Priorities
Marketing Priorities
1. To grow the business tourism market primarily by focusing on the conference and meetings sector, but also by working with inward investment agencies to ensure that opportunities for development of the international business tourism market are exploited.
2. To grow the short break family market, with a particular focus on families with children up to the age of 12.
3. To build on the strength of the visiting friends and relatives market by developing initiatives for residents and target the student population as an unexploited asset.
4. To invest in a programme in preparation for London 2012 that will maximise the opportunities for Luton and Bedfordshire with a focus on visiting journalists, international business visitors and domestic families.
Product Development Priorities
The product analysis has highlighted that there are some specific issues that need to be addressed to support marketing activity. These are as follows:
1. To develop a single point of contact for conference and meetings organisers to maximise the opportunity from any enquiry. To ensure that support material is designed for the needs of the conference organiser and can be distributed electronically, as well as in print. To encourage all venues that offer meeting facilities to benchmark their offering and performance against the best commercial operators in the UK.
2. To publicise and encourage hotels in Luton and Bedfordshire to sign up for the new Visit Britain family friendly accreditation scheme. To carry out an audit of the hotel offering and identify those hotels that are interested in the family market, and work with them to improve their product in the short-term. To make public bodies and planners aware of the needs of the family market and to encourage an increase in self-catering provision in Bedfordshire, including the provision of low cost accommodation such as lodges and campsites.
3. To establish a system for working with the cultural sector in the area to ensure that new events and products can be brought to the attention of visitors as soon as they come on stream. To identify an events programme that will be of interest to both residents and visitors in the lead up to London 2012.
4. To establish a visitor focused web presence, with material that is designed to appeal to the identified segments.
5. To audit transport gateways in advance of London 2012 and recommend changes to improve information and welcome.
6. To work with partners to develop a wider range of short break offers including a ‘green’ offering and event/culture based breaks in Luton and Bedford.
