South West Regional Development Agency

Our key regional strength undoubtedly rests on a vibrant and successful tourism industry. The London 2012 Games provide a unique opportunity to make a step change in our tourism offer through improvements in quality, welcome and services, integrated with high profile events. They also offer the potential to attract a much higher proportion of overseas visitors into the region, not just during the Games, but also pre and post 2012. The sailing events at Weymouth and Portland represent an opportunity to showcase and profile the region to a global audience of billions. It is important that we effectively market our region both nationally and internationally over the coming years. 
 
The South West has contributed to the emerging national Tourism Strategy for the 2012 Games and formulated regional plans consistent with the aims and objectives of "Towards 2015", the tourism strategy for the South West.

Tourism and Regional Image Mission

To build on the tourism offer to overseas and domestic visitors in a sustainable manner by improving our quality, welcome and services. To showcase all that the South West has to offer on a world stage in order to make the region a first choice destination.

Regional Objectives

• To communicate the scale and opportunity of the London 2012 Games to the regional tourism sector whilst managing expectations
• To host an accessibility conference in 2007 that will explore disability access across the region
• To ensure enhanced and sustainable transport connectivity throughout the region
• To help develop a comprehensive and sustainable events programme before, during and after the Games
• To capitalise on the displacement of UK citizens from London and recognise the constraints that this will impose on the London 2012 Games being held in what will be 'peak season' in the region
• To drive up quality, improve destination management, and increase the proportion of overseas visitors in the long term
• To improve the skills base in the tourism sector through specific targeted intervention and development of programmes
• To review roles and responsibilities and ensure that the most effective structures for delivery are in place for 2012 and beyond
• To develop the product in order to exceed customer expectations
• To develop an international campaign to promote the South West and its UNESCO World Heritage sites
• To develop and implement a South West England marketing strategy that places the region firmly on the world stage and promotes our passion, pride, innovation, creativity, products and services
• To ensure that all the above is done in a sustainable and responsible way

Regional Plan

The regional 2012 plan is focused on 3 key areas:

1. Building the Base

• To build our knowledge and understanding of the potential impact of the London 2012 Games on tourism in the South West, and to interpret this knowledge into practical guidance to the Destination Management Organisations (DMOs) and tourism businesses across the region
• To develop DMOs as a mechanism for delivering a more integrated, inclusive tourism offer
• South West Tourism to coordinate the drive to improve the tourism offer to visitors by:
• - communicating opportunities effectively
• - providing bespoke training where applicable
• - advising tourism providers
• - researching and investigating the likely impact of the London 2012 Games on the tourism base and initiating appropriate strategies

2. Spreading the Word

• To develop a targeted marketing and communications plan utilising both national and regional partners, to increase the value of tourism to the visitor economy
• To deliver a series of industry conferences and workshops to assist small and medium size enterprises (SMEs) to plan and capitalise on the opportunities

3. Securing our Position

• To improve the welcome and quality of the tourism product and thus the visitor experience, delivering good, integrated management and activity
• To ensure growth in a responsible and sustainable way, and to develop a widespread welcome initiative regarding gateway points, customer service and training

Strategic Links

The South West is contributing to the national Tourism Strategy for the 2012 Games as well as formulating its own plans with the "Towards 2015" strategy. These plans are fully integrated into the work of VisitBritain and Visit London.

Regional Partners

South West RDA 
South West Tourism 
Destination Management Organisations across the region 
South West Historic Environment Forum 
Tourism Skills Network 
Culture South West 
VisitBritain 
Visit London