Issue - meetings

Cabinet considered proposals for the Destination Management Framework set out shared key priorities for strengthening and growing Thanet’s visitor economy for the next five years. The Framework was focused on key things that would make the biggest difference to growing the local visitor economy, making it more sustainable and building on the work achieved through the first Destination Management Plan, which was developed in 2012/13.

The meeting was advised that Blue Sail, a leading destination consultancy firm was commissioned by the Council last autumn to develop the Framework, which drew on views of local stakeholders. These views were gathered through one to one meetings, interviews, an interactive workshop with more than 50 people attending, and via an online survey. Blue Sail also used recent research both at a local level, including volume and value data, the results of visitor surveys carried out face to face, and perception research as well as national research on holiday trends and coast perceptions.

The priorities and actions in the Framework include

·  Making Thanet’s town centres more attractive to visitors and providing more of the right kind of accommodation. Thanet also has the benefit of bidding into the Future High Street Fund for Ramsgate, and has been allocated a Town Deal opportunity for Margate.

·  Looking at year-round experiences, activities and facilities at key sites along the coast, including reviewing the opportunity of assets in the Council’s ownership and taking advantage of the growth interest in wellbeing experiences and outdoor activities.

·  Using strong themes which provide a distinctive and authentic welcome that encompasses visitor experience. The Tourism team will support the private sector to develop experiences via the Interreg funded Experience project working with Visit Kent.

Partnership working and collaboration will be a key factor to moving the local tourism industry forward after the COVID-19 crisis. It would also help to retain the £319 million that tourism was worth to the local economy, 7,950 jobs (20% of jobs in Thanet) and the local services that it supported.

The following Members spoke under Council Procedure Rule 20.1:

Councillor Campbell;

Councillor Bailey;

Councillor Hart;

Councillor Bayford.

Councillor Duckworth proposed, Councillor Everitt seconded and Cabinet formally adopted the Thanet Destination Management Framework.