Breadcrumbs
Long Term Recovery Plan For Rural Tourism Launched - 9 May 2001
Working for the Countryside - A strategy for rural tourism in England 2001-2005 is a 16 point action plan aimed at revitalising rural tourism. The document provides a clear focus for national, regional and local action and is endorsed by the Rural Task Force chaired by Environment Minister Michael Meacher.
Rural tourism is worth £12 billion per year and supports 380,000 jobs. However, many small rural tourism businesses are currently struggling to survive. This strategy aims to show how tourism can play a key role in revitalising many small towns and their surrounding areas and build on the countryside's strengths and character.
ETC chairman Alan Britten said, "The foot and mouth crisis is a poignant reminder of just how much we already depend on tourism to underpin life in rural England. Yet tourism needs to be managed sustainably if we want to preserve our rural heritage. To be successful and make a real contribution to the rural economy, tourism must be handled sensitively and in a way that reflects local needs and culture. The strategy offers a sound visionary way forward for the countryside."
Countryside Agency chief executive Richard Wakeford said, "The foot and mouth epidemic has shown the value of rural tourism to England's economy- perhaps twice as much as agriculture in economic terms. As we rebuild confidence in the countryside, we must invest wisely in a quality tourism product. That way, day visitors, and those who stay can enjoy rural England to the full, bringing benefits to rural businesses and local people alike. This strategy outlines the work that the Countryside Agency and the ETC will do together to encourage wise investment in tomorrow's countryside."
Priorities highlighted in the recovery plan include stronger marketing of rural destinations, more research into new and existing markets, better information provision for visitors particularly via the internet and more partnerships at local level.
It also aims to boost employment in rural areas as well as spreading the benefits of tourism throughout rural communities. Improving quality is also highlighted as a key issue particularly for accommodation and customer service.
-ends-
16 priorities for action have been identified in Working for the Countryside they are:
Influencing and enabling visits
· strengthening the marketing of rural products and destinations
· increasing the local impact of visitor information
· improving access for all visitors
Enriching the rural tourism experience
· providing a wide range of quality accommodation
· bringing out local distinctiveness, culture and heritage
· promoting local produce and gastronomy
· making more of activity-based tourism
Fostering rural tourism enterprises
· providing more focused business support
· relating planning decisions to economic, social and environmental benefits
· increased networking between rural tourism businesses
· improving the impact of businesses on the local environment and community
Improving the management of rural destinations
· identifying rural tourism destinations for integrated quality management
· strengthening the role of market towns in tourism
· improving visitor and traffic management
· supporting the conservation of landscapes and biodiversity
· involving local communities in tourism management
Notes to editors:
This is the first rural tourism strategy for England since the English Tourist Board's Visitors in the Countryside in 1988 .Working for the Countryside - A strategy for rural tourism in England 2001-2005 costs £15.00 and is available from ETC fulfilment tel: 0208 563 3276 or 0870 606 7204 . or from Countryside Agency publications on 0870 120 6466.
Members of the Rural task force are as follows:
- Department of Trade and Industry- Patricia Hewitt - Minister for Small Business
- and e-commerce
- Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food - Elliot Morley,
Minister for Fisheries and the Countryside
- Department for Culture, Media and Sport - Janet Anderson, Minister for Tourism,
- Film and Broadcasting
- Her Majesty's Treasury - Andrew Smith - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
- No. 10 - David North
- English Tourism Council - Mary Lynch
- Countryside Agency - Ewen Cameron
- British Hospitality Association - Bob Cotton
- National Trust - Fiona Reynolds
- Federation of Small Business - Ian Handford
- National Farmers Union - Ben Gill
- Country Landowners' Asscoiation - Anthony Bosenquet
- South West RDA Chair - Sir Michael Lickiss
- Newcastle University - Neil Ward
- Rural Group of Bishops - Alan Chesters
- Local Government Association - Christine Reed
- National Federation of Women's Institute - Helen Cave
- Countryside Alliance - Richard Burge
- The Wales Office - David Hanson
- National Assembly for Wales - Clive Alexander
- Scottish Executive - Alasdair Morrison
- Northern Ireland Office - Will Haire
- British Tourist Authority - Bernard Donoghue
Why have you produced this strategy?
The last rural strategy was produced back in 1988 by what were the English Tourist Board and the Countryside Commission. Since then the whole rural agenda has changed considerably and the ETC and the CC felt it was an excellent opportunity to relook at rural tourism in the light of this new climate.
In what ways has the countryside agenda changed?
When the last strategy was produced, sustainable tourism was almost unheard of, quality was not considered the crucial issue that it is today and there was little emphasis paid to the importance of tourism benefiting the local community. Protecting the environment, particularly the natural environment, was also not considered to be a major issue.
How important is rural tourism?
As the foot and mouth crisis has so clearly demonstrated rural tourism is crucial to the local and national economy. Total spending by visitors to the English countryside amounts to £12 billion per annum and supports 380,000 jobs. Domestic visitors make 15 million holiday trips to the countryside each year, which represents 25% of all holiday trips.
How are you going to implement the strategy?
Although the strategy has been produced by the English Tourism Council and the Countryside Agency, responsibility for implementing the strategy now lies with a wide range of organisations. At a national level this includes government departments, agencies involved in conservation and land management such as English Nature and the National Trust and tourism bodies. Regionally, it's the RTBs, the regional offices of the Countryside Agency and the RDAs and at local level, local authorities will take the lead.
What difference will this strategy actually make to rural tourism?
As well as providing a clear framework for sustainable tourism, it aims to give a clear steer to the many different organisations that are involved in rural tourism. We already have the support of a number of key organisations such as the National Trust, Farmstay UK, the Association of National Park Authorities, English Nature, the Small Business Service and Devon County Council who will help to deliver the strategy. Most importantly the strategy should help to improve the quality of the rural product for the benefit of both visitors and the local community.
Case studies
Strengthening the marketing of rural products and destinations
VISIT initiative: a shared database in over 39 TICs, call centres and on the internet across Devon, Cornwall and West Somerset provide visitors with information on accommodation and activities as well as enabling them to make bookings. One of the key aims of this initiative is that it should benefit the region's many small tourism providers.
Promoting local produce and gastronomy
Taste of Wayland Food Forum: based in Watton in Norfolk this is a new promotional tool for tourism businesses, while helping to protect the future of the landscape and the local economy. The partnership of producers, the hospitality industry and retailers helps to promote local food.
Improving the impact of businesses on the local environment and community
Rosebridge Farm Accommodation and Health Club: the farmhouse and holiday cottages are set amidst a 100 acre working farm in the AONB High Weald in Kent. 10 cottages were converted from a range of traditional farm buildings and some of the farm's facilities are made available to both the local community and guests of the farm. With no sports facilities in the area, this has benefited the local community and there are now more than 350 members.
Supporting the conservation of landscapes and biodiversity
Kelling Health Holiday Park: this holiday park in an AONB employs a full-time countryside manager to manage the estate in an environmentally friendly way. The park's activities are explained to visitors to enhance their holiday experience. Various wildlife-based activities keep visitors on site, thereby reducing visitor and vehicle pressure on the AONB, as well as educating visitors to the sensitivity of the surrounding area.
How will Foot and Mouth affect the relevance of this document?
The foot and mouth crisis has proved that the countryside really does rely very heavily on tourism. Tourism underpins life in rural England. It has affected all aspects of tourism from small to large businesses.
Yes, this document was produced before the foot and mouth crisis but, has even more relevance today than it did before.
It reveals what we need to do to get the Countryside to an even better state than it was before.
