Agenda item

Briefing Note of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place)

Councillors O’Boyle and Welsh, Cabinet Member and Deputy Cabinet Member for Jobs and Regeneration have been invited to the meeting for the consideration of this item 

The Committee considered a briefing note and presentation of David Nuttall, Strategic Lead (European City of Sport, UK City of Culture and Commonwealth Games) which provided an update on progress with implementing the action plan and priorities within the Coventry Tourism Strategy 2019-23, which was approved by Cabinet at their meeting on 27^th November, 2018. Councillor O’Boyle, Cabinet Member for Jobs and Regeneration and Councillor Maton, Cabinet Member for Education and Skills attended the meeting for the consideration of this item.

The presentation set out the current position for tourism in the city which included a £385m spend per annum; supported 6,921 fte jobs which represented 5.9% of local employment; saw 94% of visitors saying they would recommend Coventry to a friend; and 95% of visitors saying they would return. The presentation also highlighted a number of concerns including the reason why 77% of people who had not visited stated that they were not sure what was there; visitor spend was low (£5 per hour for day visitors); nightlife and variety of things to do scored lowest for satisfactions; and there were gaps in the accommodation offer. The presentation highlighted that there was huge potential for tourism growth.

The Committee were informed of the vision for the tourism strategy as follows: 

‘By 2023 perceptions and awareness of Coventry as a leisure and business tourism destination will have grown and residents will be even more proud, active ambassadors of their city.  The city will be recognised as a host for major events and the city will be attracting more than 10 million visitors a year”

There were seven measures of success for the Strategy:

i) Development of a successful delivery partnership to manage the DMP

ii) Increase in overall visitor numbers

iii) Increase in overnight visitors

iv) Increase in yield per visitor

v) Growth in jobs supported via the visitor economy

vi) Increase in awareness of Coventry as a destination

vii) Improved perceptions of Coventry as a destination.

The Action Plan had been framed around the following four areas: Partnership, Product, Place and Positioning. The presentation set out the initial priorities for the first six month of operation to June 2019 under these four areas. An update was given at the meeting on the actions to date.  

Members questioned the officers on a number of issues and responses were provided, matters raised included:

·  The opportunities to involve Councillors with the implementation of the strategy

·  Further information about the proposed Destination Partnership Board

·  Details about the marketing of Coventry outside of the city and suggestions for promoting Coventry, including at Birmingham Airport

·  Relationships with the BBC

·  The requirement to have a better offer to attract visitors to the city, especially young people

·  Concerns about the night club offer in the city

·  How to encourage a busy evening night time culture in the city centre, not just a day time retail offer

·  The use of social media and the development of a digital calendar for the promotion of events.

Members discussed the most appropriate Scrutiny forum for the consideration of future update reports on the implementation of the Tourism Strategy.

RESOLVED that:

(1) The content of the presentation be noted.

(2) Future reports on progress with implementing the tourism strategy action plan be submitted to meetings of the Business, Economy and Enterprise Scrutiny Board (3), with members of Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee being invited to attend as appropriate.

(3) Representatives of the Destination Partnership Board, when operational, be invited to attend a future meeting of the Business, Economy and Enterprise Scrutiny Board (3).