TOURISM is being” future-proofed” in south Warwickshire thanks to a major new partnership.
Shakespeare’s England, the destination management organisation for south Warwickshire, has joined forces with Destination Coventry and become the Coventry and Warwickshire Destination Partnership.
Together they aim to map out what they are coining a ‘long-term blueprint’ to grow Coventry and Warwickshire’s national and international profile.
The partnership is being created alongside local authority stakeholders Warwickshire County Council, Coventry City Council, Stratford District Council, Warwick District Council, Rugby Borough Council, and Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council.
And it has been formed under the new Local Visitor Economy Partnership framework, which was developed and administered by VisitEngland as a result of the government’s response to the independent de Bois Review of Destination Management Organisations in England.
Benefits of LVEP status include access to future grant funding, shared destination marketing opportunities, and access to data-rich research projects to help inform future decision making.
Alongside this work, both Shakespeare’s England and Destination Coventry will remain as separate brands and will continue to promote and support the area’s tourism businesses.
Shakespeare’s England was formed in 2012 and is a not-for-profit public and private membership organisation, supported by Stratford and Warwick district councils.
Chair Tara Robinson said: “This partnership has the potential to be a watershed moment for future-proofing Coventry and Warwickshire’s tourism scene.
“Our region has shown great resilience and continues to recover strongly from the pandemic, and mapping out a new long-term plan for growth, in conjunction with Destination Coventry and others, is the next logical step to capitalise on this.
“We are already working closely with Destination Coventry on boosting the region’s sustainability credentials, as well as attracting more business tourism, and we are looking forward to strengthening our relationship even further which will undoubtedly help us to collectively create a strong launchpad for further growth over the coming years.”
VisitEngland Director Andrew Stokes added: “Local Visitor Economy Partnerships are at the heart of transforming the visitor economy landscape in England and we are delighted to welcome the Coventry and Warwickshire Destination Partnership onto the programme.
“We look forward to continuing our close collaboration with the Coventry and Warwickshire Destination Partnership as the LVEP is established, providing ongoing support including a dedicated VisitEngland regional development lead.
“Having the right national and local infrastructure in place to grow our visitor economy, in an inclusive, accessible and sustainable way, will ensure England continues to be a compelling destination for both domestic and international visitors.”
