Coastal Tourism in the North

West

Jane Seddon
Director of Tourism
Blackpool
 “To Change or Not to Change,
That Is the Question”

• “Seaside resorts and coastal towns are dead. Long

live CentreParcs!”
Our Starting Position 1987

1987
13.2 m visits
Day visits 7.4m ( 58%)
Overnight 3.2m ( 25%)
Average stay 5 days
Visitor nights 16m
Spend 800m
Bed spaces 92,000
Consumer Trends
UK Tourist Trips Abroad
(89 - 03) + 100%

Tourist trips by UK Residents UP 130%

 Spiral of Decline
1987 2003

Visits 13.2m 10.6m

O/night 3.2m (25%) 4.4m(42%)
Day visits 7.4m(58%) 3.9m(37%)
Av.stay 5days 2.4days
Visitor nights 16m 10.5m
Spend £800m £500m
Bedspaces 92,000 70,000
 Spiral of Decline
Annual Visitors Profile
14000

12000

10000
Visitor Numbers

8000

6000

4000

2000

0
1 4 7 10 13 16 19 22 25 28 31 34 37 40 43 46 49 52
Month
 Spiral of Decline
• Growing social distress
• Concentration of deprivation (10th worst)
• Worst 10% of male life expectancy
• Turnover in primary schools is 26%
• Retail leakage
• Weak property market
• HELP……..!
Taking the Lead Locally…
Where We Are Going
 Taking the Lead Locally…
Our Vision
•A Town looking in two directions;
At the values and needs of the visitor and local resident

•A resort that has been reshaped physically and

spiritually and represented as:-
•A new National/International all year round sustainable
entertainment destination
•A place with balanced and healthy neighbourhoods, that is
also the retail,civic,business and cultural centre for the Fylde
Coast sub region.
 Exploiting the Potential for
Change
• Capacity 70,000 bed spaces
• Brand position in the British Psyche
• Major local players..Pleasure Beach and Leisure parcs
• Airport 150million people within 2 hours flying time
• Council commitment to radical change using CPO powers and
partnership.
Quality As the Universal Driver
The environment is to be;
• Aesthetically pleasing
• Functionally efficient
• Non-threatening
• Clean
• Managed to facilitate the visitor

There is to be a mix of elements and experiences;

• Attractions and entertainment
• Food and beverage
• Retail
• Accommodation

There is to be a level of service that exceeds

expectations
 The Sustainable Resort
A Town that has signed up to Sustainability, that;

•LListens
Listens totopeople
peopleand
andresponds
respondstototheir
theirambitions
ambitionsfor
foraabetter
betterquality
qualityofoflife;
life;

•eEnsures
ensures that
thatthe
theflow
flowofofpublic
publicand
andprivate
privateinvestment
investmentinto
intotourism
tourismdevelopment
development
secures integrated social, economic and environmental outcomes;

•cCreates
creates new
newand
andlasting
lastingwealth
wealthininour
ourlocal
localtourism
tourismeconomy
economythrough
throughresponsible
responsible
actions;
 The Sustainable Resort

That:

• Creates a climate for sustainable investment;

• Creates a culture of co-operative action;
• Teaches and Promotes Sustainable action;
• Embeds Quality Assurance and local distinctiveness;
• Encourages innovation and diversification;
• Increases skills and labour force capacity;
• Applies integrated neighbourhood improvement;
 The Master Plan

North
Town Centre Second Gate
Entertainment
Station Central

Winter
Gardens
Casino

Conference Resort
Resort Casino
Town Hounds Entertainment
Hill Casino Resort
Parc
Casino

Blackpool
Tower
The Weather Independent Resort
Experience
The Town Centre
Redevelopment
33.0 acre plot
55% Council owned
Retail/Entertainment
44,000 sqm
Offices
43,000 sqm
Residential 192
units
Transport 6,000
sqm
Car Parking 2,800
sps
Conference/casino Quarter
The Second Gate
The Second Gate
The Village
The Village Hotel District
Pleasure Beach Development
Innovation With Light
Where We Are on Our New
Journey
The Central Gateway
The Seafront
The Central Seafront
 Working in Partnership
• Forging partnerships for the future
•NWDA
•English Partnerships
•DfT
•Defra
•Lancashire County Council
•Blackpool Council ( including Housing Corporation)
•URC ( Urban Regeneration Company)
•Sir Peter Hall
Marketing for the Future
 Selling Reality Not Dreams
• Not over promising too soon
•Concentrate on strengths
•Brand positioning
•Partnership
•More bangs for the buck!
 E Marketing
• www.visitblackpool.com
• On line booking
•Travel partners
•Downloads of tours
•Re invest for the future
 Marketing Consortium
• Blackpool Tourism
• Pleasure Beach
•Leisure parcs
• Noble Organisation
• Sandcastle Waterworld
• L.B.T.B
• Challenge Partnership Funding
 Jane Seddon

Director of Tourism
Blackpool