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.

 

Affordable Art: necessity or indulgence?

Earlier this month our family took time out from our busy schedule and made a trip to meet newly discovered Scottish relations, and stayed at the delightful private estate of Kinblethmont, in the Scottish county of Angus.
I discovered to my delight, that not only is this great Victorian house, set amid 2,000 acres near Arbroath, occasionally made available for country house parties and weddings, with self catering cottages available to accommodate more guests for holiday lets in the grounds; but it is also now home to a gallery of contemporary art.

 

Penny Ramsay spends a lot of her time at Kinblethmont researching and planning exhibitions of work by contemporary and local Scottish artists including David Cook and Susan Winton. Exhibitions are held in spring and autumn, four times a year. Prices for original work can range from the lower hundreds up to several thousand depending on the artist and the medium used. More information about art exhibitions at Kinblethmont.

Buying art during times of austerity
Visiting Kinblethmont set me thinking about contemporary art. When times are tough, can it really be true that people are still spending, on something that could be seen, by some, as pure indulgence?
Speaking to Penny, (who, with permission of the artists, kindly allowed me to preview the works pictured above, scheduled for forthcoming exhibitions), reminded me of the remark by William Morris to ‘have nothing in your home that you do not know to be useful and believe to be beautiful.’ It’s a favourite precept of mine.

Whilst I acknowledge that the purchase of a work of art by an individual or a business could be perceived as the ultimate item of discretionary spending, and something perhaps that people might say that you could easily do without; how much the poorer our homes would be without some original forms of decoration, inside or out, or both.

Art need not be expensive; and there’s no doubt in my mind that if a work of art manages to make us smile every time we set eyes on it, or brings a splash of colour into otherwise dull lives, (especially during what sounds like could be a hard winter), the expenditure can deliver real value, surely something well worth paying for, when times are hard, as they surely are.

Know what you like
The key thing as far as I’m concerned when buying original art, whether it’s featured on a simple hand-made greetings card, comes in the form of a limited edition print, or comes as an original work in its own right, irrespective of the medium, is to know what you like. It’s still free to visit many galleries, large and small, throughout Britain, and, after a while, you should soon be able to start to decide what you do and don’t like.

Don’t all rush; but you could make an immediate start this month in visiting galleries where the work exhibited is for sale. Who knows, you might get chatting to the artist, and you might, eventually, be tempted to buy something. This week sees the start of the Frieze International Art Fair in London’s Regents Park, which attracts big time international collectors; or you could try the lower key Affordable Art Fairs in Hampstead or Battersea. Both events offer paid for opportunities to look at the contemporary art scene in Britain  under one roof.

Personally speaking I prefer to visit individual galleries outside cities, or even restaurants or tourist offices where the work exhibited on the walls is for sale; because you can often find an oppportunity to get chatting with the proprietor or exhibiting artists, and they can get to know you, and what you like. Prices are keener, and there’s rarely any hard sell; because buying art is a matter of deciding what you like and it’s a process that can’t be rushed. It really is up to you to decide whether to make a purchase.

Help with making a purchase
A scheme called Own Art exists to make it easier for people to afford the purchase of original art and many contemporary galleries in England and Scotland already participate. More information.

More information about Kinblethmont

 

You can hop onto the Flybe service from London City Airport to Dundee, and from there you can hire a car to get to Kinblethmont. During your stay, if you are very lucky and ask extremely nicely, Penny may show you some of the other treasures of the estate, which include a great stone said to have magical powers and which is inscribed with ancient Pictish carvings; or the lovingly conserved jacket once worn by Bonnie Prince Charlie.

 

More information about the Kinblethmont estate.

My top 5 books on colour and design

If you’re considering buying or commissioning original creative work, here’s my choice from key movers and shakers about colour and good taste in interior and exterior design:
• Tricia Guild on Colour, Conran Octopus ISBN 1-85029-399-6
• Christopher Lloyd, Colour for adventurous gardeners BBC Books ISBN 978-0-56352-171-6
• Kevin McCloud, Choosing colours Quadrille Publishing ISBN 978-1-84400-440-9
• Vivian Russell, Planting schemes from Monet’s garden ISBN
• David Linley, Design and detail in the home ISBN 0-316-85480-8

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 marketing things that matter. Among our recent projects we have researched and created a contemporary art and craft trail in Rochester and Chatham on behalf of Medway Council in Kent. Freelance photo journalism and writing commissions are welcomed.

Maybe you’re a business looking to capitalise on the opportunities that 2012 might bring to you. I’m a key part of a flexible and versatile freelance writing team, so if you’d like to discuss how I 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.

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.

Signs of the times: good practice that avoids pitfalls

Why signage in public places can be an issue

Signage can be difficult to get right, irrespective of which industry you’re in. If I was to pick out common factors from those that I consider to be the most successful practitioners, I believe that the best examples offer a combination of clarity, visibility, consistency and common sense. So where do you find them, and what are the signage pitfalls in public places that must be avoided at all costs?

Why is signage important? The reasons are various, but the key points are that without the aid of physical signage, people can potentially get lost, be put to considerable inconvenience, or even get themselves into a potentially unsafe or vulnerable situation from a security point of view. No-one  wants that to happen to anyone at business premises, and that’s why it’s so important for businesses of all sizes to get right.

Who can demonstrate good practice?

In my initial ignorance about the subject, I didn’t fully appreciate that informational signage and way finding was such a big business, or that as a country we’re among the world leaders in this fiield. Then I visited the Liverpool waterfront last year, and saw the results of the wayfinding and signage project completed there in and around Albert Dock by Holmes-Wood, who describe themselves as ‘one of Britain’s leading companies working in direction, information and identity design’. Yes, that’s right, there are specialist signage consultancies out there, that can help you spend millions on ensuring that your signage is tailored to meet your precise business needs, and looks good as well.

However, even the smallest business can learn from good practice undertaken, not only in places where new signage was necessary as a result of major re-branding and urban regeneration projects, as in the case of Liverpool; but also from the signage displayed in other high traffic public places such as airports, shopping malls, and on the motorway network. The directional signage and branding developed initially for the  UK motorway network, and then the entire national road network of Britain by Jock Kinneir and Margaret Calvert between 1957 and 1967, is now a recognised design classic, that has become a model for motorway and road signage internationally. It’s a mark of its success, that it’s still in use today.

Clarity is vital when it comnes to signage. Wherever possible it makes sense to make use of internationally recognised systems of symbolism, such as those used for hazardous chemicals, and health and safety signs. It becomes vital that warning signs can be understood at a glance, even when people don’t speak the  language, and can’t read written text. That’s why international signage conventions have developed, such as the use of the lower case letter ‘ i ‘ which is used as visual shorthand to designate tourist information centres worldwide.

Mistakes to avoid

On occasion signage can be percieved as patronising, irrelevant, or worse, can be seen as treating grown adults like naughty children. From time to time I come across such signs. Where signs are used inappropriately they have the potential to provoke a negative reaction, disappointment, confusion, fear or even annoyance, all emotions that are not good for business from a marketing point of view.

In general signs should be used only to communicate simple unambiguous messages that are relevant to everyone who sees them. Unless there is danger, or a possible threat to life or limb, any complicated scenarios, applicable to the minority of the people passing by, is probably best communicated by a different method, and ideally during the course of personal communication.

When things get complicated..

In hotels, where there is a plethora of information that needs to be communicated, and people have an expectation that they’ll receive guidance appropriate to their individual needs, it can be particularly challenging to ensure that guests receive all the information and reassurance they might need, at the same time as being politely encouraged to act on it. In this instance it’s sensible practice to offer an information folder in all guest rooms, and to serve up the answers to frequently asked questions in advance of guest arrival on websites; but that’s not usually enough.

Signs can act as a catch all to help businesses communicate information; but they should not always be relied on or used alone. Some instructions, for example about responsible energy use,  can cause resentment or negative attitude on the part of the paying customer.

With businesses increasingly looking to give their business a ‘green edge’ and promote responsible tourism, it can be hard to find the right tone of voice, and form of words to encourage responsible attitudes to such issues as noise, energy use and contentious areas such as daily replacement of towels and bedding, with signage alone.

Tried and tested strategies

However you look at it, signs have a tendency to lecture because you can’t ignore them. One alternative approach is to draw people’s attention to where they can find information available (but not try to compel them to take notice); and you can invite people to be responsible about their energy usage for rational reasons, rather than posting signage that seems to demand compliance. A self catering opearator I know leaves a copy of the paperback book ‘One Planet Living’ in her cottages, and offers copies for sale to those who express interest. She’s found that this works well.

Offering a reward for compliant behaviour is a further strategy that can be adopted to persuade people to change their habits or encourage reponsible behaviour. I’ve come across hotels that reward guests who leave their car in the car park all day when they go out, with free tea and cakes when they return. Another goes out of her way to explain how to reach local attractions by public transport.  There’s no doubt though, that it can be a challenge to get people to do things the way you want. One thing is for sure, although signage can help, I certainly don’t think it will ever be the only answer.

What do you think? Marketing is about everything that helps a business to identify and satisfy customer needs profitably.  Contact Manifold Associates if you’re a business having difficulty in identifying the most appropriate form of  words and images to explain your business philosophy in your marketing communications. We also help businesses through the process of rationalising and communicating the reasons for people to do business with them; and deliver training on marketing your green credentials.

Until next time…

How to get to London 2012

This week, as the official games mascots Wenlock and Mandeville were launched to the world, I had the opportunity to visit East London to see for myself the progress being made on the Olympic Park.

An unpromising start…

For those wondering if there’s anything interesting for members of the public to see yet, the answer has to be a resounding yes. In fact walking tours of the main site, such as the one I joined, led by an official blue badge guide, are now available.

The tours start from Bromley By Bow station(one of the stops on the District Line going towards Upminster). You might think on arrival that you’ve come to the wrong place, as you emerge from the station onto a dual carriageway, and believe me, the traffic noise is pretty horrendous, and the fragile looking skeleton of the Olympic stadium is only just visible in the middle distance.

Worry not. Hang on in there, and seemingly in a flash the guide leads you down a flight of steps below the road level. You then cross under the road, and pass down the side of a Tesco superstore occupying land reclaimed from former use as a chemical factory. This unlikely start then takes you over a bridge into a new side of East London, starting with The Three Mills, a conservation area and home of a restored tidal water mill on the River Lea, called House Mill. Incidentally the river Lea has been the beneficiary of a huge clean up operation, and is now part of a network of restored navigable waterways that are adding to the area’s emerging attractiveness.  Also nearby is a large park and the Three Mills film studios, Londons largest, but least well known.

Of the original three mills (one of which is now demolished),  House Mill has  recently been restored and converted into a visitor attraction, with the ground floor of the Millers House turned into a pleasant waterfront cafe.   Plans are afoot and money is being raised to convert the mill to generate hydro electricity in the future. It’s one of the  earliest known tidal mills in England, and was one of several providing flour for the bakers of Stratford-atte-Bow, who supplied bread to the City of London.

A surprising discovery in a watery grave

Our guide explained that the original plan had been to use the recently restored waterway network around the Olympic Park to transport visitors to the games; but this plan has not been actioned because of security fears.

Continuing along an adjacent waterway, we were astounded to hear about recent plans to  rescue the original Euston Arch, which was discovered dumped in a watery resting place here,  in Prescott Channel (NOT named incidentally, after a certain former UK deputy Prime Minister of the last government).

The Euston Arch originally stood  outside the London railway station of the same name, but was demolished in 1961 following the failure of a campaign to save it led by the late Sir John Betjeman. The campaign to rescue the arch and restore it to a position outside the current Euston station, is being led by historian Dan Cruickshank, who located the remains after some persistent detective work. Read about his campaign. You can support the campaign to re-erect the arch by contributing to the blog, or join the Facebook group.

The green way to Stratford

On our tour we also heard about the Greenway to the Olympic Park, a flat walking route for pedestrians to access it,  which will run all the way from Beckton on the north bank of the Thames in East London.  Our guide told us that the route is not yet fully complete as I write. However it seems that it could be a good move for Londoners in 2012 to get to the Olympic Park by taking the District or Hammersmith and City line tube to West Ham, one of the three designated Olympic gateway stations, from where the Greenway will be well signposted.

Another option for locals and visitors will be to take the tube to Stratford at the end of the Jubilee line, particularly convenient for the new Westfield shopping centre which is scheduled to open at the Olympic Park at the end of 2011; but I bet that’s going to experience a huge volume of passengers! Incidentally, having seen what it’s like at the moment, my advice is to not bother going to Stratford for shopping until Westfield opens.

Coming from Kent, it already seems to be obvious that the best way to get to the Olympic Park from there will be to leave the car at home, and take a Javelin high speed train to Stratford International, which links in to the other end of the Westfield complex from the Jubilee line station. Read my post about the high speed Javelin service.

At the Park site
The closest station to the stadium construction site at the moment is Pudding Mill Lane on the Docklands light railway; but that particular station will be closed for the duration of the games, because it will be unable to handle the large volume of visitors that would otherwise be experienced.

To view the Olympic Park construction site, including the stadium and the Aquatic Centre, already dubbed ‘The Pringle’ (owing to the shape of its curved roof like the eponymous potato crisp brand), a viewing platform, visitor interpretation centre and small cafe has been set up, called the View Tube, which can be booked for group visits.

In conclusion, a walking tour is probably the best option at the moment to find your way around the Olympic Park and receive informed commentary about the games.

News and information about London 2012. Or visit Inside the Games.

Can I help you?

Are you looking for insider information and informed comment about destinations or tourism in Britain? You could commission me as a freelance photo journalist, to undertake desk research or market intelligence  work. For more information 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…

Does the postcard have a post modern future?

Will the postcard be dead by 2012?

One amongst  many questions now starting to exercise the brains of those involved in tourism industry planning for London 2012, is how the million or so visitors expected are going to communicate their experiences to friends back home. It’s a matter already under serious consideration by the publishers of greetings cards and picture postcards.

What, you might say, is the picture postcard not in terminal decline? There’s no doubt that more and more people are phoning, texting or picture messaging their thoughts, logging onto social media sites like Facebook, blogging travel journals, uploading photos onto Flickr,  or videos on  You Tube, or earning money from their writing published on Simonseeks?

Around two thirds of the visitors expected to travel to London and venues across other parts of England in July August and September 2012, will originate from within Britain, with the remaining third originating overseas. The question for publishers and retailers of cards is a prescient one. 

So, what  types of cards do people want to buy nowadays and why? Personally speaking, I still buy cards for various reasons: as souvenirs,  to paste up in travel journals or scrapbooks, to frame as pictures, use for competition entries, as bookmarks, or occasionally to send to friends back home while I’m away.

During my travels round Britain over the past few months, I’ve been doing some research on postcards, and have started to notice some new trends emerging. In spite of the rise of digital media options, smart phones and text message communication,  postcards continue to be widely available in England everywhere you’d expect, from post offices to bookshops, to greetings card shops and the stationery departments of large stores to retail outlets in malls and visitor attractions.

Trends in postcard sending

The postcard was first permitted to be sent through the post by Royal Mail in 1894. Royal Mail currently handles an average daily volume of 79m letters. This is 5m fewer than two years ago when volumes were at their peak. However, their figures also reveal that 135 million postcards are now sent each year, and somewhat surprisingly this is  30 million more than three years ago! Sales of postcards are even higher of course, since by no means all get sent through the post.

Brian Lund, editor of Picture Postcard Monthly, thinks that the sales figures might even indicate a return to the glory days of the picture postcard in post-war Britain, when sending them was the height of fashion:  ‘Back in the early 90s, when the internet and mobile phones took over, the number of people sending postcards dropped for obvious reasons – sending a text is easier and cheaper. But now people are realising that a postcard is far more thoughtful than a text message or an email, and that they can be displayed for all to see in the home.’

In the cause of research

I gathered information snooping round news stands at gateways for international visitors including Heathrow and Gatwick airports, and London’s St Pancras International station, as well as shops in various National Trust properties across the country, and by the new Surf Reef at Boscombe pier in Bournemouth, Dorset, as well as looking in on antiques and collectors fairs.

I have to apopolgise for adopting entirely unscientific qualitative research methods;  and freely admit that it’s possible that I looked at a biased sample and a statistically insignificant number of locations.

Postcards of the moment

During and following the recession, retailers have become more ruthless; and are only stocking postcard lines that sell. That’s helped weed out static and old fashioned styles of photography, something I’ve also noticed abroad.

With relatively few exceptions, I’ve noticed an improved standard of creative photography, and new creative treaments creeping in amongst many of the postcards now on sale, helping to keep displays appear more in tune with contemporary taste and maintainin buoyant sales.

Collectable cards

There’s room for nostalgia too, and you’ll sometimes find sections of the ubiquitous revolving card stands reserved for reproductions of sepia toned street scenes of yesteryear. In the same towns you may find antiques and collectors fairs featuring stalls selling the original postcards. There’s a lot of interest, as they’re part of history, yet most remain cheap to collect and display.

The exception are cards by Donald Fraser Gould McGill, an artist whose name has become synonymous with a whole genre of saucy seaside postcards, featuring an array of attractive young women, fat old ladies, drunken middle aged men, honeymoon couples and vicars in compromising circumstances.  Snap it up if you spot one!

New genres of card

What’s also been marked, is that creative treatments are no longer limited to photographs. Cartoon treatments of the local way of life, or a contempoary take on tradition, also have great appeal to visitors, especially if the subject matter is somewhat hard to photograph easily. A selection is illustrated above.

To see a fuller range of the latest cutting edge designs, as well as more traditional subject matter, follow these links :

• Pageantry Postcards
• Lee Gone Publications
• J. Salmon

Judges is one example of a firm of publishers that can help you create and publish postcards from your own photography, and I’m sure there are many more. If you’re a business, don’t forget to include your contact details and website address printed on the reverse side of the card, and ensure you make the most of it’s ability to become a fully fledged marketing tool.

In conclusion, I believe that all the indications are that the postcard is likely to live on in use for many years yet!

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…

Fragrance: the hidden persuader

The power of fragrance

I bet you’d instantly recognise the smell of neroli, or, come to that, the all pevasive smell of kerosene that you can’t avoid in the open at an airport on a warm day!

Returning to the more pleasant fragrance of neroli,  take a trip to your nearest stockist of essential oil (try chemists, health food shops  or a hebalist such as Culpeper) and try a quick spritz from the the tester for orange flower water, or neroli essential oil.  Now close your eyes and ask yourself how you feel.

Just a whiff is enough to send me back to my trip last spring to  Seville, a deligtful Andalusian city where the streets are planted with orange trees. They happened to be in full bloom when I visited in March, so the very air was fragrent with the distinctive scent. However, somewhat more suprisingly, if I close my eyes, the fragrance sends me back to a certain childhood journey from Palma airport to a Majorcan hotel on the other side of the island, in an antiquated charabang with linen antimacassars. It also reminds me of innumerable non air conditioned waiting rooms, and trains in hot Mediterranean countries, during my student days.

It’s all because neroli engenders feeling of coolness, calm and relaxation. I guess that’s why the fragrance remains popular in warm countries, and is used to offset a stressful environment, even if nowadays it gets pumped out via air conditioning units or ionisers.

In my mind, there’s no doubt that certain fragrances have a powerful effect on the emotions. Neroli and kerosene are just two of many.

‘Fragrance branding’: the business view

Have you noticed the pungent smell that surrounds every Lush store in the UK. They sell  ‘fresh handmade cosmetics’. They seem to have a presence on many of the High Streets I frequent, including Bluewater, or Regent Street in London.  ‘A lot of people don’t like the smell’ admitted Mark Constantine, who heads up the firm, in a recent interview for The Sunday Times. However, it’s a fact that you simply can’t ignore it. For example I’m aware of the brand simply because of the smell. Personally I’m  not keen on strong smells; but I certainly know where the nearest branches are, should anyone ask!

Lush may be the most unsubtle proponent of ‘fragrance branding’ in the UK, but it’s actually a key part of their marketing strategy to create a more fragrant high street, with Constantine freely admitting that he deliberately allows a third of his soap product to evaporate – something he calls it ‘the angels share’.

” What I love in my business is creating an effect without you necessarily knowing how I’ve done it, so there’s a touch of magic.

People are used to words and poetry, so you have to work like nobody’s business to get an effect with them. It’s the same thing with music. But perfume! Nobody has a barrier for that, they haven’t a clue what I’m doing – I can nip in there, grab part of your brain and your emotions and you don’t even know what I’ve done. I can get to people’s emotions, it’s a great privilege.”

How and why does fragrance branding work?

Companies who use fragrance branding are rarely as open as Lush, because they are wary of being accused of being manipulative; but if you stop and think I bet you could name quite a few retailers and other businesses who already use it, such as Abercrombie and Fitch. I would guess that places with high indoor footfall and a captive audience have the greatest potential. Retailers of fragrance are obviously likely to try it,  as are airlines and hotels.

So it’s no co-incidence that so many British supermarkets have in store bakeries; or that estate agents and ‘home stagers’ who advise vendors on sellling homes continue to recommend use of scented candles, home baked bread, or the aroma of fresh coffee to impress prospective buyers.

I believe that the concept works because if, as a business, or retailer, you offer up the right sort of subtly fragranced environment, it’s likely to provoke a feeling of well being, and that people who feel happy and relaxed are likely to be in the mood to spend! Fragrance may provoke strong emotions, but a pleasant fragrance can be used as a marketing tool!

There are fashions in fragrance as in anything else. Haven’t you noticed how leading retail brands such as Marks and Spencer, Waitrose and Method, have all developed a line of lavender scented liquid soaps, dishwashing liquid and cleaners recently.

I definitely find synthetic food or pot pourri fragrances can be a turn off; and I always notice if a strong smell is trying to mask an underlying less pleasant niff, so this is a strategy is unlikely to succeed. It can definitely backfire if any smell is over the top and too strong. Lush might be an exception. Generally I think that fragrance needs to be carefully matched to the tastes of the target audience, and that’s a job for experts.

Where to learn more

If you want to learn more about fragrance and perfume and how it’s made, simply fly off to Nice in the south of France, and travel inland to Grasse, or visit the websites of the perfume manufacteres there.

Grasse is one of the world’s major centres of fragrance blending and manufacture, using essential oils from locally grown flowers. The factories of major firms, such as Fragonard or Molinard, are open to the public to visit. You can even get a personalised fragrance created just for you.

Frangrances that conjure up England
Personally speaking, although I think it suits a warm and humid climate,  I don’t think that a fragrance based on pure neroli creates an ambience appropriate for places in England.   Since the country is internationally known for gardens, a more subtle floral based fragrance blend could be the answer; but, since it tends to be a very individual thing to find something right, I thought I’d list a few fragrance houses that capitalise on their English heritage, so that you can pursue your own investigations. You’ll find some hold the warrant to supply the royal household. Many of the websites give information about stockists, including retail outlets and department stores across the country:

• Bronnley
• Crabtree and Evelyn
• Floris
• Jo Malone
• Liz Earle
• Molton Brown
• Penhaligons
• Woods of Windsor
• Yardley

Here are just a few other pleasant natural fragrances that somehow seem appropriate, and that most people would be happy to encounter :

• fresh mown grass
• new leather
• vanilla
• chocolate
• caramel
• salty sea air
• log fires
• freshly starched cotton or linen

If you have any more ideas to add to the list, or if you’ve dabbled in fragrance branding yourself, I’d love to hear about it.

Until next time…