Archived decisions

Contact: Andrew Bateman, ext 5478, [email protected]

1. Summary

1.1 Hampshire County Council's current tourism strategy was formulated to last from 2000-2005. It was therefore timely, that in 2006 Hampshire County Council supported by destination consultants Strategy and Action, carried out strategic development work to clarify what should be the actions at the county level to support and manage the visitor economy over the next 5 years.

This work would decide what should be the County Council's own priorities and role when it comes to the visitor economy and communicate this across the County Council and to Hampshire County Council's external stakeholders. This draft report identifies the county-level Strategic Priorities for the development and management of the Hampshire visitor economy 2007-2012, and proposes specific Strategic Priorities for Hampshire County Council.

It recommends that the draft Strategic Priorities are consulted on widely through dissemination to public and private sector stakeholders and that a final report is accepted in April 2007.

2. Recommendations

a) To approve a wide consultation phase with key stakeholders on Hampshire County Council's draft Strategic Priorities For The Visitor Economy 2007-2012

b) To accept a final version of Hampshire County Council's Strategic Priorities For The Visitor Economy 2007-2012 at the Executive Member for Economic Development's Decision Day in June 2007 for implementation by Hampshire County Council and its partner organisations

3. Background

3.1 There was an identified need to update the 2000-2005 Tourism Strategy for Hampshire. Although this strategy needed to reflect new developments and structures within Hampshire's visitor economy, it was thought to still provide a sound foundation from which to build upon. This has enabled a cost-effective approach to strategy formulation to take place.

3.2 In 2006 Hampshire County Council, supported by destination consultants Strategy and Action, carried out strategic development work to:

· clarify what should be the actions at the county level to support and manage the visitor economy over the next 5 years

· decide what should be the County Council's own priorities and role when it comes to the visitor economy

· communicate this across the County Council and to Hampshire County Council's external stakeholders

4. Methodology

4.1 Using the 2000-2005 Tourism Strategy for Hampshire as a starting point, the consultants with support from the County Council's Tourism Section looked at other relevant strategies and plans and took into account key changes since 2000 that impact on Hampshire's visitor economy - including market trends, infrastructure developments and changes in public-funded tourism

4.2 A workshop that involved key public and private sector tourism stakeholders took place on 12 October 2006. This enabled their expert knowledge to be drawn upon to help make decisions about priorities and roles.

4.3 The draft report is at Appendix A. Its key purpose is to set out the recommended Strategic Priorities (Part Two of the report). Part One simply summarises the context. There is more detailed information, including a summary of the 2000-2005 Tourism Strategy, in a set of Working Papers which will be available on the tourism pages on Hantsweb.

4.4 This draft report will be considered by the Executive Member for Economic Development before being made publicly available for comments by publishing it on the Hampshire County Council website and emailing it to key public sector and private sector stakeholders in the visitor economy. A final version will then be produced and formally adopted by Hampshire County Council.

4.5 It is intended that Hampshire County Council's Tourism Section and other departments and services across the County Council that have a contribution to visitor economy management and marketing will recognise and adopt the focus that the report provides.

4.6 This report will also help inform the work of the Hampshire Tourism Committee in reviewing the wider priorities, responsibilities and structures that are required to support the future development of Hampshire's visitor economy in 2007.

5. Conclusion

5.1 A consultation period for the draft Strategic Priorities will enable a wide group of public and private sector stakeholders to submit their opinions on the future direction that Hampshire County Council should take with respect to the visitor economy. This will help to drive a broad commitment within the County Council to a future direction of travel and focus for support of the visitor economy across its various departments and services and assist the Hampshire Tourism Committee in its work.

Section 100 D - Local Government Act 1972 - background documents

The following documents discuss facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and have been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of this report.

NB: the list excludes:

1. Published works

2. Documents which disclose exempt or confidential information as defined in the Act.

(Quote list of documents here: either "none" if 1 or 2 above apply; or list the relevant letters, memos, etc. and their location)