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Vision and objectives

Find out more about the vision and objectives of the English Riviera Destination Management Plan.

The ambition for the English Riviera is encapsulated in the following vision statement:

It is time to refresh and reposition the English Riviera as the UK’s premier holiday resort of the future. With a unique heritage, encompassing three towns, each offering a different coastal experience, set within an exceptional natural environment, the English Riviera is so much more than the sum of its parts.

Combining tradition and contemporary, we have a bright future. The English Riviera can offer the best of the seaside, outstanding seafood, exciting activities on and off the water, authentic cultural events, and experiences, and a globally significant UNESCO Global Geopark designation that runs like a golden thread through the entire visitor experience.

Objectives

This DMP runs from 2022-2030, it is a policy framework document that sits under the Torbay Economic Growth Strategy 2022-2030 and sets out the interventions that can help propel the visitor destination forward. It isn’t everything that can and will happen but includes proposals which will shift the destination into a higher gear, that build on the inherent strengths, reflecting market trends and opportunities and help to achieve a more sustainable and resilient destination.

Objectives for the life of this plan are:

  • Recover – return to 2019 spend and visitor levels by 2024
  • Grow – achieve an additional £75m of tourism spend and 1,500 new FTE jobs by 2030
  • Re-balance – more sustainable visits, with 40% of visits from October - March (currently 35% [1])

These objectives will be achieved by the following priorities:

  • Markets, positioning and branding - attracting new and existing visitor markets and an improved reputation and profile for the destination
  • Destination development - new product investment and development of the existing offer
  • Destination management - better destination management and visitor welcome (and resident satisfaction)
  • Organisation and delivery - clear delivery arrangements

As set out below, this DMP contains growth priorities and actions linked to destination development underpinning growth. These are the interventions that will see the destination shift into a higher gear. There are also a number of underpinning priorities and delivery tasks which will maintain competitiveness and ensure that delivery arrangements are realistic and fit for purpose.

Growth priorities and actions

Destination Management Theme: Food and Drink

Actions

  • Sustainable food and drink destination
  • Seafood Feast as a signature event
  • Inspiring dining

Indicators

  • Spend on local suppliers
  • Event economic impact
  • Value of media coverage

Destination Management Theme: On and in the Water

Actions

  • Watersports hub development
  • Business development
  • Packaging on and in the water experiences

Indicators

  • Feasibility study delivered
  • Number of businesses supported
  • Number of new experiences

Destination Management Theme: UNESCO Global Geopark

Actions

  • Geopark Interpretation
  • Digital Geopark Trails
  • Designated Landscapes Partnership
  • External funding secured to support priorities

Indicators

  • Number of businesses using Geopark
  • Number of geopark trails
  • Geopark profile

Destination Management Theme: Culture and Events

Action

  • Thematic Interventions

Indicators

  • Critical appraisal
  • Events delivered

Underpinning priorities and tasks

Markets, positioning and branding

Tasks

  • Market research
  • Brand strategy review
  • Marketing strategy review

Indicators

  • Higher market awareness
  • Marketing reach

Destination Management

Tasks

  • Policy review
  • Joint response to visitor survey
  • Public realm improvements
  • Bus network improvements
  • Cruise development
  • Green Tourism Award for business
  • Carbon Neutral Torbay action plan
  • Education/business plans for tourism
  • Workforce skills
  • Annual performance review
  • Meet English Riviera

Indicators

  • Stock of serviced accommodation
  • Increased visitor satisfaction
  • Number of cruise arrivals
  • Number of businesses with accreditation
  • Carbon impacts from tourism
  • Number of businesses engaged
  • Monitoring DMP actions
  • Value of conference bookings

Delivery, organisation and resources

Tasks

  • DMG Terms of Reference
  • DMP Annual Review

Indicators

  • Terms of reference
  • Annual review

Outcomes

  • Higher destination awareness and profile
  • Increased marketing impact
  • Increased visitor spend
  • More skilled workforce and tourism seen as an attractive career
  • Strong leadership for the visitor economy
  • Improved destination experience
  • More sustainable destination
  • External funding secured to support priorities
  1. Economic Impact of Devon’s Visitor Economy. South West Research Co. 2019