Tourism Marketing Update - 06.01.2006
Overview of 2006 Launch
We begin the year with an exciting and busy period ahead. The walking guide, launched August 2005 is already proving a success and we’ve just launched the Holiday & Short Breaks Guide for 2006! Internationally, January marks the start of a series of travel exhibitions across key overseas markets and the launch of an international version of The Essential Guide to North East England. There’s plenty of activity for group and education too with the British Travel Trade Fair approaching in March, where we will be launching the Top Tour Itineraries pack and the Hidden Benefits booklet, a discount incentive for groups…and lot’s more!
UK Activity
Holiday & Short Breaks Guide 2006
This new comprehensive guide to North East England is now in circulation. A fully integrated media campaign to promote the guide targets 18 million readers with brochure panels, inserts, adverts, direct mail and e-mailers as well as on-line activity.
Walking Guide Success – “One of the best of its kind”!
The 2nd Walking Guide for North East England has recently undergone extensive conversion research and evaluation. This guide has been in the marketplace since August 2005, and has proved very popular with nearly 14,000 requests in response to a high-profile media campaign. Total number of guides in circulation is 21,600.
An impressive 96% of those that requested the guide stated that this publication influences their decision to undertake walking in North East England. Encouragingly, over 90% of respondents said that they had retained their copy and they would keep it for some time and 99% agreed that guidebooks, like the walking guide, are very helpful when planning a trip or short break.
Copies of the Walking Guide are available for you and your business. If you would like a supply please contact Katherine Hodgson on:
Telephone: 0191 229 6847
Email: Katherine.hodgson@onenortheast.co.uk
International Activity
International Exhibitions
January marks the start of a very busy time for the Tourism Team as we launch the North East England brand across our key target overseas markets at a series of travel exhibitions. Presenting the region under the new North East England branding, the visitor will see just how accessible the region is, how compact it is as a touring destination and the range of things you can do when you get here.
Exhibitions at which North East England will be represented include;
Norway
Reiselikar, Bergen 20-22 Jan
Reiseliv, Oslo 12-15 Jan
Netherlands
Vakantiebuers, Utrecht 10 – 15 Jan
ACTIEF, Amsterdam 18-19 Feb
Ireland
Dublin Holiday World 26-29 Jan
Italy
BIT, Milan 18-21 Feb
Germany
ITB, Berlin 8-12 March
Brochures will also be distributed at a number of other exhibitions including, Belfast, Gothenburg and Hamburg.
Partners attending the exhibitions along with the regional tourism team include: Newcastle Gateshead Initiative, Tynedale Council (Hadrian’s Wall Country), Durham County Council, Tees Valley Tourism, South Tyneside Council, Sunderland City Council, Northumberland National Park, MetroCentre Gateshead and Eldon Square.
At each exhibition we intend to give visitors a real taste of what North East England has to offer and regional goodies available on the stand for visitors to sample include: Doddington’s Brown Ale Fudge, Beamish Cinder Toffee, Cameron’s Beers, Newcastle Brown Ale and locally produced soaps and lip balms from Chainbridge Honey Farm. Visitors to the stand will also be given the chance to win a luxury weekend in North East England including free accommodation and entry into many of the region’s top attractions.
Thank you to everyone who has kindly donated the prizes!
The Essential Guide to North East England, International
Hot off the press is our new 20-page Essential Guide to North East England aimed at giving consumers across all markets a taste of what North East England has to offer It promotes the region’s diverse product including history and heritage, coast and countryside, galleries and museums, art and gardens as well as a whole host of other things to see and do. The guide is designed to drive the consumer to the www.visitnortheastengland.co.uk website for further information or alternatively to request a copy of the North East England Holiday and Short Breaks Guide.
The guide is translated into German, Dutch, Norwegian, Swedish and Italian and will be used at overseas exhibitions as well as racked in VisitBritain offices and transport terminals.
International website landing pages
Timed to coincide with the region’s attendance at the overseas travel exhibitions, essential information including travel, maps, top attractions and a guide to the region’s accommodation is now available in both Dutch and Norwegian on www.visitnortheastengland.co.uk. German, Italian and Swedish will follow in the next few weeks.
Participation in VisitBritain campaigns in Germany and Netherlands
North East England has joined forces with VisitBritain to take part in the EnjoyEngland campaigns in Germany and the Netherlands. The activity will launch in February 2006 and consist of web-based marketing, viral campaigns, brochure fulfilment, print advertising, press and PR, and direct mail campaigns. We will be working closely with VisitBritain over the next few months to ensure extensive coverage throughout the campaigns.
If anyone would like to offer competition prizes for use in these campaigns or talk about other ways in which they can get involved, please call Helen McLoughlin on 0191 229 6322 or email: helen.mcloughlin@onenortheast.co.uk
Groups and Educational Activity
British Travel Trade Fair
BTTF is the premier UK travel trade exhibition and takes place on the 1st & 2nd March at the NEC in Birmingham. I'm delighted to let you know that following the fantastic response and support we've had from partners, the exhibitor space on the regional stand is now fully subscribed. There is still the opportunity for businesses to promote themselves to the groups market through our literature distribution service. For more information on this please contact Denise Wigham on 0191 229 6845 or email denise.wigham@onenortheast.co.uk
Tailored to Suit – Top Tour Itineraries
The itinerary pack containing 12 themed tour itinerary suggestions for the groups market is currently being re-branded in line with the new North East England branding. The new packs will be launched on the North East England stand at the British Travel Trade Fair on the 1st March 2006 and then distributed to 2,500 key group contacts.
Hidden Benefits – Discount Incentive for Groups
A useful marketing tool that helps to attract group business to North East England. The Hidden Benefits booklet features special offers from North East England's group attractions, destinations and support services and is aimed at the UK group travel market. Offers can be made by hotels, attractions, destinations, meal stops and support services and can target group travel organisers, coach and tour operators, passengers or drivers and guides. The 2006 incentive will also be launched at the British Travel Trade Fair on 1st March and we are currently collating offers, so if you would like to be included please contact Denise Wigham on 0191 229 6845 or email denise.wigham@onenortheast.co.uk
Great Days Out Fair
A number of regional partners will join North East England at the largest 1 day UK group travel show. The Great Days Out Fair is being held on the 4th March at the Reebok Stadium in Bolton and attracts over 3,500 UK group travel organisers, coach and tour operators and teachers. If you would like to promote your venue to this lucrative market through our literature distribution service please contact Denise Wigham on 0191 229 6845 or email denise.wigham@onenortheast.co.uk for more details.
Points North & Look and Learn Newsletters
We will shortly start producing the Spring editions of both the Points North and Look & Learn newsletters. Points North is aimed primarily at group travel organisers, coach and tour operators whilst Look & Learn is aimed at teachers involved in the organisation of primary and secondary school learning visits. Both newsletters give you the opportunity of promoting your venue completely FREE of charge to either one or both of these markets. To have the opportunity of featuring in the newsletters simply supply a newsworthy article showing what you can offer as part of the North East England experience. Contact Bruce Simpson on 0141 445 2778 or email bruce@in2designandpublishing.com
Recommend a Friend
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