Businesses take international best practise in tourism on board

A group of key tourism and community business representatives took the lead on tourism development in Dumfries and Galloway this week acting quickly on the results of a comprehensive study by leading tourism consultants.

The findings of this 6 month long study commissioned by the Dumfries and Galloway Council on behalf of the Area Tourism Partnership and the Association of Accommodation Providers (ADGAP) clearly identified the opportunity for businesses and the wider community to take more of a leading role in tourism development in the area.

International Tourism Consultant Professor Terry Stevens of the Stevens View Partnership responsible for carrying out the study said "Dumfries and Galloway has a tourism product that is of increasing interest in growing markets.  The area needs an organisational structure and framework that can maximise this opportunity and address weaknesses such as the low profile the region has as a tourism destination and the large volume of funds that are being spent by the private and public sectors in a fragmented way".

Following a conference held in Castle Douglas in May this year where the overwhelming majority of tourism representatives called for changes to the way in which tourism was organised in the area, the Area Tourism Partnership approved the establishment of a destination organisation with a shadow board charged with creating this new structure and a more efficient, effective way of doing business.

The shadow board composition, agreed by the ATP includes: Cathy Agnew, Catstrand, New Galloway; Liz Chambers, Maidenholm Farm, Dalbeattie; Fiona Colley, Springboard, Wigtown; Lynda Denton, Gretna Green Group, Gretna Green; Fred Findlay, Rickwood Guest house, Portpatrick; Alan Keith, Airds Farm B & B, Crossmichael; Duncan McConchie, Laggan Outdoor, Gatehouse of Fleet; Angela McIntyre, Easterbrook Hall, Dumfries; Dr Joan Mitchell, ATP, Dave Smith, Buccleuch Arms, Moffat.

Dr Joan Mitchell, Chair of the ATP and now Chair of the shadow board charged with the formation of the new Destination Development Organisation said "it was important that the board was as representative of the tourism interest across the whole Dumfries and Galloway region as possible and we are delighted to have secured the interest of high profile community members and business leaders to develop this exciting initiative"

Over the coming months, the board will focus on creating a new, more efficient tourism development structure for the region.  This will include a focus on branding and marketing and PR activity aimed at significantly raising the profile of the area whilst continuing to develop the tourism product and the standard of service provision in the area.

Liz Chambers, member of the new board said "The DDO has committed to being in touch with everyone involved in tourism development in the region over the coming months in an effort to ensure this is a coordinated effort to change the way we currently do tourism business.  The recently completed study highlights the significant success of other destinations in Scotland that are investing together to create stand out for their respective destinations and we hope we can emulate this success in Dumfries and Galloway”.   

Further information and contact details for the shadow board can be found on www.destinationdg.co.uk