In Depth: “One Chinese visitor told me that the UK is her new favourite destination ‘because it’s more classy’. The authenticity of the UK is a huge draw for Chinese visitors” Face to face, page 13


Visit Kent: tourism needs resilience fund to survive Brexit By Samantha Mayling


Operation Stack in Kent


Visit Kent has asked the government to set up a Brexit Resilience Fund for tourism businesses that could suffer when the UK leaves the European Union next March.


Deirdre Wells, chief executive


of the destination marketing organisation, wrote to culture secretary Jeremy Wright to appeal for financial support for tourism businesses which may bear the brunt of delays and congestion caused by Brexit. More than 90% of the UK’s truck freight arrives via Kent each year,


Great West Way touring route on track for WTM


The Great West Way tourism project, led by destination management organisation VisitWiltshire, will be promoted at a series of trade events this month. Development of the touring


route has been made possible by a grant from the Discover England Fund Project, administered by VisitEngland. The Great West Way team will be


on stand UKI400 at WTM London with Bristol Airport – the project’s official airport ambassador – plus the new Langley Hotel, Buckinghamshire, and the Royal Crescent in Bath.


Great West Way There will be an invitation-


only evening event on November 22 in Bath, followed by a travel trade marketplace for buyers and suppliers on November 23. Great West Way will promote its new website, film, imagery, travel trade directory and map. A GWR Great West Way rail and


bus pass Rough Guide to the Great West Way and Great West Way travel magazine will be available in 2019.


during times of congestion at ports such as Dover. Wells warned that Operation Brock may be insufficient to manage traffic flows. “Visit Kent is keen to ensure that


businesses are aware of the need to prepare for delays and congestion,” she said. “There is concern that the


as well as more than 22 million passengers. Kent County Council (KCC)


is working with government departments on a new traffic management system called


Operation Brock – Brexit Operations Across Kent – which would help tackle any disruption. The contingency plan follows


Operation Stack, which has seen lorries parked on the motorway


Florence Wallace, head of travel


trade, said: “We are keen to work in partnership with tour operators/ wholesalers to offer one-to-one assistance in helping them develop new Great West Way itineraries. “In exchange for packaging and


selling these programmes, we will provide access to the brand marque, narrative and images as well as more than 100 tourism businesses in our Ambassador Network. “We are looking forward to


sharing our new travel trade directory, which has been designed to highlight bookable trade product including suggested itineraries, destinations, travelling, eating,


drinking, attractions and activities.” greatwestway.co.uk


disruption will coincide with the beginning of the tourism season and the Easter holiday period – and the impact this will have on the thousands of Kent SMEs, many of whom lack the resources to manage


external disruption of this scale.” visitkent.co.uk ◗ See Visit Kent special report – p10


BFI reveals value of set-jetting tourism


Visitors to the UK spent £864 million in film and tv-related tourism, according to a report commissioned by the British Film Institute. The report looked at the value of


government tax relief across the UK’s screen industries in 2016, detailing how it creates thousands of jobs, generates record levels of inward investment, an creates benefits for other sectors, notably tourism. It said films with a “strong UK


story, place and culture such as Harry Potter, Paddington and Kingsman” have featured prominently in UK


tourism campaigns. bfi.org.uk


travelgbi.com


November 2018 | TravelGBI 5


©VisitBritain/ Eric Nathan


©Shutterstock


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