One Million Visitors Visit Derry's Corporate Plan 2015-20 - A confident, vibrant forward-looking city and district that provides the best of all ...
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Visit Derry Corporate Plan 2015-20
One Million Visitors
Visit Derry’s Corporate Plan 2015-20
A confident, vibrant forward-looking city and
district that provides the best of all worlds –
offering city, coastal and countryside
experiences
January 2015
1
Visit Derry Corporate Plan 2015-20
Contents
1. Executive Summary .......................................................................... 5
2. Introduction and Background ............................................................ 6
3. Mission and Values ........................................................................... 7
4. Core Values ...................................................................................... 8
5. Destination Overview ...................................................................... 10
6. Visit Derry’s Distinctive Role ........................................................... 14
7. Policy Context ................................................................................. 16
8. Main Issues and Challenges Facing Visit Derry .............................. 17
9. Our Marketing Focus....................................................................... 18
10. Strategy 2015-2020......................................................................... 19
11. Visit Derry Scorecard for the Period 2015-16 .................................. 20
12. Financial Overview 2015-16 ............................................................ 26
13. Making it Happen ............................................................................ 28
Appendix I Stakeholders/Partners ....................................................... 33
Appendix II Seven Big Asks ................................................................. 34
Appendix III Tourism Insights ............................................................... 41
January 2015
2
Visit Derry Corporate Plan 2015-20
Adding to the prosperity of
the District
One million visitors
5,000 jobs in tourism
£100m visitor
spend
Central hub for
visiting the North
West January 2015
3
Visit Derry Corporate Plan 2015-20
1. Executive Summary
Our mission is “to attract visitors to the destination and
ensure that they enjoy a destination experience that is
legendary”
We will endeavour to work with Council and with others
to develop the District as a premier cultural destination
on the island of Ireland offering world-class
experiences.
By increasing the number of visitors to the city and
region (which encompasses Derry~Londonderry,
Strabane and the surrounding area) visitors can enjoy the best of both worlds
- a city that has an unrivalled historic story to tell with integrated cultural
vibrancy
- a region that has areas of outstanding natural beauty
- a district with a city and a countryside that embraces, sea, rivers,
mountains with cultural vibrancy for all tastes
Our plan is to facilitate the development and marketing of a destination
experience that promises to surpass previous expectations, as we add a
whole new dimension to our offering. If our plan is successful then Visit Derry,
the Council and our other partners, will have achieved the following by the
end of 2019:-
Attracting over 1,000,000 visitors each year, spending £100m on their
stay in the city region
Creating and sustaining an estimated 5,000 jobs directly or indirectly
from tourism
generating
Attracting… One
Million £100m
Visitors
serving Visit spending in
Derry
Local
5,000 jobs Businesses
sustaining January 2015
5
Visit Derry Corporate Plan 2015-20
A recognisable consumer tourism
brand and call to action shared across
the city and region – one that is
recognised by tour operators and
promoters as a mark of excellence
A renewed and expanded Visit Derry
offering to incorporate:
o The Walled City of Derry
o A Cultural Experience
o The Sperrins and
o A Countryside Break.
Increased membership, from 235 to 400, with active private sector
engagement and investment in tourist destination planning and delivery
Recognised by Council, public agency stakeholders and the community
as the lead organisation for tourism marketing and visitor servicing
across the district
Raised the Visit Derry annual turnover to £1m which will allow for this
strategy to be implemented and this represents £1 per visitor with an
estimated return to the economy of £100 spend per visitor.
2. Introduction and Background
Visit Derry has 235 paid-up members. It
has an annual turnover of £740,000 and
currently employs 10 permanent staff (4 of
whom are part-time) and a range of
temporary and part-time staff to meet the
demand of particular contracts and
seasonal trends.
The company manages a series of
tourism-related services including:
Promoting the destination in the
marketplace by representing the
district at trade and consumer shows, undertaking sales calls and
developing online and offline marketing campaigns in national and
international markets. The focus is on leisure, business and maritime
visitors and connecting with diaspora
Visitor Services - including management of the Visitor Information
Centre (VIC)
Producing and publishing an annual Visitor Guide and Visitor Map
January 2015
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Visit Derry Corporate Plan 2015-20
Managing a Visit Derry website www.visitderry.com and associated
digital platforms
Member Engagement - keeping members and stakeholders informed
about research, trends and tourism developments.
3. Mission and Values
The Visit Derry mission is
“To attract more visitors to the destination and ensure that
they enjoy an experience that is legendary”.
We will do this by promoting the historic, walled city as a hub for visiting the
destination and making sure that those who visit
can experience the cultural vibrancy of our
urban areas and tranquillity of our natural
hinterland.
Our immediate goal is to attract 1m visitors,
spending £100m each year.
Our Vision
Our vision is that the city and region will be a destination and visitor
experience that is exceptional. This means working with others to make the
destination:
A recognised international tourism destination within the island of
Ireland
A confident, vibrant, forward looking city and
district that provides the best of all worlds,
offering city, coastal and countryside experiences
A city recognised as:
o Hosting Ireland’s only completely historic
walled city
o Providing opportunities to spend time
exploring areas of outstanding natural
beauty
o A vibrant “City of Culture” that is friendly
and welcoming, with new stories to tell
January 2015
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Visit Derry Corporate Plan 2015-20
4. Core Values
Visit Derry is a principled organisation and it believes in acting with integrity at
all times. We are committed to efficiency, effectiveness and sustainability in
providing a destination marketing service to the city and
region. Over and above this are three core values that we
hold dear and these influence all that we do:
we are passionate about tourism;
we are professional in our delivery;
we are collaborative partners working with others to
grow the tourism economy of the city and region.
The core values are described further in the table below.
Core Values Which means that…
Passionate We are passionate about our city, our work in tourism and
about ensuring that all visitors leave having had a great
experience. Figures from 2013 suggest that over 80% of
visitors rate their experience very highly.
Professional We take a pride in our professional and well-organised
approach, providing a high standard of service that is reliable,
warm and friendly. In 2013 we were awarded a Best VIC in
Northern Ireland award by the travel industry.
Partners We recognise that the experience of visitors is based on a
range of factors that are influenced by a wide group of
providers and stakeholders. Our approach is to work in
partnership to play our part and facilitate others to play theirs.
We can only succeed by working in partnership with others.
January 2015
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Visit Derry Corporate Plan 2015-20
Stakeholders and Partnerships
The District has a wide range of partners working together to develop the
destination and attract more visitors. These include, along with Visit Derry:
The District Council
NITB/DETI
Tourism Ireland
Invest NI
Transport Providers incl City of Derry Airport (also BHD,BFS, DUB),
Airporter, Translink
Foyle Port
Loughs Agency
January 2015
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Visit Derry Corporate Plan 2015-20
DCAL
See Appendix I for list of other stakeholders and partners
5. Destination Overview
The existing area covers 1,248 square kilometres and features such
spectacular national treasures as the Walled City of Derry, Sperrin Mountains,
Lough Foyle and the River Valleys. The area has a combined population of
around 150,000. It features “the second city” and largest urban area in
Northern Ireland and a widely dispersed, rural landscape.
Regional Gateway
The city sits naturally as the core settlement and regional gateway for the
wider North West, servicing up to 400,000 people. Enjoying the profile of a
University, the city is a key cross border and international gateway with
access from Derry City Airport, road, rail and sea.
Strabane is the largest settlement outside the city and it borders Lifford, in the
Republic of Ireland and therefore has great potential for cross-border
development. The rural surrounds include an Area of Outstanding Natural
Beauty (AONB) and a strongly connected rural economy. At the gateway to
Donegal, its winding rivers, valleys, mountains and scenic lakes create
significant tourism potential and make it an idyllic rural location.
Economic Growth
The District has good prospects for
economic growth and this is vital in
sustaining a destination that is attractive
to overseas visitors. Economic success
brings with it a quality of life that is good
for residents and visitors alike –
ensuring a thriving cultural programme
and high standards of visitor servicing
(retail and hospitality offerings).
We have a noticeably young population with 43% of the District’s population
aged under 30. This is consistent with having a University city in the District
and it lends itself to having a motivated young workforce. Some 40,000
students are in higher or further education located in the District.
A dynamic and comprehensive programme for regeneration in Derry City was
launched in 2011. There are two major development sites which are helping
to transform the city, Fort George and the Ebrington Square. In addition, the
iconic Peace Bridge over the River Foyle links the city centre to the
spectacular Ebrington Square development which is becoming a well-known
centre for cultural events and entertainment.
January 2015
10Visit Derry Corporate Plan 2015-20
Currently over £50 million of capital projects are planned or ongoing within the
District including the enhancement of built heritage and the development of a
significant sports/conference centre at St Columb’s Park – Foyle Arena ( due
to open 2015). In Strabane there is a strong development programme,
including redevelopment of leisure facilities, the implementation of the
Strabane Bridges project, public realm improvements and the cross border
River-links and Riverine projects. A £1m facelift has also recently
transformed the towns of Strabane and Lifford.
Culture
2013 was one of the most important years for the Derry City Council area. It
was designated as the inaugural “UK City of Culture” and celebrated the 400th
anniversary of its famous walls. The city continues to position itself
internationally as a location for investment, innovation and world-class events.
The District is a region steeped in
culture. From the Irish language centre
Cultúrlann Uí Chanáin in Derry to the
Sollus Centre in Bready, a centre of
excellence for Scottish Highland
Dancing, pipe bands and Ulster Scots
culture, a wide range of cultural
activities can be enjoyed.
In recent years, the Strabane has also seen significant cultural development,
including the stunning £3.5 million Alley Arts and Conference Centre. It is one
of the leading cultural, tourism and entertainment venues in the wider North
West region.
Technology
Derry City has gained an international status as a leader in hi-tech industry
with £72.7m invested in research and development by Seagate Technology
and Invest NI. Project Kelvin has brought world-class digital connectivity to
the city. It is the first in Ireland to offer access to fibre-based broadband to all
its citizens and aims to be the best place to start and grow a digital business
on the island of Ireland.
Hope and History
The ambition and innovation that is electrifying the area is led by many
pioneers in their field. Over the past number of years Council has played a
leading role in the revitalisation of the city and region, initiating and supporting
a wide range of interventions and activities.
The destination is poised in a moment in time where the area’s own Seamus
Heaney would have said we can make, “hope and history rhyme”.
Where We Fit in Government
Structures
January 2015
11Visit Derry Corporate Plan 2015-20
The Destination is situated in the North West corner of Ireland and
Derry~Londonderry has been recognised by local government bodies on both
sides of the border as the regional city for the North West. Central
Government’s document “Shaping Our Future” also endorsed the city’s
importance to the wider North West region. The NI Regional Development
Strategy recognises the city as a major tourism development opportunity and
suggests that the policy should be directed to ‘promoting the city as a major
tourism destination and gateway based on the international attraction of its
city walls and heritage resources, its linkages with Donegal, North
Londonderry, the Sperrins and the North Antrim Coast’. It is Visit Derry’s aim
to make Derry and the North West the premier tourism destination within and
on the island of Ireland.
The NITB designation of Derry and The Sperrins as two of 9 “key
destinations” has ensured that the destination receives international standout
in the national and international markets with a strong product and visitor
experience mix.
The District’s location and its gateway status is further enhanced with
developments at City of Derry Airport (CODA). It is therefore imperative that
the development of CODA is fundamental to growing the tourism economy in
the region for the leisure and business traveller. This is particularly important
if we are to increase business from the GB market. It is equally vital that we
strengthen access and transportation links to and from other key access
points, especially Belfast and Dublin and their airports1.
The destination is identified by its unique selling points (USP):
Location - Centre of the North West region with close proximity to
Donegal and the Giant’s Causeway (Causeway Coastal Route). An
ideal base to explore Donegal, Giant’s Causeway and the Sperrins. A
picturesque city on the Banks of the River Foyle with the Donegal Hills
as a backdrop (Wild Atlantic Way).
A Distinctive City - If the city is to fulfil its potential as a tourism
destination, it needs to be capable of being marketed as somewhere
that is distinctive, that people will choose to visit. The same ‘selling
points’ can and should be used to market the city as a place to invest,
work, live and study.
Walled City - As Derry is the only completely walled city in Ireland
today and has been described as ‘one of the finest examples of a
walled city found in the British Isles’ it is vital that the Visit Derry
promotes this at both a local and international level.
1
Airport statistics 2014 Dublin Airport 21.7m, Belfast International 4.03m, Belfast City 2.55m, Cork
2.1m, Shannon 1.64m, Ireland West 0.7m, City of Derry Airport 0.35m, Kerry 0.3m
links
January 2015
12Visit Derry Corporate Plan 2015-20
Visit Derry is pleased that NITB has identified ‘The Walled City of
Derry’ as a key destination which has the potential to deliver world
class excellence, drawing visitors from home and abroad in their
strategic framework document.
The Walled City has now been developed so that it is one of the main
icons in a ‘Northern Ireland’ and an ‘All Ireland’ sell.
Cultural region – As the inaugural UK City of Culture 2013 the city
played host to over 145 events including showcase events such as All
Ireland Fleadh, Turner Prize, Lumiere, Return of Colmcille, Walled City
Tattoo, Sons and Daughters, BBC 1 Big Weekend, Music City,
International Choral Festival and Other Voices etc.
Festivals & Events - Halloween in Derry is now reputed as the ‘largest
Halloween Carnival in Europe’ as it generates over 30,000 visitors to
the city and is a key attractor for visitors to the city particularly what is
traditionally off peak season. Other lead events include, City of Derry
Jazz Festival, Foyle Cup, Maiden City Festival, Comedy Festival, St
Patrick’s Day and in 2014 –Clipper Round the World Yacht race, the
Pan Celtic Festival and MTV Crashes ensured the profile of the
destination is high.
Tourist Attractions/Tours - Derry’s product offer is strong, particularly
with regard to heritage and museums e.g. Guildhall, Tower Museum,
Museum of Free Derry, Apprentice Boys Memorial Hall, St Columb’s
Cathedral, St Augustine’s First Derry and so on. Visit Derry’s
membership also has a strong tour guiding focus of the spectacular
City Walls and attracts a high level of tour operators to the city to
experience the famous walking tours.
Compact and Walkable - A key selling point for Derry is that most of
the attractions are within walking distance and visitors can learn about
the city’s multifaceted history now by foot, bus, taxi and train. The
walking and cycling product are continually developing with the Peace
Bridge and associated walkways opening more areas of the city for
visitors to explore.
Rural Tourism – A relatively new addition to the tourism portfolio of
Derry is the Discover Faughan Valley rural tourism offering. This adds
another dimension to the destination. However the addition of the The
Sperrins region under the new District Council region will further
enhance the product offering for visitors.
Infrastructure & Investment – over £150m has been invested in the
city’s infrastructure including capital and public realm investment. This
includes the £10m capital culture fund, £14.3 million in the Ebrington
plaza and Peace Bridge, £2million in riverside infrastructure including
new pontoons, marina and public realm. The Guildhall has been
refurbished (£9.6m) and is open for business. Tourism remains a core
element of the city’s One Plan and important ingredient to grow the
January 2015
13Visit Derry Corporate Plan 2015-20
economy of the region. The development of Local Integrated Economic
Plans for the region will see tourism and culture offering.
6. Visit Derry’s Distinctive Role
Visit Derry as the Destination Marketing Organisaton (DMO) adopts a
proactive, visitor-focussed approach to tourism growth within the destination,
which balances and integrates the interests of visitors, industry (service
providers) and the local population (community).
We have a unique and impressive tourism infrastructure, urban and rural. In
order to create jobs, we need to have a strong presence in the marketplace
and get the message out to potential visitors. Nobody will do this for us in a
highly competitive visitor marketplace. The City and District needs to promote
itself as a “must see” visitor destination before people arrive (through industry
channels) and after they have landed (at access points). Otherwise they will
stay in Dublin and Belfast. The destination can be a gateway hub for longer
stays.
The destination as a Regional Hub. We want visitors to stay longer
January 2015
14Visit Derry Corporate Plan 2015-20
The organisation has a distinctive role in acting for the Council in destination
marketing and visitor servicing. We do this in four particular ways:
Assisting Council on destination management planning
Leading on destination marketing and actively managing the tourism
destination brand
Providing and managing visitor services
Engaging our businesses and other stakeholders in the planning and
execution of tourism marketing.
Council Council Visit Derry
Leading with Government Destination Marketing
Destination Management Visitor Servicing
Plan
Visit
Market Intelligence
Product Development Derry Market Presence
Council Marketing Engaging Members
Civic Events Programme Industry/
Co-op Marketing
Visit Derry SLA Members
Marketing Destination
Brand
What we want to achieve in our role is:
To Increase the national and international profile of the destination (by
engaging with consumers, travel trade, media and diaspora)
To deliver marketing programs both online (utilizing digital platforms
that incorporate internet marketing, mobile and social media) and
offline (traditional marketing channels) that can lead marketing and
provide market intelligence that will provide industry opportunities to
optimize product distribution and sales
Attracting more visitors to the destination
Increasing the length of stay within the city
Encouraging increased expenditure within the city and region
January 2015
15Visit Derry Corporate Plan 2015-20
Increasing private sector industry engagement and investment.
Growing the number and quality of jobs provided in tourist related
industries e.g. accommodation, attractions, restaurants, retail,
hospitality, tours, transport etc
Promoting the city and region as the Northwest Gateway to Northern
Ireland
Tourism Advocacy – 7 Big Asks
As the role of the DMO continues to evolve it is important we respond
successful to changing trends and deliver strong advocacy for tourism. Our 7
Big Asks (See Appendix II) is what our market
intelligence says about the region if we are to
compete for greater market share of visitors are:
1. Infrastructure & Access to International
Standards
2. A Booming Business Economy
3. World Class Visitor Servicing
4. An Inspiring Annual Calendar of Events
5. Unique Products & Memorable
Experiences
6. A Diverse Portfolio of Accommodation
and Culinary Experiences
7. Intelligent Marketing Campaigns Policy
Context
The Programme for Government, Building a Better Future 2011-15, places
rebalancing the economy at the heart of a strategy to improve living standards
and quality of life for all. Priority 1, Growing a Sustainable Economy and
Investing for the Future, aims to create a larger private sector and tourism is a
part of this. Indeed one of the building blocks of the Programme is a Tourism
Strategy, currently in draft form. The Programme for Government itself has
established ambitious targets of increasing annual visitor numbers and spend
to 4.2m and £676m respectively over the plan period. Translated into a
Derry~Londonderry context this would equate to 1m visitors spending £120m
per annum. Our own estimates are a little less ambitious and our goal is to
attract 800,000 visitors per annum spending £44m in the local economy.
The strategy recognises that tourism is a key driver of the economy in
Northern Ireland. It also identified 9 key tourism destinations to deliver on its
strategy, one of which is Derry~Londonderry under the theme of “The Walled
City of Derry”.
During 2011 DETI and NITB started the process of engaging with local
Councils and representatives to develop nine tourism destination
management plans to ensure a consistent approach to integrated delivery. It
is NITB’s strategy to support key stakeholders to develop and deliver plans to
maximise the tourism potential of all regions within Northern Ireland.
January 2015
16Visit Derry Corporate Plan 2015-20
Focus on the Future
The District’s Focus on The Future Tourist Development Strategy 2009-2012
is currently being renewed and it has formed the basis of the official tourism
development plan for the city. It recommended,
“that the role of Visit Derry should be expanded and developed into the
Destination Tourism Organisation for the City. This will enable Visit
Derry to be central to the management and implementation of the
Strategy and Action Plan for Tourism Development”. \
7. Main Issues and Challenges Facing Visit Derry
Arising from our internal review of Visit Derry performance and taking into
account feedback from stakeholders, we have identified a series of issues that
we believe the strategy must address in order to achieve its overarching and
enduring mission – to attract visitors who contribute to the local economy.
The main issues are:
Working with the Council to create one, unifying and cohesive brand for
the city and region
Refreshing and re-launching the tourism offering on the back of
momentum created through 2013 and 2014
Re-investing in the Visit Derry brand and positioning the District as a
must-see destination to be experienced in person
Refurbishing and/or relocating the current Foyle St VIC to Waterloo
Place, beside the Guildhall and city centre
Encouraging and contributing to the development of an annual
calendar of initiatives and events that will attract local, national and
international visitors each year
Engaging with the tourism industry to ensure that visitors are welcomed
and have lots to do and see and have great experiences (urban and
rural) – including amenity visits, tours, food, music, shopping and so
on.
Attracting additional investment, public and private, to fund the strategy
and in particular an increased and more visible national and
international market presence for the destination.
January 2015
17Visit Derry Corporate Plan 2015-20
8. Our Marketing Focus
Visit Derry markets the city in national and international markets against the
background of Tourism Insights (see Appendix III) and via the following
market/consumer segments aligned to NITB’s Priorities for Growth
Time Together (NI/ROI)
romance, cool nightlife, gentle walking, shopping, relaxation;
Mature Cosmopolitans (NI/ROI)
curiosity, authenticity, insight, exploration, eating out, natural beauty;
Family Fun (NI/ROI)
Young and Lively (ROI)
entertainment, energy, social, urban, cool nightlife, ‘wow!’
Tourism Ireland recognises that there are three particular target segments
that offer the best prospects for growth in the GB market for NI tourism
Social Energisers (GB)
excitement, energy, fun and laughter, adventure, spontaneity, social,
the ‘wow!’ factor;
Culturally Curious (GB also USA)
authenticity, insight, independence, immersion in culture, off the
beaten track;
Great Escapers (GB)
slow travel, relaxation, rebalancing, getting away from it all,
connecting with family.
Our marketing focus most relevant experience pillars identified and
motivating for each priority market segments
In 2014 NITB moved to a new focus on Experiential Pillars.
NITB believe the future of tourism product should be based
around experiences and not just be product based. Visitors
are expected to seek new ways to engage and the
opportunities are wide with themes around such topics as:
Culture & Creative Vibe ( Promoting contemporary and
vibrant NI experiences)
Living Legends (making our history, legend and stories
alive and interactive)
Coasts and Lakes
Unique outdoors; and
Naturally NI
There are two priority experience pillars identified and
matched against the city’s tourism product that offer best return – Culture &
Creative Vibe and Living Legends.
January 2015
18Visit Derry Corporate Plan 2015-20
The Districts current strategy and planning is focusing on the best prospects
in near source and long haul markets – highlighting these two experiential
pillars. The city is renowned as the inaugural City of Culture 2013, Music City
2014 and has an unrivalled historic story tying in with the Living Legends
pillar. The district offers so much to enjoy within a small area a very wide
range of locally distinctive, authentic experiences can be provided, making the
Northwest a short break destination to return to again and again.
The reason for visiting the destination is segmented as follows: Visiting friends
and relatives (VFR), Holiday/leisure, Business/Conference. In particular the
source markets are NI, ROI, GB, Europe, Aus/NZ and North American tourism
markets.
Global best practice in experiential tourism helps us to connect with visitor’s
feelings and emotions and to ensure that they truly connect with our people,
landscape and culture through clustering products and services.
9. Strategy 2015-2020
We have developed a strategy that we believe will position Visit Derry to act
for the city in extending the desire to come to the District as a must-see
destination. Our strategy will deliver on our core remit and mission – getting
more visitors to the city and region, getting them to stay and spend in the area
and as a result, realise economic benefits for our community. The overall
strategy can be described as:
Promoting the destination in the marketplace
Researching and prospecting to encourage visits from three primary
sources:
o Leisure tourists
o Business tourism and events
o Cruises and marine boating
Managing visitor services for the destination
Providing market intelligence and advice on tourism development and
how to realise economic benefit
Advocating for destination management and investment from a
tourism industry perspective
Acting as a champion for destination marketing and management.
Strategic Objectives
In order to be true to our mission, and maintain a focus on the areas that are
most important, we have adopted a set of strategic objectives to frame and
give focus to our work over the next planning period.
The first set of objectives are aimed at serving visitors and stakeholders
and responding to their needs and expectations. We recognise that these can
January 2015
19Visit Derry Corporate Plan 2015-20
only be achieved by also managing our processes and resources in an
efficient way that generates a high return on investment.
Of course none of this will be possible if we are not able to adapt and change
as the world changes around us. We plan to develop and motivate our Board,
staff and members so that we as an organisation will have the capacity to
innovate and grow and continue to deliver high quality services that are
consistent with community and stakeholder needs and expectations across
the city.
This overall approach will ensure we have a “balanced strategy” across four
main areas as indicated below and in the tables that follow.
Serving Visitors and Stakeholders (VS)
SVS1 Lead on destination marketing
SVS2 Increase in leisure visitors
SVS3 Drive digital marketing
SVS4 Attract business/conference tourism
SVS5 Grow cruise & marine tourism
SVS6 Improve and modernise visitor servicing
SVS7 Membership Engagement
SVS8 Manage stakeholder engagement
SVS9 Advocate for tourism policy and resources
Effective Processes (EP)
EP1 Effective governance
EP2 Improve quality standards
Innovation & Growth (IG)
IG1 Promote local tourism knowledge and skills
IG2 Build organisational capacity
Managing Resources (MR)
MR1 Maintaining a sustainable financial position
MR2 Generating new revenue
10. Visit Derry Scorecard for the Period 2015-16
The corporate scorecard below lists xx strategic objectives and how we intend
to implement them and achieve the targets that are in effect our measures of
success. This will enable our members and stakeholders to hold us to
account for what we do, how we go about it and the results we get.
January 2015
20Visit Derry Corporate Plan 2015-20
Serving Visitors and Stakeholders
Strategic Measures Targets Priorities for Action Lead
Objectives to 2020 Person
SVS 1 No. visitors to the 1,000,000 Refresh the Visit Derry Odhran
Destination pa stand/backdrop for showcase events
Lead on
and include a TV screen and audio-
destination Increase number
visual element to create a new
management of overnight
300,000 experience that brings the stand to life
visitors to the
pa for event audiences.
destination
Increase Produce a Destination Marketing Plan
overnight tourism 2015-19 by end March 2015.
£100m
spend within the pa Work with stakeholders to ensure an
District economy ongoing mix of marketing campaigns
Increase hotel in online (digital) and offline platforms
70%
occupancy levels
SVS 2 Number of Produce and implement a Leisure Karen
representatives Tourism Marketing Action Plan 2015-
Increase in 300 pa
on familiarisation 16
leisure visitors
trips for both
media and trade Generate press coverage and fam
visits to the city arising from shows
and post-show calls (300 reps)
No. trade leads
150 pa Present the LT MAP to targeted
generated at members to increase trade
promotions participation at shows/events
Attend 45 trade/consumer
Number of shows/webinars and sales calls
Trade/Consumer during 2015-16
Shows, Webinars 40 pa
Present a post-event report to Board
and Sales Calls and members after each show.
SVS 3 Unique visitors to 250,000 Digital Marketing Action Plan 2015-16 Aine
consumer web
Drive digital
portal Take a lead in generating and
marketing digital campaign calendar
15,000
Facebook
followers Manage the digital marketing
function of Visit Derry with
Twitter followers 13,999 development of website
Action to increase web site hits
Consumer 15,000 and social media followers
Databases Process to respond to social
media requests and traffic
January 2015
21Visit Derry Corporate Plan 2015-20
Strategic Measures Targets Priorities for Action Lead
Objectives to 2020 Person
SVS 4 No. conference 400 Produce and implement a Business Aoife
tourism Tourism Marketing Action Plan 2015-16
Attract on
ambassadors
business/confe Produce a portfolio of promotional
rence tourism material to support destination
conference bids
No. national and
international 12 pa Organise 4 Ambassador cultivation
conferences events (network & reward events) to
attracted to the increase the Visit Derry Ambassador
city Network (in groups representing
specialist areas)
Attend 2 GB trade events in
partnership with Tourism Ireland
Host 1 MICE industry FAM Visit
Facilitate programme of sales calls
targeting key markets NI, ROI & GB
Develop destination promotional
campaign and place 1 industry advert
in partnership with Tourism Ireland
Host 1 Business Tourism industry
masterclass for relevant Visit Derry
members
Present a post-event report to Board
and members after each show
SVS 5 No. cruise ships 15 Produce and implement a Cruise & Aoife
attracted Marine Tourism Marketing Action Plan
Grow cruise
2015-16
and marine No. passengers
12,000
tourism disembarking to Aim to secure an additional 8 cruise calls
visit the city in the 2015/16 year for future years
region
CRUISE
Increase in
marine tourist
200 Attend 1 industry trade event
visitors – no. Facilitate programme of sales calls to
visiting yachts key cruise operators
Develop destination proposal to
support sales activity
Place 1 industry advert
SAIL
Attend 3 consumer shows to profile
the destination in key markets
Produce destination ‘Sail Trail’
detailing sail access map, destination
activities and special offers
Host 1 media FAM trip
Place 2 industry adverts
January 2015
22Visit Derry Corporate Plan 2015-20
Strategic Measures Targets Priorities for Action Lead
Objectives to 2020 Person
SVS 6 VIC due to re- Produce and implement a Visitor Catherine
locate in late 2015 Servicing Marketing Action Plan 2015-16
Improve and
modernise Create a Re-location Task Group
visitor
servicing
No. visitors to TIC
200,000 Create a focus group to implement
the VS-MAP
Enquiries handled Increase engagement of VS staff at
250,000 events to help raise enquiries and
at TIC
visits
Draw up and act on a sales plan to
Sales turnover of generate and increase revenues at
Visitor Services £400,000 VIC
Increase profile of VIC by hosting
Consumer 90%+ events/education groups/fam trips etc.
satisfaction Mystery shopper and online
feedback/digital comment cards
SVS 7 Level of Visit 300 Increase Membership sales drive and Maria
Derry establish stronger member
Membership
membership engagement
Engagement
Seek resources for and recruit a
Member Engagement Officer with plan
presented to Board by May 15
SVS 8 No. stakeholder 6 pa Odhran
Present a quarterly update on tourism
engagement
Manage destination marketing and delivery to
events
stakeholder Council and other stakeholder groups
engagement
Create and manage collaborative
arrangements with agencies and
groups with an interest in tourism
development and destination
marketing planning.
SVS 9 Advocacy Updated Championing the city case for investment Odhran
document pa in tourism destination management
Advocate for
tourism policy Market Providing a quarterly market intelligence
and resources intelligence report Quarterly report for Council and members
published
Effective Processes
Strategic Measures Targets to Priorities for Action Lead
Objectives 2020 Person
EP.1 Governance Annual Undertake a governance review to Richard
review report Review ensure that arrangements are fit for
Effective
completed and purpose for the newly formed District.
January 2015
23Visit Derry Corporate Plan 2015-20
Strategic Measures Targets to Priorities for Action Lead
Objectives 2020 Person
governance presented to
Board
EP.2 IIP award Maintained Develop a programme for IIP Odhran
IIP Award accreditation in 2015-16
Improve quality
standards
Innovation & Growth
Strategic Measures Targets to Priorities for Action Lead Person
Objectives 2020
IG 1 Board Develop a training and Richard
members and development programme for Board
Build 100% Odhran
employees and staff with progress report to
organisational
with annual Board by May 15
capacity
reviews
100% Implement and refine the
completed
performance, development and
% employees review (PDR) system at Board and
implementing staff levels.
agreed PDP
Managing Resources
Strategic Measures Targets to Priorities for Action Lead Person
Objectives 2020
MR.1 Unqualified Annually (Apr- External audit of Visit Derry Richard
audit June) accounts annually
Maintaining a
sustainable Production of monthly cash flow
financial statement with action sheet.
Evidence of Monthly report
position
positive cash Produce an annual report
flow including annual accounts at
maintained the AGM.
Level of 6 months
reserves operating
costs
MR.2 Level of £75,000 Set up a small group to Odhran
membership investigate and report back to
Generating
income the Board by Sep 15 on
revenue
potential new revenue streams
Additional
and sources of funding
income from £100,000
new sources Developing a new fund raising
project plan including pricing
policy, sales development
Income from activities and new funding
Advertising £100,000
applications by Sep 15
Turnover of
January 2015
24Visit Derry Corporate Plan 2015-20
Strategic Measures Targets to Priorities for Action Lead Person
Objectives 2020
the £1.5m (net)
organisation
January 2015
2511. Financial Overview 2015-16
Projected Income and Expenditure 2015-16
The following budget is what we believe is the core cost of delivering the strategy. We
anticipate other programme and project-based funding will arise – what follows are core costs
and anticipated or requested core income sources.
Financial Heading 2015-16
Income
Council Management Fee £465,000
Match Funding of Destination £465,000
Management (post Hunter
Review)
Private Sector £200,000
Other Public Sector £50,000
Other (Sales) £100,000
Total Income £1,280,000
Expenditure
Salaries £600,000
Operating Costs £300,000
Marketing Activities £300,000
Other (Cost of Sales) £75,000
Total Expenditure £1,275,000
Surplus/(Deficit) £5,000
Assumptions & Decisions
Council will continue to lead on civic events, product development and overall destination
management.
Visit Derry has a distinctive role in positioning the new Derry and District, leading on
destination marketing
We can reignite the spirit of 2013
The private sector will invest, in partnership with Council and other stakeholders
Increase core Council investment to £930,000 pa as a top priority - Council can leverage
destination management funding (post Hunter Report) to part match its contribution (split
£465,000/£465,000)
To achieve £100m spend and help gain or sustain 5,000 jobs
Increase membership income to reduce reliance on public fundingVisit Derry Corporate Plan 2015-20
Seek cooperative marketing spend – with minimum 50/50 leverage target.
Maintain focus on mix of Leisure (city and countryside breaks), Maritime (Cruise & Sail)
and Conference
Increase market intelligence and advocacy role of Visit Derry
Grow ambassador and diaspora networks
Relocate VIC to Waterloo Place – increasing level and cost of visitor servicing
Visitor servicing support extended to Strabane and covering wider (district-wide) urban and
rural remit
Core Funding (Excl. DETI/NITB matched funding)
A current draft income & expenditure budget based on an SLA with DCSDC for 2015/16 is
illustrated below. This excludes any matched funding from central sources.
Option 1: DCC Current Level Option 2: DCSDC to cover new Council
Financial Heading 2015-16 Financial Heading 2015-16
Income
Income
Council Management £465,000
Council Management Fee £410,000
Fee
Private Sector £153,500
Private Sector £153,500
Other Public Sector £50,000
Other Public Sector £50,000
Other (Sales) £70,000
Other (Sales) £70,000
Total Income £683,500 Total Income £738,500
Expenditure
Expenditure
Salaries £400,000 Salaries £410,000
Operating Costs £136,000 Operating Costs £136,000
Marketing Activities £77,500 Marketing Activities £127,500
Other (Cost of Sales) £60,000 Other (Cost of Sales) £60,000
Total Expenditure £678,500 Total Expenditure £733,500
Surplus/(Deficit) £5,000
Surplus/(Deficit) £5,000Visit Derry Corporate Plan 2015-20 Sources of Funding Visit Derry will continue to work in very close partnership with Council, NITB, Tourism Ireland, Members and some other key stakeholders to raise funds for tourism marketing. This is needed for direct marketing activity aimed at attracting visitors to the city and its attractions. Budgetary Control The General Manager of Visit Derry is responsible for six weekly progress reports to the Executive Chair and Board of Directors. These reports are by exception and will include performance data against scorecard measures. The reports will address new opportunities arising. Also quarterly financial reports are to be provided to the Board against funding plans. 12. Making it Happen The Corporate Plan is a strategic document that shows how Visit Derry plans to deliver on its mission, vision and strategic objectives. We will regularly review our financial, market and personnel resources to maintain a sustainable balance between service expectation and the mix of resources available to deliver. Visit Derry Governance Membership Membership currently stands at 235 (Dec 14). A core of trade members continue to be proactive in supporting Visit Derry’s activity, particularly in terms of attending trade and consumer exhibitions within Ireland and GB, advertising in key publications and providing in kind support with familiarisation visits. There is scope to increase the range and number of members of Visit Derry and get them more involved in future marketing campaigns. Visit Derry Board Visit Derry is a company limited by guarantee with a Board of 11 directors, three appointed by Derry City Council, three by members and five directly appointed by the board. The current directors of the company (December 2014) are: John Boyle Council Nominee Joe Millar Council Nominee Barney O’Hagan Council Nominee Neil Devlin Members’ Nominee Paul Mason Members’ Nominee Hugh McDaid Members’ Nominee Niall McKeever Members’ Nominee Pauline Morrow Members’ Nominee Sinead McLaughlin Industry Representative Roy Devine Industry Representative.
Visit Derry Corporate Plan 2015-20
The Mayor attends the Visit Derry board meetings in an ex officio capacity. The Board has
appointed Stephen Gillespie to act as Company Secretary and Board meetings are attended
by a representative of NITB.
Location and Staff Structure
Visit Derry is located at 44 Foyle St and is due to re-locate to new offices in Waterloo Place
during 2015.
The current staffing structure of the organisation is detailed below ( see P36). Visit Derry has
10 permanent employees (6 full-time and 4 part-time). It employs other people on temporary
contracts and on a part-time basis to reflect seasonal demand. Its 2015-16 salaries and
wages budget is approx. £400,000. This represents approx. 58% of total expenditure.
Resource Allocation
The strategy will require a considerable amount of effort if it is to be realised in full. The
resources available to ensure that it is implemented include:
Input by the Board and other members
The staff team
An annual budget increasing each year through income generated from membership
fees and other sources.
An annual income and expenditure budget will be presented to the board for approval and this
will be reported on at each Board meeting.Visit Derry Corporate Plan 2015-20
Staff Structure Required to Implement the Strategy
Board
Executive
Chair
General
Manager
Sales & Visitor Services
Office Marketing
Manager Officer
Manager
Admin
Asst.
Business &
Leisure Tourism Visitor
Officer Information
Team (4)
Sales &
Marketing
Rural Executive
Marketing
Officer PR &
Campaigns
Tourism Officer
Engagement Digital
Officer Executive
The structure identified above reflects the current situation (Blue and Yellow) and required the
full £465k Council, or another source of funding to contribution to be viable. The additional
posts are dependent on matched funding from another source. The colour coding is as
follows:
Permanent Employee
Temporary
VacantVisit Derry Corporate Plan 2015-20
Addressing Risk
The risk assessment for our plan is based on the following analysis undertaken by the Visit
Derry board in November 2014.
Identification of Risks
Risk/Category Risk Description
1. Loss of Council Failure to gain SLA and income from Council
Support
2. Loss of self-generated Failure to realise earned income targets from TIC
income and other Visit Derry delivered activities.
3. Loss of Confidence of Failure to secure member support and income
Members
4.Human Resources Failure to motivate and engage staff to achieve high
performance
5. Relocation Delays in relocation affecting performance targets
6. Reputation Change of Chair and potential failure to maintain
relations, confidence and reputation with industry
and stakeholders
7. Infrastructure Failure to maintain a quality administrative, IT and
management infrastructure
8. NITB Support Failure to attract NITB matched funding
9.Destination Risk for the destination – range of political,
environmental factors perhaps that would impact on
visitor numbers – Degradation of the image of the
city because of: Crime/Terrorism, Political Conflict
World Impacts on ability for consumers to Travel –
e.gs Ash Cloud, SARS, Sept 11, Foot & Mouth
See Risk Management Plan for full detailsVisit Derry Corporate Plan 2015-20
Monitoring and Reviewing Progress
Our commitment to regular review of progress against the plan is based on the schedule
indicated below.
Visit Derry Planning and Review Cycle
Planning Level Involvement and Expectation
Annual report to members on performance against the
Members
Corporate Plan
Quarterly review of performance against strategic
Board objectives and the associated targets and action plan.
Annual review of the Corporate Plan
Quarterly review of performance against strategic
Managers/Staff objectives and the associated targets and action plan.
Annual review of the Corporate PlanVisit Derry Corporate Plan 2015-20 Appendix I Stakeholders/Partners Marketing Dept, DCSDC NW Air Access Consortium City of Derry Airport (and other major air access hubs, BHD,BFS and DUB) Airporter Translink Londonderry Chamber of Commerce Ilex City Centre Initiative Cruise NW (Foyle Port, Loughs Agency & DCSDC) Heritage & Museum Services Sail West /Malin Waters Food NI NI Connections NI Hotel Federation Business Tourism Taskforce University of Ulster, Magee Western Trust NW Regional College People First Tyrone & Sperrins Working Group NW Partnership Board Tourism Group NIEA The Honourable the Irish Society Walled City Management Group Walled City Partnership Donegal County Council Failte Ireland NW Inishowen Tourism North Atlantic Peripheries Programme Inner City Trust Foyle Civic Trust Cultural Partnership Forum ARC NW
Visit Derry Corporate Plan 2015-20 Appendix II Seven Big Asks
Visit Derry Corporate Plan 2015-20
Visit Derry Corporate Plan 2015-20
Visit Derry Corporate Plan 2015-20
Visit Derry Corporate Plan 2015-20
Visit Derry Corporate Plan 2015-20
Visit Derry Corporate Plan 2015-20
Visit Derry Corporate Plan 2015-20
Appendix III Tourism Insights
Background to Tourism in Northern Ireland
The overall the number of staying tourists in Northern Estimated 1.8m overseas
Ireland in 2013 was just over 4 million this was up 2% on visitors to NI for 2014 (+5% on
the previous year while revenue earned at £723 million 2013).
was up 5% in current terms. The performance in 2013 Generated approx. £508m
was in line with the Programme for Government (PfG) revenue (+7%) on 2013
interim target of £637m expenditure and 4.1m visitor
numbers. Tourism Ireland’s targets for
2015 will see Northern Ireland
The analysis shows that the growth in overall tourism was welcome almost 1.9 m
driven by a 6% increase in the number of business overseas visitors, representing
visitors. The aggregate number of nights spent by tourists growth of +6% over 2014 and
in 2013 was below the 2011 level, reflecting the changes revenue of £552m (+9%)
in composition of demand and the continuing trend
towards shorter trips. 21% of visitors to the island of
Ireland visit Northern Ireland
Tourism was particularly strong from North America and
Mainland Europe (SOAR TIL Report June 2013). NITB Draft Tourism Strategy 2010, projects
that 4.5m will visit NI in 2020. The NITB Draft Tourism Strategy sets out targets for an
increase of visitors from 3.2m to 4.5m by 2020 and an increase in revenue from £536m to
£1billion.
Tourism is a key wealth generator sustaining 50,000 jobs in NI. In terms of export in 2020
visitors from outside UK will generate £350m; while out of state visitors will generate £750m.
The top reasons for visiting Northern Ireland are:
Visiting Friends and Relatives
Holiday and
Business Tourism
In 2013 there was significant growth in out of state visitors from EU countries (+19%) and
other overseas (+21%) however the largest number of visitors overall still come from Great
Britain and Ireland. The US market is also increasing.Visit Derry Corporate Plan 2015-20
Background to Tourism in the District (Source: NISRA 2013)
The Derry City and Strabane District Council area
showed a 50% increase in overnight trips between According to official statistics
2012 and 2013 to 254,000 trips (6% of NI total (NISRA):
4.1m). The associated expenditure increased by
75% to £47million. (6.5% of NI total £722m) There were overnight trips to
Derry & Strabane in 2013 – an
The total number of overnights generated was increased of 50% between
936,198 (6% of NI total 14.5m) 2012 (164,000) and 2013
(254,000).
The “reason for visit” by Overnight Visitor to the
region are: Associated expenditure
VFR 47% increased by 75%( to £47m in
Holiday, Leisure 32% 2013)
Business 16%
Other 5% Derry Walls ( 4th largest tourist
attraction in NI will 0.4m visitors
The Origin of Visitors to the region are: in 2013)
NI 37%
GB 37%
Europe 9% Hotel Occupancy at 69% in
N America 6.5% 2013
Other 10.5% (ROI and NDM)
This contrasts with data from the Visitor Information Centre (VIC) – this provides a sample
profile of visitors to the District (includes day trip market mix).
Nationality Numbers (2013)
Europe 26% (21,311)
NI 21.5% (17,685)
GB 14% (11,636)
North America 20.5% (16,973)
ROI 9.5% (7,757)
Aus/NZ 5.5% (4,490)
Rest of World 2.5% (2,036)
Unknown 0.5% (561)
Total 100% (82,451)
Source: Visit Derry 2014
It is interesting to note that whilst the District itself has one of the youngest populations of any
region, approx. 50% of our visitors are 35-54 and 30% are 55+.
44% of leisure visitors are families. Around 1 in 4 are a couple. The average party size is 3.5
people per party, close to the figure for NI as a wholeVisit Derry Corporate Plan 2015-20 NITB Visitor Attitudes Survey – Derry-Londonderry 2011 The majority of leisure visitors are on holiday and staying overnight in Derry~Londonderry. Most overnight leisure visits are 1 – 3 nights in length with visitors on their first trip to Northern Ireland .The area tends to attract an older age profile, reflecting its larger share of leisure visitors from outside of the UK and Ireland who tend to be older, with around one third aged 55+. 16% of leisure visitors were travelling as a group of friends. Derry~Londonderry has the largest share of leisure visitors from outside the UK and Ireland among all of the NI destinations, with around one third from outside of the UK and Ireland. A large share of these leisure visitors arrived via air or sea ports into the ROI, with many then choosing to use taxis and trains to get about whilst in NI. Over a third of leisure visitors chose to eat out in cafes and over 40 % visited a castle, house or some other historic monument. More than half of overnight leisure visitors who visited Derry~Londonderry stayed in a hotel. A third also visited the Giants Causeway and followed the Causeway Coastal Route during their visit. The area also attracts a substantial number of leisure day visitors. They mostly live locally, are w with family on their leisure trip, and are most likely to be hiking/walking, visiting a historic attraction or a park/garden. NITB Visitor Attractions Survey 2013 The survey reports figures for the Derry Walls have grown in visitor numbers from 281,000 to 411,000 in 2013. Within the top ten attractions in Northern Ireland for 2013 Derry’s Walls appears at No 4 with 410,870 visitors – an increase of 46% from 2012. Local Visitor Attractions Numbers 2013 The Peace Bridge 1,200,947 City Walls 410,870 Guildhall 370,826 St Columb’s Cathedral 95,407 St. Augustine’s Church 32,987 Tower Museum 31,171 Ness Country Park 30,000 Creggan Country Park 22,000 Museum of Free Derry 21,313 Free Derry Tours 16,000 Campsie Karting 9,000 First Derry Presbyterian Church 8,000 Apprentice Boys Memorial Hall 8,000 Foyle Valley Railway 4,492 St Columba’s Long Tower - Aras Colmcille 500 Wilson Ancestral Home 269 Grays Printing Press 120 There are major capital visitor attraction development projects ongoing including Apprentice Boys Siege Museum, Museum of Free Derry and a planned Maritime Museum (due to open in 2019).
Visit Derry Corporate Plan 2015-20 Accommodation Development In 2013 the Derry area 635 hotel bedrooms this is an increase of 30% over the last five year period. This is a significant level of growth during a difficult investment period. Room occupancy during 2013 was 67% just ahead of the Northern Ireland average. Room occupancy peaked in August 2013 at 84% - a month of large events and when the city played host to the All-Ireland Fleadh. This increase in hotel rooms is commendable bearing in mind the investment climate experienced during much of the interim particularly with many hotels across Ireland – often new investments – getting into serious financial difficulties. The investment climate for the hotel sector remains difficult with financial institutions wary of such investment. 2013 saw an increase of 22% in hotel rooms sold compared to 2012 pushing up the occupancy rate to 66.5% - just ahead of the Northern Ireland average of 65% for 2013. Hotel developments continue with plans for two new hotels to come into the market in the city centre in 2015 with 31 and 17 bedrooms respectively. This will increase hotel stock by 8% in the coming year. Accommodation Stock There are 148 accommodation properties within the District. They offer 1,776 rooms and supply 3,528 beds for the overnight market. The breakdown is as follows: 11 Hotels 5 Guesthouses 57 B&Bs 2 Guest Accommodation 65 Self-catering properties 7 hostels 1 campus The latest occupancy data for the district 2013 is as follows: Hotel Occupancy 69% (2013) B&B Occupancy 23% (2013) Self-Catering Occupancy 31 % (2013) Employee Jobs There are 4,227 people currently employed in the tourism economy and tourism is one of the largest employers in the region (of 50,253 workforce employed in the region). The current aspiration is to raise this to over 5,000 jobs by 2020. 4,227 jobs in tourism = 8% of workforce employed in tourism.
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