A Message from Marc Etches

Welcome to our July newsletter.

Last week I was delighted to meet so many businesses at our ‘Working Together for the Games’ conference held at Market Rasen Racecourse on Wednesday 14 July. Thank you to each of you that attended.

Working with Lincolnshire Sports Partnership we were able to bring together businesses from sectors including sports, leisure and tourism to facilitate and identify new networks and opportunities, using the 2012 Games as a catalyst.

(Group image at the event from left to right, Janet Inman Chief Executive of Lincolnshire Sports Partnership, Ruth Hyde East Midlands Tourism, Cllr Doreen Stephenson Lincolnshire 2012 Champion, Claire Lambert East Midlands Tourism, Clive Lawrence-Forbes East Midlands Development Agency and Marc Etches, Interim Chief Executive of Visit Lincolnshire).

I was invited to be a judge for the 2010 East Midlands Renaissance Heritage Awards in June, and attended the awards ceremony at Alford Manor House on Friday 16 July to see St Katherine’s – 900 years of History Heritage and Cultural Centre in Lincoln win Museum of the Year. A result of all Lincolnshire's winner can be read on the Lincolnshire Heritage Forum website.

Congratulations to all businesses who took part in the awards.

By taking part in the judging process I saw at firsthand a selection of outstanding heritage venues across the county which makes a significant and much valued contribution to our cultural offering.

Staying on the topics of awards, I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate the six businesses who have been shortlisted in the East Midlands EnjoyEngland Excellence Awards 2010.

As the difficult economic climate continues it will bring many new challenges. And as you’ve just read, during this month alone we’ve had great county success with heritage awards, sport tourism opportunities and shortlisted businesses in the East Midlands EnjoyEngland Excellence Awards. I am confident that by working more effectively together across the varied sectors we can meet the challenges and grow our visitor economy.

On a personal note I have accepted the Board of Directors invitation to continue working as Interim Chief Executive for Visit Lincolnshire until March 2011.

I wish you all a successful summer season, and look forward to seeing you at our AGM in October.

Marc Etches,
Interim Chief Executive, Visit Lincolnshire

Regional Tourism Oscars 2010

Congratulations to our six regional finalists who have been shortlisted for the East Midlands Enjoy England Excellence 2010 Awards.

Being nominated for such a prestigious industry award is a huge accolade for these businesses, and Visit Lincolnshire will be supporting them every step of the way to help them scoop gold.

Emma Tatlow, Deputy Chief Executive and Head of Marketing at Visit Lincolnshire said “It’s fantastic to see so many Lincolnshire businesses shortlisted for the 2010 awards; we’ve spoken to each business personally to congratulate them.

“Being shortlisted distinguishes those businesses that are willing to go the extra mile for their customers.”

"All six have been shortlisted for the final of the annual East Midlands Tourism Enjoy England Excellence Awards and will go head to head with other finalists from Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Northamptonshire and Rutland for the title of the ‘region’s finest’ at a ceremony on the 7th October.”

Some regional award winners will then go on to compete for the national title in the Enjoy England Excellence Awards finals, staged in 2011.

Visit Lincolnshire has been a consistent support throughout the process and will be working with each business up to the awards and beyond.

The shortlisted businesses are:

• Grayingham Lodge B&B, Northorpe – B&B / Guest Accommodation


• The Manor House Stables, Martin - Self Catering & Sustainable Tourism


• The Olde Barn Hotel, Health Club and Spa, Marston - Business Tourism


• Brackenborough Hall Coach House Holidays, Louth - Sustainable Tourism


• Helsey House Cottages, Helsey, Nr Hogsthorpe - Think Family


• Long Acres Caravan Park, Old Leake - Caravan Holiday Park

If you’d like to know how to be an award winner for next year please contact Sarah Gravelle on 01522 561673 or email sarah@visitlincolnshire.com

Social media marketing reaches new heights thanks to Vouchercloud

Do you want to get involved in a revolutionary new marketing opportunity promoting your special offers?

Vouchercloud will help you capture more customers and encourage people to stay longer in Lincolnshire.

We’re introducing Vouchercloud to Visit Lincolnshire members, a great new downloadable application for iPhones and smart phones which brings special offers to people already in the area - encouraging them to take advantage of special offers in Lincolnshire, from meal vouchers, or money off shopping trips and discount entry tickets.

“Vouchercloud is great for any all visitors to Lincolnshire – whether its residents, students, business travellers, sport or leisure group,” said Emma Tatlow, Deputy Chief Executive and Head of Marketing at Visit Lincolnshire.

“We’re thrilled to bring this to Lincolnshire businesses. Vouchercloud has already had over 40,000 downloads and has been voted one of the UK’s hottest new applications for smart phones.

“It has already attracted the attention of the big national brands and we’re bringing it to the smaller and privately owned businesses throughout the county. Overall it will help contribute towards the local visitor economy by bringing special offers directly through to people’s mobile phones thanks to their GPS signal.”

Vouchercloud will complement the online marketing Visit Lincolnshire delivers for the county’s visitor economy. Over the past few months the Online Team have been collating special offers from Visit Lincolnshire’s members to profile on Vouchercloud.

Vouchercloud is one of the fantastic marketing benefits of being a Visit Lincolnshire member and it is totally free, a revolutionary new opportunity to promote Lincolnshire’s quality special offers to a wide audience.

Feedback from Visit Lincolnshire Members who have exclusive access to Vouchercloud has been very positive. Many are embracing the new technology that has captured their customers’ attention. Not only are they excited about how simple the concept is, but also how powerful the marketing opportunity it presents them. Lincolnshire’s Vouchercloud will be launched in mid August.

If you want to learn more about Vouchercloud, or becoming a member of Visit Lincolnshire to take advantage of this opportunity please contact Clare Fryer on 01522 561666 or email clare@visitlincolnshire.com.

Online booking success!

After launching our new online booking software, called Eviivo Frontdesk on www.visitlincolnshire.com we’ve had great feedback from county businesses using it – and you could be benefitting from it too!

Jeff Longmuir, at the Tennyson Hotel in Lincoln is one accommodation owner singing its praises.

Since signing up Jeff regularly receives two or three bookings every week from people browsing online for suitable accommodation.

Jeff and a number of other accommodation providers joined Eviivo after attending a series of demo sessions organised by Visit Lincolnshire in March.

Jeff and his peers signed up for the system and received the free online booking software with full training out as part of a special deal.

The system, called Eviivo Frontdesk, is suitable for small and medium quality assured accommodation providers. It allows you to publish your availability to potential visitors, allowing them to book online through your own website or other well known online channels such as Expedia, Super Break and Lastminute.com. This can help boost sales for your business.

Thanks to adopting the new system Jeff’s bookings are much improved from last year.

Through Eviivo Jeff has seen bookings from Germany, Spain, France and New Zealand; and feedback from the guests has been really positive. It allows them to leave reviews, pass feedback to the provider, and endorse the accommodation to future visitors.

For more information or an informal chat please contact Clare Fryer on 01522 561666 or email Clare@visitlincolnshire.com

Report demolishes myths about demise of British seaside tourist industry

A national report released last week by Sheffield Hallam University has found that the seaside tourist industry in England and Wales is growing!

It explored the popular myth that the increase in foreign holidays had destroyed the economy of Britain’s own seaside towns.

This is excellent news for Lincolnshire, whose coast is one of the assets of the county and attracts millions of visitors every year. And of coastal visitors 22% travel to visit Lincoln City, 19% visit the Wolds, 16% visit the Fens, 13% the countryside and 5% the vales.

As a result the whole of Lincolnshire will benefit from this good news.

The report also indicated that the Lincolnshire coast supports 8,500 jobs; and the annual gross value added (GVA) directly attributed to the seaside tourist industry in Skegness is £54m; Cleethorpes £36m; Ingoldmells a further £33m and Mablethorpe £13m.

VisitEngland commented on the research on BBC Look North TV following a brief from Visit Lincolnshire.

Top tips for getting your business in peak condition for 2012 Games

On the 27 July, the UK will be just two years away from hosting the London 2012 Games.

The Tourism2012Games.org site which VisitBritain run in partnership with London 2012 has advice on things you can start doing now to get your business in peak condition to benefit.

They include:-

• Downloading the official 'Britain You're Invited' logo for free and use it in your own promotions and publications


• Using of Games-inspired imagery, also free to download


• Helping to shout about why 2012 is going to such a great year to visit London & the whole of the UK
  

Tell VB what you can offer in 2012

Overseas tour operators and potential visitors are keen to know exactly what there will be able to do and see in Britain during, before and after the 2012 games. If you have a new product and service coming to market, tell Visit Lincolnshire (sharon@visitlincolnshire.com) and VisitBritain!

Don't forget to spread the word!

You are one of 170,000 small to medium enterprises involved in tourism in the UK – the more businesses understand about the part they can play in the Games, the greater the overall tourism benefits will be.

Be part of this effort and visit the VB site, download the tools and sign up for the newsletters.

For more advice and to read more visit VB website.

Stay one step ahead - free expert advice

The countdown as begun for guest accommodation and self-catering businesses to take advantage of free advice and support when it comes to making the first step in the National Accessible Scheme.

'One Step Ahead' is easier than you think and opens up your business to those who are less mobile, families and elderly guests.

If you want to be one of the first for free help contact Christopher at onestepahead@live-tourism.co.uk.

VL AGM – 13 October

Wednesday 13 October 2010

10.00 am for a 10.30 am start

RAF Scampton

Come and join us at our Annual General Meeting to hear about our 2010-11 plans for promoting the visitor economy in the county, plus key achievements from 2009/10.

We will also have a keynote speaker from RAF Scampton and a tour of the museum – which is on the same site as the infamous Red Arrows.

For more information please contact Sharon Stone on 01522 561661 or sharon@visitlincolnshire.com

Photo Competition for Visit Lincolnshire Visitor Guide! – 26 July

The countdown to enter the VL photography competition to find a new cover image for the county’s flagship visitor guide Visit Lincolnshire 2011 is on.

It’s a great opportunity for you and your visitors to take part in.

The winning photo will be used as the front cover on 70,000 visitor guides and will be distributed across the UK.

The guide attracts visitors to Lincolnshire for short breaks boosting the current worth of Lincolnshire’s Visitor Economy, at £958 million.

“Images are an essential part of the visitor guide and we have launched the competition to give residents and visitors the opportunity to show what they see as the most iconic images of the county,” said Alan Darby, Consumer Marketing Manager at Visit Lincolnshire.

"After all, who knows the most picturesque areas better than residents and visitors?”

The deadline for entries is 26 July, 20 photos will be shortlisted and exhibited for two weeks in the in Kodak Express shop, Guildhall Street, Lincoln for people to view.

The winner will be picked shortly after the exhibition and will have the honor of their photograph being the front cover of the Visit Lincolnshire Guide 2011.

For more information or to enter see our website.

Advertise in 2011

For all the latest information about advertising in the 2011 visitor guides for the county please click here.

Headline events coming soon…

Some events to share with your visitors….

SO Festival 2010- perfect for attracting visitors!

Events act as a hook for attracting visitors and we need your help to promote the SO Festival in Skegness on Thursday 22 to Sunday 25 July.

The festival programme has been announced and it will take Skegness by storm with exciting events for all the family; including comedy, cabaret, opera, theatre on the beach and so much more. The finale of the festival is a breath taking fireworks display.

The full programme can be seen here http://www.sofestival.org/, and for more information contact East Lindsey District Council or call 01507 601111.

Useful links- Follow the festival on Twitter! twitter.com/sofestival

July 2 - September 5: BEAM!

Lincoln Children & Young People's FestivalLincoln is the place to be if you are a young person this summer. The launch of beam! 2010 sees the city overrun with children’s activities and events.

July 19 - August 15: South Holland Food Festival

Cafés, restaurants, pubs and attractions across South Holland are celebrating our delicious local food and drink! With special menus, cooking demonstrations, promotions and competitions and a host of children's activities, the South Holland Food Festival will culminate in a spectacular Food Fair in Spalding

31 July - Cleethorpes Carnival Parade

This is the 34th parade which runs for four miles through the heart of Cleethorpes. The streets of Cleethorpes will come alive to the sound of music. Join in the carnival atmosphere as the many floats, musicians and street performers take to the streets at this year's fun packed free event.

August 1 - Revesby Country Fair

A fun-filled action packed family day out. Numerous main ring events including show jumping, gymkhana games, terrier racing and much more.

August 8-13: Skegness Carnival

Skegness Carnival Week begins with the Carnival Parade Procession. This provides a fascinating family afternoon out in Skegness. Enjoy the colourful floats, the bands, the atmosphere and the sounds of a wonderful event.

August 18-22: Lincolnshire International Chamber Music Festival

This unique countryside Chamber Music Festival is now in its seventh year. This years programme will include works by Debussy, Ravel and Saint-Saens, their predecessors, and those who were influenced by this exciting time in French music and culture.

August 21 & 22: Lincolnshire Steam & Vintage Rally

Held on the Lincolnshire Showground this rally never disappoints with its variety and content. With more than 1,500 exhibits expected ranging from steam engines, fairground organs, vintage tractors, cars, commercials, motor cycles, stationary engines, model and craft exhibition, military vehicles, miniatures in steam and trade stands.

September 9 - 12: Heritage Open Days

Take in the wealth of Lincolnshire heritage when many stately homes and manors open their doors for FREE!

September 17 - 19: Bathing Beauties Festival

The Bathing Beauties Festival is the only one in the UK. With a 5 mile stretch from Mablethorpe to Sutton on Sea it has become the largest and longest linear coastal art festival in England.

For more information on events see our website.

We’re reading ‘Penrose’s blog’

John Penrose MP, Minister for Tourism has started a blog, follow him here…