Has Bournemouth got tourism talent?

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Bournemouth Taps Into New Tourism Talent

Twenty leading-edge rising stars from Bournemouth’s tourism industry have met together this month (October) for the first time, forming a new think tank designed specifically to ignite new ideas and shape the future of the town’s tourism direction.

Called the Tourism Innovation Programme (TIP), the ground-breaking project will also mentor and encourage independent thinkers from the resort’s emerging talent to inject new energy and passion for the tourism and hospitality industry in the South Coast resort.

TIP is the invention of the National Coastal Tourism Academy (NCTA), and the local council’s Tourism Management Board and comprises trail-blazers selected from the town’s tourism and hospitality industry by an industry-wide nomination process.

Staff from a cross-section of hotels, attractions, restaurants and pubs as well as local entrepreneurs such as the founder of Conker Spirit, Dorset’s first dry gin distillery, are represented.

“The new Tourism Innovation Programme is led by an experienced industry innovator, Stephen Feber, who helps spark the flow of ideas to create new services and products, to add value to the visitor experience,” said Samantha Richardson, director of the NCTA.

“TIP will have the potential to inject a new innovative energy across the destination, to make it more resilient and competitive for the future. This is a unique opportunity for resourceful, creative individuals to join a dynamic new team to generate ideas and help position Bournemouth at the leading edge of UK coastal tourism.”

With the rise in UK short breaks, shaping a dynamic future is vital for coastal tourist resorts’ longterm economic success and, uniquely, this programme is industry driven.

Its induction has been enthusiastically welcomed by participants.

“The opening session was extremely valuable,” commented David Cullen, Assistant Marketing Manger at Lemur Leisure, a local children’s attraction.

“I wrote pages of notes and took away several ideas I can apply to my business.”

“I found the event very thought-provoking and found myself thinking about the wider story – seeing the visitor’s experience of the destination as a series of connected interactions and transactions, an entire journey not just individual customer experiences,” said Anna Chamberlain, Business Support for Bournemouth Coastal BID.

The cohort met for the first time this month, (October) with three further half-day sessions to follow throughout the year.

The Tourism Innovation Programme is part of the NCTA’s strategy to boost the local tourism industry and help create jobs.

Ends/

For more media information, please contact Sheron Crossman, Marketing and Communications Manager, Sheron.crossman@coastaltourismacademy.co.uk or tel: 01202 962565.

Notes to editors: The National Coastal Tourism Academy is a partnership between Bournemouth Borough Council, Bournemouth University and the local tourism industry. It is funded by the Department of Communities and Local Government, with additional investment from Bournemouth Borough Council and Bournemouth University, initially for two years. The key purpose of the project is to create jobs in the tourism sector through growth in the local economy.