Developing Liverpool’s Visitor Economy

– a new approach

June 2016

Chris Melia

The truth about tourism strategies

They begin with good intentions and clear thinking. But the end result is often a long winded, over-complicated, bureaucratic document. This is further

compounded by the non-binding nature of them.

Setting strategy in business - an example (hotel)

Overall goal - objective Strategy Action plan

To increase annual revenue by 30%

1. Invest in a luxury spa development to attract new markets.

2. Convert under utilised function rooms into bedrooms to service additional demand.

1. Market research.2. Commission design team.3. Financial feasibility.4. Assemble the finance.5. Commission build team.6. Devise marketing

strategy.7. Launch and operate.

Setting strategy - destinations

Goal/objective

To increase the value of tourism to £xxxx

Overall goal - objective Strategy

1. Invest in xxx to attract new markets.

2. Improve xxx to ensure that existing markets return.

3. Develop a marketing fund of £xxx to target new markets.

4. Continue to target existing markets with a marketing fund of £xxx.

This can be done - based on market intelligence, trends, analysis, evidence, judgement and consensus.

Action plan

??????????????

Lack of control, influence or authority

Different types of tourism strategy

The Tourism Manager’s

Plan

The Advocacy Strategy

The Place Making Strategy

Marketing, Tourist Information Centres, Events

RegenerationDevelopment

InfluencesAdvocates

Aligns

Overall Goal?

Attract an additional 300,000 tourists by 2020?

From 2.2m to 2.5m

Measured by STEAM

Where are we now and where have we come from?

Capital of Culture

Growth fuelled by tourists from overseas

Number of tourists from overseas declines whilst domestic tourism surges

Both domestic and overseas tourists grow

Where are we now and where have we come from?

In 2004, Liverpool was the 10th most visited destination in England (staying

tourists).

10 years on, it ranks 4th in England.

1.

2.

3.

4.

London

Manchester

Birmingham

Liverpool

19,500,000

3,700,000

3,200,000

2,200,000

Where are we now and where have we come from?

Domestic Leisure Tourists

International Leisure Tourists

Domestic Business Tourists

International Business Tourists

60%

23%

10%

7%

The leisure market accounts for 83% of the 2.2m visitors.

Leisure marketsDomestic - 1.3m

London and the South East

North West

Scotland

Yorkshire

26%

16%

12%

10%

East Midlands 10%

West Midlands 8%

North East 4%

Wales, East Anglia, N. Ireland 8%

Ireland

Spain

Norway

Germany

19%

9%

8%

5%

USA 5%

France 5%

Australia 4%

Denmark 3%

International - 0.5m

Business markets - staying tourists - 374,000

Venues and Hotels

185,00050%

Meetings not in

venues120,000

32%

ACC69,00018%

Add 500,000 day delegates using ACC (24,000) hotels and venues (476,000)

Business markets - day and staying

International 500+ (ACC)

International <500 (other)

Domestic 500+ (ACC)

Domestic <500 (ACC & other)

8,000

29,000

85,000

632,000

International meetings

Domestic meetings

108,000

12,000

So back to that goal….

Growth target?2.5m

2.35m2.25m

Growth marketsGrow the number of

international leisure

tourists by 80,000+16%

Grow the number of domestic leisure

tourists by 166,000+12%

Grow the number of business

tourists by 54,000

+13%

Ireland - 14,000

Spain - 18,000

Norway - 8,000

Germany - 2,500

USA - 12,500

France - 3,000

Priority on near markets and London and South East

50% growth from ACC generating an additional 34,000 staying delegates

10% growth from other venues and hotels generating an additional 20,000 staying delegates

Australia - 7,000

Denmark - 3,000

China - 2,500

Canada - 6,500

Others - 3,000

Enough of the numbers….

Defining what is distinctively Liverpool

Lonely Planet

Few English cities are as shackled by reputation as Liverpool, and none has worked so hard to outgrow the clichés that for so long have been used to define it.

A hardscrabble town with a reputation for wit and an obsessive love of football, Liverpool also has an impressive cultural heritage: it has more listed museums than any other city outside London, its galleries are among the best in the country, and it has recently undergone an impressive program of urban regeneration.

And then there's the Beatles. Liverpool cherishes them not because it's stuck in the past and hasn't gotten over the fact that they're long gone – it's because their worldwide popularity would make it crazy not to do so.

6 Buzzing night life

4 Obsessive

about football and

sport

1 Magnificent

built heritage

3 Fascinating museums

and galleries

2 Birthplace

of the Beatles

5 Shopping, shopping, shopping

7 Dynamic theatres

and venues

Wit, humour, welcome,

cosmopolitan

Magnificent built heritage

Anglican Cathedral (1)Central Library (3)Pier Head (12)Catholic Cathedral (14)St George’s Hall (16)Radio City Tower (22)Town Hall (30)

Birthplace of the Beatles

Taxi Tours (2)Sightseeing Tours (7)Mendips (9)Casbah (10)Beatles Story (11)Forthlin Road (13)Matthew Street (23)

Fascinating museums and galleries Maritime Museum (4)Museum of Liverpool (5)Walker Art Gallery (8)Speke Hall (15)World Museum (20)

Obsessive about football and sport

Anfield (6)

Shopping, shopping, shopping

Liverpool ONE (19)

Nightlife

Bars and clubs (21) - the Cavern, Philharmonic pub, Grapes etc.

Dynamic theatres and venues

Echo Arena (24)Royal Court (27)PhilharmonicEmpire and Playhouse

Anomolies: FerriesWaterfrontTateAlbert DockEmpire

So we know what our visitors think…

Destination Brand

So what are we going to do?

A strategy focussed on achievinginvestment & aligning with

partners’ plans…..