Destination management and planning in Shropshire

Shropshire County Council and Visit Shropshire asked Melanie and her colleague Katrina Kerr to help them review the effectiveness of tourism management in the county, create a destination management plan and develop and deliver a national domestic marketing campaign. 

 

The tourism management review comprised research, consultation and benchmarking while a co-curation approach was taken to destination management planning.  1-1 interviews with stakeholders and businesses, a business survey,  best practice case studies, a literature review and  two days of stakeholder workshops on product and packaging, marketing, infrastructure and the visitor experience were all part of the process.

 

The result was an options appraisal for future tourism management, a light touch business plan for Visit Shropshire, a three year destination management plan and an action plan taking the county up to 2025, plus a highly successful marketing campaign.

 

'Thank you for your most dynamic and positive presentation of the findings of November’s workshops and the destination management plan you have developed for Shropshire.  It felt like an honest and open session and reflected your wider understanding of the future direction of the visitor economy regionally, nationally and beyond. Thanks again for allowing us to progress from here with confidence.'

Jane Trethewey, Assistant Director, Shropshire County Council.