04 • SPOTLIGHT • AUTUMN/WINTER 2016


BRISTOL Destination


How leisure has helped Bristol become a desirable destination


John Hirst, head of Destination Bristol, says a host of factors including Banksy, Shaun the Sheep and the Tour of Britain have put Bristol on the map for visitors Te visitor


By John Hirst, Chief Executive, Destination Bristol


economy of both leisure tourism and business tourism now


brings £1.3 billion a year into Bristol according to figures compiled by the Office for National Statistics. I believe that figure will rise even


higher in the future. Te interest in Bristol has increased significantly in the last 18 months, and leisure has done much to bring about this change. Te recent penultimate stage of the Tour of Britain in Bristol was very much an example of this. Its significance went beyond the undoubted prestige of hosting such a great sporting event in the city and inspiring young people – it also brought associated economic benefits such as people coming to Bristol and staying in hotels and dining in restaurants. Te fact that the Tour of Britain


cycle race visited Bristol was very much thanks to the former mayor


of Bristol, George Ferguson, who was very pro-active in bringing the event to the city. In the past, we had difficulties in actually getting people to come into Bristol. Now it is regarded as a trendy place to visit and there is a real momentum. We are also finding that when we are involved with business deals they are going through more quickly than before. Everything we do at Destination


Bristol is about bringing economic benefits to the city as a result of attracting people to visit. I joined Destination Bristol in 2008


and became chief executive in 2012. When I look back on how things were back in 2008 compared to how they are today, I can see four key factors that have changed the city in recent years. Te first was the Banksy exhibition at


Bristol Museum and Art Gallery in 2009, which boosted the city’s economy by an estimated £10 million and gave the city an enduring global reputation as a hub for creativity and an exciting place to visit. Te second was the election of


Colliers International


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36