Agenda item

Briefing Note of the Director of Business, Investment and Culture

The Business, Economy and Enterprise Scrutiny Board (3) received a briefing note and presentation setting out the progress on the Tourism Strategy and Destination Coventry.

The Cabinet Member for Jobs, Regeneration and Climate Change introduced the item, highlighting that work on the Strategy and Destination Coventry had commenced prior to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, but that good progress had been made through difficult conditions.  There had been a move away from the Local Authority being responsible for promoting the city to a collaborative approach between the Council and Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, to deliver a new, pilot Destination Management Organisation (DMO).

The Board noted that the DMO was formally established in August 2021 as a public / private collaboration, to deliver a proof of concept model to establish that Destination Coventry would:

·  Lead in the management, development and promotion of Coventry’s leisure and business tourism

·  Continue to operate the Coventry and Warwickshire Convention Bureau

·  Assume responsibility for the provision of visitor information in the city

·  Provide opportunities for the private sector to engage in a regular tourism dialogue

·  Co-ordinate the delivery of the 2019-2023 Tourism Strategy, with stakeholders contributing to Strategy reviews and future iterations

·  Not rely solely on Council funding, but will enable the private sector to contribute financially to the DMO’s destination marketing activities, with the aim of amplifying growth of the city’s visitor economy, and

·  Deliver activities to include the development of income streams to ensure sustained financial viability.

The management and operations of Destination Coventry were overseen by an Oversight Board, chaired by the Commercial Director of Coventry Building Society Arena.  The Board further included representatives from the Coventry & Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, Coventry BID, Coventry City of Culture Trust, Coventry City Council, Visit Britain and representatives of several tourism, leisure and hospitality sector businesses.

In December 2021, Destination Coventry launched its membership scheme which included categories of Full Membership; Patron Membership; Food, Drink and Nightlife Membership; Supplier Membership; Joint Destination Coventry / Chamber of Commerce Membership; and Basic Membership.  This had resulted in 105 memberships being established across these categories.

The Briefing Note outlined the work undertaken by Destination Coventry during the 17 operational months of the pilot period to date.  There had been a number of campaigns supported through 2022 under themes of food and drink; nightlife; Halloween; and business Tourism, in addition to seasonal campaigns Explore Coventry and Coventry’s Winter Wonderland.  These campaigns had achieved a significant reach across television, radio, YouTube, social media accounts, website views, plus others.

The Scrutiny Board noted that there were a number of next steps and key priorities for the DMO, which included:

·  Sustainable DMO Model beyond 2023/24

·  DMO Review (du Bois Report)

·  2024 Tourism Strategy / Destination Management Plan

·  Collaborative sustainable tourism journey

·  Further specialist sector support opportunities

·  Addressing recruitment and skills challenges

·  Thematic campaigns – culture and heritage / sport

·  Business events grown, and

·  Major events.

The delivery of the Coventry Tourism Strategy 2019-2023 continued to be a core principle and ongoing key priority for the Destination Coventry model.  Progress was measured against planned priorities and actions outlined within the Coventry Tourism Strategy, across the four key themes of Partnership, Product, Place and Positioning.  It was acknowledged that the Covid-19 pandemic had impacted significantly on the UK hospitality and tourism industry during 2020 and 2021.  However, a recently published report using the STEAM tourism economic impact model, had identified accelerated levels of recovery across all metrics in Coventry, in comparison to the West Midlands Combined Authority area and the Coventry and Warwickshire sub-region, including visitor numbers, economic impact and total employment.

It was noted that the STEAM report also identified a growth in accommodation had also been strong in Coventry across this period, which showed that Coventry has 72 serviced and no-serviced establishments offering 11,880 beds.  This was 6 establishment and 1,722 beds up on the previous year.  This did not include the Indigo Hotel at Friargate or 8 other developments at various stages of planning consent.

In considering the briefing note and presentation, the Board asked questions and received responses on the matters summarised below:

·  Whether the city’s universities were involved in the DMO and its work.

·  When the 2022 figures would be available and whether there would be any comparison between the figures for 2018 and 2019 to identify whether recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic is in line with where the city was prior to the outbreak.

·  Given the success of tv advertising, had any consideration been given to advertising on an international market.

·  How much funding is provided from public sources.

·  Where the statistics from social media were being gathered from.

·  Whether the minutes of the DMO were shared.

·  The business case and governance structures for the DMO.

·  The impact of fuel cost increases and recruitment on businesses.

RESOLVED that:

1.  That the contents of the presentation and briefing note be noted.

2.  Additional information be provided to members of the Board on:

(a)  Key performance figures for 2022 as soon as they are available.

(b)  The business case and governance structures for the DMO.

3.  The following matters be included on the Work Programme for 2023/24:

(a)  Considering support to businesses with fuel costs and recruitment.

(b)  Scrutiny Board involvement in the process for renewing the Coventry Tourism Strategy and the review of the end of the DMO pilot.