If you’ve seen the news that Suffolk and Norfolk is a new joint Local Visitor Economy Partnership, managed by Visit East of England and supported by Suffolk and Norfolk County Councils, you might be asking yourself what it means for businesses in the visitor economy?
Here’s some of the questions we’re being asked…
What is an LVEP?
Local Visitor Economy Partnerships are part of a new national structure of VisitEngland-accredited Destination Management Organisations (DMOs). They are being created as a result of the De Bois DMO Review and Suffolk and Norfolk is the 34th LVEP to be accredited.
Why do we need LVEPs?
The creation of the new structure aims to reshape destination management across England, bring coherence to the DMO landscape and reduce fragmentation.
What does that mean?
There are more than 300 DMOs across England, many overlapping, many competing with each other. LVEPs address that and make it easier for VisitEngland to properly co-ordinate with a select group of DMOs that will eventually cover the whole country.
What happens here?
VEE created a Coalition of all the local DMOs in Suffolk and Norfolk during the Covid pandemic so we are working collaboratively already.
During the pandemic that Coalition successfully bid for more than £700k of national marketing funds to promote our two counties. It was the largest amount of monies given to any region and we were told: ‘We can’t argue with 14 DMOs working together’. VisitBritain chair Nick de Bois said that our approach was trailblazing.
So, is there money attached to LVEPs?
No, not now. However, only LVEPs will be allowed to bid into national funding pots, with the help and support of the national tourism bodies, VisitEngland and VisitBritain.
Will there be any money in the future?
Possibly. There is a Destination Development Partnership (DDP) pilot in the North-East of three LVEPs, Visit Northumberland, Visit Durham and Newcastle Gateshead Initiative. They were awarded more than £2m to prove the effectiveness of the DDP/LVEP approach.
And what’s the measure of success?
In that instance, increasing inbound tourism. For the Treasury, domestic tourism is just displacement, it doesn’t increase their tax returns. But inbound does. It’s the UK’s third largest export. The North-East saw the biggest decline in international visitors of any English region between 2012-19. And they have a wonderful offer, including Hadrian’s Wall, coastal castles, cathedrals and the buzz and culture of Newcastle. So if they can grow inbound visitation, Treasury will be happy and may award money to fund more DDPs across England.
So, what are the benefits of being an LVEP now?
As well as being able to bid for national funding, it means we get access to resources and guidance from VisitBritian/VisitEngland in areas including dedicated toolkits and training programmes on things such as product distribution, accessibility and sustainability, as well as marketing and business support. We’ll share this with local DMOs and businesses so they get the benefit and we’ll also organise business events and workshops.
We’ll also engage on national, regional and local surveys, research and market intelligence for the benefit of local businesses.
LVEPs also get to take part in hosting overseas delegations and tour operators, as well as being invited to VisitBritain/VisitEngland networking events. It’s there, and at Travel Trade events, that Visit East of England can represent all the Suffolk and Norfolk destinations.
Why is our LVEP being led by Visit East of England?
We have a proven track record of collaborative working, bringing together every local authority and DMO in Suffolk and Norfolk during Covid to pool marketing resources to create a stronger, coherent voice, and developing Destination Plans to help recovery and plot a strategy going forward.
Also during Covid VEE established itself as the conduit between the national tourism bodies and government to local businesses and DMOs.
VEE has the support of Suffolk and Norfolk County Councils to lead the LVEP.
Why couldn’t we have had separate Suffolk and Norfolk LVEPs?
We could have, but by joining we can share resource and give best value. VEE has successfully operated Visit Suffolk and Visit Norfolk websites, campaigns and social media for more than a decade. Working with partners, VEE developed a placemaking brand for both counties, Naturally (pictured), which is about creating a welcome for all.
And historically, the counties are two sides of the same coin. We are the South Folk and the North Folk of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of East Anglia. The only enmity should be on a football pitch and that’s going to be difficult in the near future, what with only one of our teams being in the Premier League!
So now we’re an LVEP, what happens next?
Visit East of England will have a reconstituted board, chaired by Dr Andy Wood OBE, who you’ll know from his award-winning stewardship of Adnams of Southwold. There will be an elected councillor from each of the County Councils as well as representatives of the DMO Coalition, the VENI Skills group, the Visitor Economy Group of local authorities, a new group overseeing the Destination Management Plan implementation and another on sustainability. Crucially, the new board must have increased inclusivity as well as sector representation.
Anything else?
Yes, by working with local partners and the national tourism bodies, this is a great opportunity to help grow a year-round visitor economy, which is the real key to improving productivity, change the perception that the sector is ‘seasonal, low skilled and low paid’, and develop our inbound tourism offering. All to play for!
For more information about the LVEP programme visit: www.visitbritain.org/local-visitor-economy-partnership-lvep-programme
