Consultation on destination management

Bury Council has launched a formal consultation on proposals for new ways of attracting visitors to the borough.

The plans outline a new approach for destination management, which seeks, against a backdrop of council budget cuts, how best to support tourism.

Bury Council currently spends £243,000 per annum promoting tourism, organising local events in township centres and supporting local business groups. We will continue to invest £154,000 each year in this area of work. Our proposals are to spend the money in a different way, changing to a destination management approach. This area of work needs to contribute £89,000 towards the council's overall saving targets of £17.7 million by 2015.

The council’s cabinet agreed on 10 October to consult on the proposals – the full report can be read here: http://burydem.bury.gov.uk/aksbury/images_tempdir/tmpfileWiXST53mrkWzcrR.doc

The proposals include:

* developing a dedicated Visit Bury website to promote attractions, events and businesses in the borough

* delivering tourism support at venues and locations around the borough at mobile information points, rather than from Bury’s existing Tourist Information Centre. This would result in changes to the way the TIC operates.

* reduce staffing from 5 to 1.5 posts under new titles of Destination Management Co-ordinator and Destination Management Assistant.

* to invest in the recruitment and ongoing maintenance of a group of volunteer Bury ‘ambassadors’ to help support events and promote the borough

* increasing funding support to kick-start events from £11,000 to £20,000, with the long-term aim of handing them over to local communities, business groups, tourist attractions of the private sector.

The consultation will run until 30 November, and you can have your say either:

•  Online – fill out the online questionnaire at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/planforchangedestinationmanagement

• Pick up a questionnaire at local libraries and public buildings, and return it to The Policy and Improvement Team, Bury Council,BuryTown Hall,Knowsley Street,BuryBL9 0SW.

Councillor Jane Lewis, cabinet member for leisure, tourism and culture, said: “In the current financial climate, there are many difficult decisions to be made. We may no longer be able to provide everything that residents want or that we currently provide.

“We recognise that tourism brings investment and jobs into the borough, and we want to find the best way to support tourism and events in Bury in a modern and cost-efficient way.

“No decisions have yet been made. We want your views on these proposals, and I urge people to take part in the consultation and fill out the questionnaires.”

ENDS

Press release issued: 6 November 2012.