Totnes Tourism PartnershipMeeting Minutes

9 October 2018Present:

Apologies

Sam Branch [Minutes] (Totnes Destination Manager), Kathy Alexander (Bay Horse Inn), Matt Buzzo (Waterside Bistro), Will Kemp (Dartington Arts), Dave Tinker (Totnes Chamber of Commerce, Out of the Blue), Karen Jonas (Dartington Trust) and Judy Westacott (Totnes Town Council)

Madelaine Cambridge (Totnes Castle), Julie George (The Old Forge), Dick Wood (South Devon Railway, Visit Devon, DATA), Thea Platt (TTT), Penny Johns Dart Harbour), Anna Roach (Visit South Devon) and Jonathan Wigg - General Manager (Seven Stars)

Next meeting: Tuesday 12th February at 10am – Waterside?

I. Minutes

The following points were discussed:

1. Funding - Paige Adams & South Hams Communities Together

SB informed the group about the South Hams Communities Together fund which is jointly

funded by Devon County Council and South Hams District Council. Members have allocated

£1.10 per elector to this pot, to be spent in the Cluster areas. Devon County Council has

approved £1 per elector, and South Hams District Council 10p per elector. The total value of the

Communities Together Fund in each Cluster area depends on the number of electors.

The aim of the Communities Together Fund is to encourage communities to work together;

identifying new ideas for their mutual benefit. Applications are welcome from community

projects benefiting, enhancing and making a difference to communities.

https://www.southhams.gov.uk/article/4677/South-Hams-Communities-Together-Fund

SB is going to apply for some funding for Visit Totnes for either 1 or 2 digital screens to promote

community / local events at the Civic Square as part of the redevelopment of this area:

SB suggested that the Chamber might like to apply to the same funding for the Xmas Light

Switch on for 2019.

2. Events

Off peak events were discussed as a good way to try and increase footfall during the shoulder

months - SB would like to try and organise something, pending the appropriate funds.

Heritage was discussed as a possible theme for an event e.g. heritage walks or trail - Karen Jonas

and SB are meeting in the New Year to discuss possible links between Dartington and Totnes for

a potential event. Other ideas - food festival, gardening & food, Halloween - interactive

paranormal walk.

3. Marketing update

GWR

SB mentioned the posters we have created in partnership with GWR where they have given us

free poster space at Exeter Central, Exeter St Davids, Torquay and Taunton stations including

free print:

International Students

SB is meeting with the international school in Totnes to discuss partnership opportunities. Karen

Jonas has a contact at EF - we can suggest some itineraries to this market, potentially offering

them a full day with half a day at Dartinton and half a day in Totnes town. SB contacted all of the

international schools in Torbay - none replied but will try again in the new year.

GB High St Awards

Despite a lot of hard work we were unsuccessful in being shortlisted for this - SB will apply again

in 2019.

Cruise Ships

SB & Karen Jonas meeting in the new year to look at a potential itinerary for the cruise ship

market - USA would potentially like the Elmhirst connection.

4. Seasonal TIC update

SB gave an update on the TIC which closed at the end of September - see Appendix A for some

of the findings from the Visitor Information Officer. It was mentioned that the TIC was very

hidden on a Friday due to the market and suggested that a feather banner might help on the

road. SB also said that we will print more maps next year so that all businesses can have some.

AOB

Out of the Blue

Reported an increase in international visitors particularly from EU and USA and lots of

international students on Thursday and Fridays who tend to spend.

Dartington Estate and Arts

Marketing themselves as a destination now and going digital - producing a family leaflet

targeting Bristol, Bath and London. Suggested a joint leaflet for Totnes and Dartington to

highlight what’s open all year.

Coaches

Dave mentioned that Newton Abbot has more coach trips coming to the area - SB is still

planning on marketing to this sector pending the amount of marketing budget we have.

Waterside and Bay Horse both offered a free bap for coach drivers which we can communicate

but it was also thought that the best place to offer this from would be the Steamer Quay cafe

however this is seasonal.

All year round destination

DATA have run a Devon in December campaign to highlight what’s still here in December - SB

and Karen discussed doing something together which we have since done with Pennywell and

South Devon Rail as well called Dart in December where we have created special offers for

people who’re booking a night stay at Dartingon Hall this December as well as tickets for

Pennywell’s nativity or tickets for the rail in January. Out of the Blue kindly offered 10% off in

their shop and Waterside Bistro offered a free Devon cookbook as part of our offer.

This is being promoted on all of our websites, social media and e-news:

Next Meeting

Scheduled for Tuesday 12th February as the second Tuesday in Jan is too close to the New Year.

Appendix A - TIC Report from Visitor Information Officer

Findings

The methodology for collecting information changed during the season. We first collected actual

number of visitors and the nature of their enquiry and then we recorded the number of

different enquiries as well because we sometimes had 1 visitor asking for 5 different things.

Because of this some of the figures don’t match but the totals, as itemised below, are a true and

accurate record.

The total visitor number was 3344 as of mid September. Of these phone calls accounted for 146

of the enquiries and e-mail accounted for 103.

In June we started to count the actual number of enquiries as well as the number of visitors and

we were able to list the following enquiry topics:

Maps: 896 (19%)

Attractions: 652 (14%)

Things to do: 587 (12%)

Walking: 485 (10%)

Cycling: 447 (10%)

Current brochure: 434 (9%)

Toilet: 400 (8%)

Other: 325 (7%)

Events: 262 (5%)

Accommodation: 70 (1%)

Eateries: 46 (0.9%)

Total: 4604

The “other” category included Transition Town Totnes, luggage facilities, refuse bags, cash

machine points, Totnes Pound and Totnes Passport.

Many local residents came in to leave local event information however due to limited space we

only had room for 32 DL leaflets and 12 A5 leaflets on the customer facing wall, 4 A5 brochures

and 7 DL holders on the desk and space for more at the back of the office on shelving. We will

look at rectifying this next year by potentially having an information screen.

Information relating to the length of people’s stays were not collected though this should be done in subsequent years and if time, where they are staying. Anecdotally the majority of visitors were in the town for either 2 hours or the day however they might have been staying in the area for longer. Only a few said a week.

Some people came in because they had moved to the area and were looking for general information. There were also visitors who had established Airbnb facilities and were “stocking-up” their guest’s information.

Of the accommodating enquiries a large proportion were from Airbnb providers and other providers also contacted the TIC. The number of people asking for accommodation was approximately 20, or less than one per week. Of these 25% did not have internet facilities available and needed to be given guidance on using the website; 5 people were provided with accommodation by the TIC directly.

Demographic

Of the 3344 people listed 2997 were British. The rest of the nationalities are below (in alphabetical order):

American: 16

Argentinian: 1

Australia: 20

Austrian: 1

Belgian: 12

Brazil: 1

Canadian: 1

Chile: 1

Chinese: 10

Czech: 1

Danish: 1

Dutch: 41

Finnish: 3

French: 53

German: 109

Greece: 2

Italy: 9

Japanese: 11

Luxembourg: 1

Norway: 2

Philippines: 1

Portugal: 2

South Africa: 1

Spanish: 33

Sweden: 1

Swiss: 9

Tunisian: 1

Ukraine: 1

The total number of foreign visitors was 347.