Cumbria Tourism

Windermere TIC

19th November 2009

Cumbria Tourism

Windermere TIC

19th November 2009

Current TIC Network Structure

Cumbria’s 27 TICs

Local Authority (16)directly managed Windermere, Kendal, Ulverston

Barrow

Grange

Penrith, Alston, Kirkby Stephen, Appleby

Silloth, Workington, Cockermouth

Whitehaven, Millom

Carlisle, Brampton

Current TIC Network Structure

Cumbria’s 27 TICs

Visit Scotland (1)Southwaite

Local Authority (16)directly managed Windermere, Kendal, Ulverston,

Barrow

Grange

Penrith, Alston, Kirkby Stephen, Appleby

Silloth, Workington, Cockermouth

Whitehaven, Millom

Carlisle, Brampton

National Park Information Centres (3)directly managed

KeswickBownessUllswater

Current TIC Network Structure

Cumbria’s 27 TICs

Visit Scotland (1)Southwaite

Local Authority (16)directly managed Windermere, Kendal, Ulverston

Barrow

Grange

Penrith, Alston, Kirkby Stephen, Appleby

Silloth, Workington, Cockermouth

Whitehaven, Millom

Carlisle, Brampton

National Park Information Centres (3)directly managed

KeswickBownessUllswater

Private Sector (7)

Ambleside BroughtonSedberghConistonEgremontMaryportRheged

TIC Classifications

Strategic: Geographical gateway, transport hub, strategically important to

destination

Destination: High footfall visitor destination eg town centres, visitor

attractions

Local: High % local users with footfall < 50k pa

Strategic & Destination TICs

Cumbria’s KeyStrategic & Destination

TICs

Bowness, Keswick & Ullswater Kendal, Ulverston & Windermere

Barrow, Carlisle, Penrith, WhitehavenAmbleside, Coniston, Rheged

Visitor Throughput

Average footfall

206,000

Average bookings value

£482,000

Windermere

0

100000

200000

300000

400000

500000

600000

2004 2006 2008

Footfall

Accommodationbookings £

SLDC ~ current situation as we know it

Significant budget problems Total TIC Budget appox £700k (gross) Windermere TIC

Expenditure £337k Income £115k Net cost £222k (£100k central management costs)

Premises owned by SLDC, little investment since 1985 Final decision on future of TICs due 9th December Deadline for other organisations to deliver the service

extended to March 2011 Grant scheme for next 3 years

Cumbria Tourism’s Role

1. Guidance on new partnerships, new methods of delivery and better use of public funding

2. Modernise and invest in key centres (eg Bowness)3. Continue and improve staff skills and training

programmes4. Gather and disseminate intelligence and best practice5. Supporting new countywide Cumbria Visitor Information

Partnership

Face to face still a high priorityLAs and LDNPA to play an active and continuing role

Windermere Business Survey November 2009

Online survey 30th October – 12th November

Purpose: Identify importance of Windermere TIC to the local

and wider economy, and to individual businesses Explore the future vision of the TIC

370 businesses contacted

98 responses (27%)

It provides an important feeling of welcome to visitors to Windermere Town

3.2%6.4%

11.7%16.0%

62.8%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Strongly Disagree Neutral Strongly Agree

It provides an important feeling of welcome to visitors to Windermere town

(62)

It plays an important role as an information point at the gateway of the Lake District

4.3% 4.3%7.4%

17.0%

67.0%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Strongly Disagree Neutral Strongly Agree

It plays an important role as an information point at the gateway of the Lake District

How important is Windermere TIC for your business?

20.4%

11.8%

18.3%

25.8%23.7%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

Very Unimportant Neutral Very Important

How important is the Windermere TIC for your business?

Divide between businesses who rely mainly on the internet and those who receive business from the TIC

How important is the TIC to Windermere Town and the visitor economy

3.3% 5.4%8.7%

14.1%

68.5%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

Very Unimportant Neutral Very Important

How important is the TIC to Windermere town and the visitor economy?

Very few businesses (9%) rated Windermere TIC’s impact in the local and wider economy as unimportant

Do you think the TIC should close?

0.0% 2.1%

10.6%5.3%

81.9%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

Definitely Close Neutral Definitely Not Close

Do you think the TIC should close?

Overwhelming majority of respondents feel that not keeping the TIC open is a clear message from the county to visitors that ‘they are not welcome’

Pay a greater commission on accommodation bookings?

42.7%

10.1%

22.5%

12.4% 12.4%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

Would Definitely Not Consider

Neutral Would Definitely Consider

Paying a greater commission on accommodation bookings

Pay a commercial rate for advertising space?

17.0%

6.8%

33.0%

22.7%20.5%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

Would Definitely Not Consider

Neutral Would Definitely Consider

Paying a commercial rate for advertising space

Could the TIC be better situated?

65.2%

19.1%

32.6%

6.7%14.6%

3.4%0.0%

15.7%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

The Windermere

TIC should stay where it is

In a single location for

Bowness and Windermere

Windermere and Bowness

need to be kept separate

Windermere Crescent Road

Ellerthwaite Square

Broad Street car park

Brockhole Closer to the Railway / Bus

station

Would the TIC be better situated in any of the following locations

Who in future should be providing the service?

69.1%

25.9%21.0%

13.6%

39.5%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

South Lakeland District Council

Private/commercial businesses

Co-located and provided by another local service

Co-located and provided by a commercial provider

Community/voluntary managed service with an

adequate grant from South Lakeland District Council

Who in future should be providing the Windermere TIC services

Survey Conclusions

1. Perception that a TIC presence is vital, regardless of whether it delivers direct value to businesses

‘…it provides a shop front for the whole area to visitors coming to this unique part of the UK.’

2. Majority of respondents prefer current location

3. BUT 272 (73%) businesses didn’t complete the survey

Your views and feedback?