Tourism consortium to consider merits of DMO with feasibility study

A Dumfries and Galloway tourism consortium has announced the appointment of destination development specialists, the Stevens View Partnership, to conduct a feasibility study into the merits of establishing a Destination Management Organisation (DMO) for the region.

The announcement comes on the back of a successful meeting last month, when Dumfries and Galloway Council confirmed that it would be funding the study which is being commissioned by the Dumfries and Galloway Area Tourism Partnership (ATP).

Joan Mitchell, chair of the ATP said:

"I'm very pleased that we are making good progress with this study. I urge all tourism businesses, large and small, and everyone else with an interest in developing our key industry in Dumfries and Galloway to participate in the consultation starting in January." 

Widely recognised for pioneering the destination management concept in the UK, the Stevens View Partnership (SVP) comprises leading international tourism consultant, Professor Terry Stevens, and strategic marketing and tourism consultancy View Marketing headed up by founder and managing director Yvonne Crook.

In Scotland, SVP implemented the strategy for the country's first DMO for Aviemore and the Cairngorms, before going on to do the same for Loch Ness and Arran. Its DMO model has been endorsed by the UN World Tourism Organisation and the World Economic Forum while the esteemed Partnership has advised on both destination development and the role, responsibility and funding of DMOs in several European countries including Denmark, Northern Ireland and Slovenia.

SVP's Professor Terry Stevens said: "Destination development is now widely regarded as the most effective way of growing the visitor economy through an integrated approach; local businesses and stakeholders working together to benefit not only themselves but the entire area and the wider community. 

"In the UK, we have been slow to adopt this approach while our competitors have made giant strides as our international work in tourism highlights," Stevens said, adding, "particularly impressive examples include Kitzbuhel in Austria, Park City and Jackson Hole in the USA along with Turku in south west Finland and the New Forest in England."

The feasibility study into the merits of establishing a DMO for Dumfries and Galloway will be informed by international best practice and involve widespread consultation with a number of stakeholders in the region.

SVP's Yvonne Crook said: "Businesses and organisations will have the opportunity to have their say via a series of workshops, questionnaires and focus groups being held throughout December and January; industry consultation is a vital component of the feasibility study process."

The findings of the industry consultations will be presented and discussed further at a conference to be held in February 2009.

Ends

Professor Terry Stevens is available for interview and can be contacted on 07850 885262.

For further media information, contact Laura Barron at View Marketing. Tel 01808 511 489 / 07595 205315 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Notes to editors:
For further information on ADGAP, visit http://www.visitsouthwestscotland.com/