FOCUS FEATURE
HOSPITALITY & TOURISM
The UK has long been a top destination for businesses
from across the world looking to host big events. In fact, the country has consistently placed third in the 2015, 2016 and 2017 ICCA rankings as a destination for business events.
STRATEGIES FOR THE FUTURE In order to maintain a buoyant visitor economy, the region’s providers must fulfil three key objectives. The first is to make visitors feel welcomed personally and
create an atmosphere which is friendly and enjoyable. The second is to make all its services work to meet the demands and desires of the people who visit. Thirdly, it’s to ensure that the same level of quality can
be preserved and enhanced over the long-term, while still remaining a viable commercial proposition. Mixed-use venues are becoming more prevalent, with
more and more hotels incorporating entertainment offerings, shopping facilities, social space and even office or workspace to enhance their overall experience. East Midlands Airport Yew Lodge Hotel, for example, has
developed its offer over several years to meet the demands of its clientele, with an on-site Marco’s New York Italian restaurant, health club and spa, an escape room as well as business, conference and wedding facilities. The rise of the boutique hotel has seen old buildings
with quirky or interesting histories being bought back into purpose, combining the heritage and traditionalism of older architecture with the latest trends in interior design to preserve the authenticity of a building while giving it a modern twist which appeals to the younger demographic. The Barclays report referenced a number of key
strategies which could be adopted to ensure the region’s – and indeed the UK’s – visitor economy remains buoyant and successful. The East Midlands retains a strong attraction as a
destination, with renowned history and culture, to both domestic and international travellers and the political turmoil of the past few years appears to have had little impact on travel to the UK.
The industry and local partners should be proud of – and
leverage – our cultural assets to attract and retain visitors. There should be greater recognition that one size doesn’t
necessarily fit all when it comes to holidays and leisure experiences and operators should be mindful of the different requirements of different demographic groups. Mobile booking or check-ins, for example, may only be appealing to a small segment of customers, so tailoring your offering, products and services to match a wide range of customer expectations is essential. Again, it all comes down to the need for operators to gain an innate understanding of who their customers are and, crucially, their preferences. Collaboration is another key factor. With visitors and
holidaymakers spending increasing amounts on leisure activities, this creates huge opportunities for hospitality operators to connect with local leisure providers, retailers, food and drink producers and other partners to offer rich and diverse packages which enhance the overall customer experience. While the ease and convenience of online and mobile
technology continues to enhance the customer experience, it’s important to remember that certain demographic groups still prefer to use traditional methods of interacting, such as face-to-face or via the telephone. With this in mind, operators should continue to offer options to cover all the different ways that their customers like to purchase from them. And in the age of social media and online reviews,
having a robust customer service strategy and function in place to accept positive feedback and tackle negative comments quickly and reassuringly will play an essential part in maintaining a positive reputation and good relations with existing and potential customers. The visitor economy remains a hugely important
component to the success of businesses and communities in Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire. With so many great assets right on our doorstep, this
part of the region will continue to be a magnet for visitors from all corners of the globe. With the right support, our offering will continue to
improve and delight visitors of all ages for many generations to come.
72 business network February 2020
‘With so many great assets right on our doorstep, this part of the region will continue to be a magnet for visitors from all corners of the globe’
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