An event aimed at putting Nottinghamshire even more firmly on the map for international visitors heard from D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership Chief Executive Sajeeda Rose (pictured far right) on this key sector.
Around 125 delegates attended the Visitor Economy Summit, held at Rufford Country Park near Ollerton, today (Thursday June 27).
The event highlighted Nottinghamshire County Council’s first ten-year plan to increase tourism by 20%, whilst also creating 2,900 jobs and adding an additional £240million to the local economy.
The County Council’s 2019-2029 Visitor Economy Strategy was launched in February (2019). An online copy can be read here.
Parts of the Strategy advise increasing visitor accommodation in the county to support more overnight stays (by both UK and international visitors), better marketing and events, and more business support for the local tourism industry.
D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership Involvement
Sajeeda Rose, Chief Executive of the D2N2 LEP, spoke at today’s event on the importance of the Visitor Economy sector to the LEP’s area, and told the audience: “The visitor economy is a significant part of the D2N2 LEP area’s economic growth and now accounts for £3billion annually.
“By part-funding projects across the region such as the Museum of Making in Derby, the Sherwood Forest Vistors’ Centre, Buxton Crescent and the Nottingham Castle project, the D2N2 LEP is stimulating future growth and prosperity for businesses and employees in this sector.”
D2N2 is the private sector-led Partnership of business, local authorities, skills and training providers, and community and voluntary services representatives which promotes economic growth across the area of Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. As part of its role, it has identified key sectors, ones where the LEP area has or could develop a competitive advantage, with the Visitor Economy and tourism being one of these sectors.
In June 2017 D2N2 released an in-depth report it had commissioned, looking specifically at the current quality and spread of visitor accommodation in the LEP area, and future needs. A copy of this D2N2 Strategy can be read here.
More recently, in October 2018 Sherwood Forest saw the official opening of its new £5million Visitor Centre, which had received £500,000 in funding via the D2N2 LEP’s Local Growth Fund allocation.
Visitor Economy Summit
Other speakers and experts for a Q&A panel at the Visitor Economy Summit included Jane Utterly, Head of English Partnerships at Visit England; Heidi Barlow, Head of Marketing at East Midlands Airport; and Alison Swan Parente, Founder of the School of Artisan Food on the Welbeck Estate, north Nottinghamshire.
Delegates who attended the event included representatives from Cresswell Crags, the DH Lawrence Museum, Thoresby Hall, East Midlands Chamber of Commerce, The Federation of Small Business, Kelham Hall, Portland College, Nottingham Trent University, Historic England; as well as regeneration experts from neighbouring county councils including Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Lincolnshire.
Councillor Kay Cutts MBE, Leader of Nottinghamshire County Council and a D2N2 LEP Board Member, said: “Collectively we need to create a destination with a world-wide reputation as a place with authentic and diverse attractions, a history and heritage second to none and a customer experience that rivals the very best the UK has to offer.”
She added: “Our wonderful county has so much going for it – we already welcome 24million visitors to our county every year, servicing 15,000 jobs and generating £1.75bn for our economy. But we have the potential to do a lot more. We have a fantastic story to tell. We need to be better at telling it.”
For more on how the D2N2 LEP is promoting the Visitor Economy key sector see its website at www.d2n2lep.org/key-sectors/visitor-economy
Media wanting more information about the D2N2 LEP can contact Sean Kirby, D2N2 Communications Manager, on 0115 9578749 or email: sean.kirby@d2n2lep.org
