hoping for a lower profile on its long term weather predictions.

But honestly, I don’t think it matters if it sometimes rains in the English countryside occasionally. Most rain that falls in spring or summer seems to me to be of the gentle type that makes the English countryside such a green and pleasant land, the temperatures remains pleasant and showers rarely last long. Whether you’re a visitor or a host, simply find out the weather forecast and expected temperature, or check online, so that you can be prepared, and take an umbrella and showerproof clothing if necessary. More often than not the short term forecast will be correct, as it’s based on radar readings these days.

And if you do get caught out in a shower, many savvy retailers (Boots the chemist being an example), have cottoned on to the idea of selling compact umbrellas by their tills, that you can keep in the car or in your bag.

Now’s one of the best times to take a break in the countryside, when everything’s green, fresh, and pleasantly uncrowded (with the possible exception of Easter and bank holiday weekends). If you’re looking for recommendations for destinations and places to stay, try checking out the Enjoy England website, or you could do worse than to read my post about three of my favourite southern market towns where you may be able to escape the masses.

If you already live and work in the English countryside like me, my advice is to learn to appreciate the beauty on your own doorstep. You might also like to read my post from last summer on the subject of marketing the rural idyll. Clean air, picturesque views, friendly  neighbours, encounters with local wildlife, and people who actually talk to you in shops, are things that we can all too easily take for granted. To people who live in cities, hearing a cuckoo call, or seeing the moon and stars at night can be an amazing experience.

Did you realise that you could commission Virtual Viv to write about and photograph your local area or business. I can create or write anything from website content or advertorials to news releases – and I’ll take real pride in doing a great job for you too! Contact me at Manifold Associates

Until next time…. 

Bedouin hospitality: a lesson for us all

An encounter with the Bedu of Oman
I’ve just returned from a trip to the Middle East. I’ve learned so many new things and enjoyed so many incredible experiences, that I’m going to be kept busy for many weeks assimilating all the information.

One of the activities I’d organised in advance of my visit to Oman was an overnight stay in the vast sand dunes of Wahiba, which included an encounter with the Bedu, one of the oldest tribal peoples of the world.

Tracing their ancestry from mythical Kahtan (Yoktan) of Yemen, identified in the Old Testament as a descendant of Noah, these tribesmen of southern Arabia continue to live a nomadic life, albeit today, as I discovered to my surprise, in the Wahiba Sands at least, with the aid of such 21st century accoutrements as mobile phones and 4WD vehicles alongside their camels and traditional woollen tents. Apparently in some areas of ‘The Empty Quarter’ of the Arabian peninsula camels do still remain the only feasible form of transport, mainly because of the lack of petrol stations for refuelling vehicles!

More information about Oman.

Lessons in self sufficiency
‘Leave only footprints’ could be a slogan invented by the Bedu, such is their commitment to self sufficiency, honed over centuries. The desert is too sterile for them to remain in one place for any length of time, and they have no permanent settlements to this day, although some leave the desert to work in local towns. They mostly still live off the products of their animals, which  consist of camels, sheep and goats, drinking their milk, weaving the hair or wool into cloth, and tents for shelter, making leather from the skins and eating the flesh, supplemented with dates from desert oases.

For a long time the Bedu had no need to use money, since all trade with others and the outside world was conducted entirely by bartering. That’s one thing I’ve already  have in common with the Bedu, since I already belong to a local barter group and use bartering to swap surplus produce. 

Is tourism an intrusion?
The Bedu have adapted to tourism in the desert without compromising their way of life. They’ve successfully managed to capitalise on new opportunities to generate revenue now coming their way, and I was interested to see how they’ve done this.

In the encampment to which our guide took us, one of the Bedu women was using her ability to capture snakes and scorpions on a daily basis. She puts them on display in jars to show visitors, before releasing them without harm back into the desert again at night. The Bedu have also cottoned on to the idea that some of the hand made textiles they weave can be made into articles for purchase by visitors as a souvenir.  Of which more later. Visitors are also offered a camel ride for 3 Omani rials (approxinmately £6) per head.

A tradition of hospitality
Hospitality is an essential part of Bedouin life and forms part of their code of honour to offer strangers protection in a world fraught with danger. Meetings were originally seen as an opportunity to exchange news with others, and guests are always therefore genuinely welcomed. It is necessary and expected that visitors take off their shoes when entering a tent.

No English is spoken. We were accompanied by a guide who explained everything to us; but everyone can also communicate by gesture and expression. It’s also worth mentioning that the Bedu women do not like to be photographed.

Every guest is offered small saucerless cups of sweet black coffee and dates from a dish, which it is impolite to refuse. After one cup it is acceptable to refuse anything further by twisting your wrist to shake the empty cup slightly up and down from side to side.

More information about the Bedouin way of life

How everyone benefits
Today’s visitors are more than a matter of curiosity for the Bedu. Although there’s a genuine welcome, as our Guide explained, in exchange for the entertainment value (for women) of being dressed up as a Bedouin, the possibility of seeing some snakes or scorpions, and the refreshments, (for which no money changes hands), there’s an expectation that visitors will give something back in exchange, which is absolutely fair. After all, the Bedu have need of hard cash if they’re to run 21st century cars and mobile phones!

In my own case, I’d previously experienced a camel ride, so I was more interested in the shopping opportunities. I very much liked some of the cushions on offer; but bearing in mind the space restrictions of my suitcase, I settled in the end for a colourful hand woven wool spectacle case for recently acquired reading glasses. One that no-one else is likely to have, and something I’ll find hard to leave behind! Also on offer were a variety of key rings and other woven articles.

What we can learn from the Bedu

• It doesn’t matter if you don’t speak the language, you can communicate your meaning with smiles and gestures

• It gives everyone great pleasure to receive a genuine welcome on arrival, anytime, anywhere

• Share your passions with enthusiasm, and visitors may be persuaded to buy into the idea or even part with hard earned cash to enjoy a share of the action

• Self sufficiency is a noble aim

• Material possessions and status symbols have no place in a desert

• At night, with no electricity or light pollution, you can see the most amazing number of stars

Have you had an encounter or experience that changed your attitude to life? Do tell me about it or comment below.

Did you enjoy reading this post? Virtual Viv could write for you. I  also help or teach people  how to market a tourism business online or offline. Comment about what I’ve written below, or contact me at Manifold Associates.

Until next time…

In praise of the English market town

My personal favourites

In my most recent travels in the UK, I’ve had the pleasure of visiting, working in and indeed staying overnight in some very special places. What Midhurst in West Sussex, New Alresford in Hampshire, and Cranbrook, near where I live in Kent, all have in common are that they are all typically English market towns, where markets are in fact actually still held.

Indeed I’d actually go as far as to say that they are amongst my very favourite places in England. None of them have the international fame enjoyed by such towns as Stratford Upon Avon, or Ludlow, yet for me they typify all that’s great in Britain. Visitors love them.

What market towns offer the visitor

What each of these towns all have in common are what’s uncharmingly called a ‘high quality built environment’. This means they all have a wealth of charming listed buildings, set amid an attractive network of streets, lovingly protected from inappropriate eyesores by benevolent but eagle eyed planning authorities who are proud of the effectiveness with which they police  the official central ‘conservation area’, which often consists of an ancient high street and central marketplace.

The first thing I notice and appreciate is how  a majority of the shops are unique to the local area, and are independently owned and run. In fact there’s a noticeable dearth of branded chain stores. This also helps to make each of them all a paradise for the amateur photographer. Here neon signs are anathema. Tasteful chalk boards and rustic hanging signs advertising ancient hostelleries are in, and local property prices are usually  on the rise.

The trio of towns I’ve mentioned, are also all slightly off the beaten track; yet located sufficiently close to major communication networks  to be easy for visitors to reach. That’s only if they know about them, however, since none of them are any longer on the way to anywhere in particular.

Both Midhurst and Cranbrook used to be linked to the railway network, but are no longer, whereas Alresford has its very own steam drawn heritage railway, the Watercress Line. Midhurst is bypassed by the A3 near Petersfield, Alresford is bypassed by the A31 and the M3; and as for Cranbrook, well that’s bypassed too, by the A21 to Hastings.

My accommodation picks

In Alresford, I like to stay at The Bell. Now under French ownership, it’s really more of a restaurant with rooms rather than a pub, or a full service hotel. You’ll pay around £30 for a top notch 3 course dinner with a glass of wine; and from £60 for overnight accommodation.  If you stay more than one night I recommend taking a trip out to the nearby Bush Inn at Ovington, It’s quite hard to find but well worth the journey for its lovely location on the banks of the crystal clear river Itchen.

In Midhurst the lovely centrally located Spread Eagle is usually over my budget, (if you’re very lucky you might just pick up a room midweek for £90, but expect to pay more). However there are compensations – the food’s absolutely top quality, and it’s always a pleasure to run a meeting there.

I usually stay at the Halfway Bridge Inn, out on the A 272 Petworth Road, beyond the Cowdray Park  golf club and Benbow Pond, where I used to enjoy childhood picnics many years ago.  Comfortable contemporary rooms here start at £75 for bed and breakfast, and are housed in the converted Cowdray Barns featuring gorgeous French bath potions brimming with essential oils. The food is excellent, and a cooked to order dinner followed by full English breakfast the next day will really set you up for a busy day ahead.

Cranbrook is near home, so I haven’t actually stayed at The George, but it has a cosy bar and dining room, and if you feel like pushing the boat out you might be able to secure a table at Michelin starred Apicius, a few doors down Stone Street. Booking well in advance here is essential.

Do you know an English market town and can recommend a place where you can stay and enjoy a meal? Do let me know about your favourite places.

Why not commission Virtual Viv to write about and photograph about your local area or business. I can create or write anything from website content or advertorials to news releases  – and I’ll take real pride in doing a great job for you. Contact me at Manifold Associates

Until next time…

Marketing with spring in your step

I’ve been cheered to see snowdrops in bloom at last, and the clouds clearing after what seems like weeks of  grey skies, with the English countryside muddy underfoot and temperatures hovering around freezing. Yet it’s one of the best times for wrapping up well and enjoying the great outdoors, taking a bracing country walk, perhaps with a dog in tow, followed by a hearty pub lunch and a warm up by a roaring log fire. Find some inspiration here. It’s also a great time to take a city break, and enjoy live theatre, nightlife or a little retail therapy,  which can all be enjoyed indoors, should you be unlucky enough to encounter rain or snow in city streets.

Symptoms of recovery?

I escaped the rain myself for a packed performance of The Misanthrope at London’s Comedy Theatre last night, with brilliant entertainment from a star studded cast that included Keira Knightley, Damien Lewis, Tara Fitzgerald and Nicholas Le Prevost. I was reminded of  Sir Cameron Macintosh, in a recent radio interview,  revealing that his theatres have also been among the beneficaries of a healthy growth in West End ticket sales over the past year, in spite of the recession.

Elsewhere I’ve read recently, amongst other things, that the last year was a record vintage for English wine, thanks in part to 2009′s glorious September weather; and that Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire enjoyed a 43% increase in visitor numbers compared to 2008. Britain’s leading visitor attractions, represented by Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (ALVA) saw an average 10.9% increase in visitor numbers in 2009, and reported this week that 82% of their members were optimistic about the immediate future compared to 60% this time last year.

Have you seen the recent campaign for Premier Inns, one of the Whitbread Group brands, fronted by the actor Lenny Henry? The Times recently reported that this had already generated 215,000 room nights over a 6 month period, for a £29 non refundable room rate, booked a minimum of 21 days in advance of arrival.

So what can we learn from these successes? For all of us involved in the British visitor economy, it’s vital to stay positive whatever the season; and look out for thc business opportunities and silver lining that exists inside every cloud.  Success seems to breed more success, just follow the links to some of the above websites,  they also seem to exude a certain successful ‘look and feel’.  It’s certainly important to visitors that we keep smiling, both online and in person, so they always feel welcome – whatever the weather!

New consumer marketing campaign from Visit Britain

If you’re a regular visitor to VisitBritain.org our national tourism agency’s trade website, you’ll already know that they’ve been keeping very busy in the last month. Amongst other initiatives they’ve launched a highly anticipated new campaign for cities which focuses on Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow, London, Birmingham, Bristol, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle-Gateshead and Oxford in association with EasyJet and British Airways . See how these cities are being promoted to the overseas visitor.

Reap benefits from Visit Britain’s new strategy

Visit Britain has also launched a new global Britain and London 2012 marketing strategy. It makes interesting reading.

When you run a business involved in the visitor economy, it’s always going to be sensible to keep tabs on how the country as a whole, the local region, and your immediate vicinity are being marketed to visitors. If it’s feasible to  mirror the activity of major agencies and destination management organisations at an individual business level, you can potentially benefit from the glow of awareness that’s already being created in the wider arena, and perhaps even get yourself featured in some high profile promotional campaigns. That can do wonders for raising your profile in a crowded marketplace. Let’s not be shy! Anyone who identifies an opportunity that’s right for them should go for it. It’s usually a simple matter to read the strategies and identify where there’s common ground and partnering potential.

Why not also volunteer your organisation to host visiting journalists or representatives of the travel trade from overseas, on an organised familiarisation trip? This is something which has the potential to lead to valuable media coverage. You just need to get proactive, and either pick up the phone,  or fire off an email to your local tourism officer, or relevant contact found via the ‘contact us’ section of the national or regional tourist board websites, expressing your wish to get involved. For my part, I wish you good luck!

Do you think there are grounds for optimism in the visitor economy of 2010? Let me know what you think.

Until next time…