Second Phase Action Plan Consultation

The Strategic Framework for Tourism in England 2010 - 2020, launched in March 2010, identified the need to develop a series of Action Plans to assist in coordinating and driving forward priority actions. Nine Action Plans plus the All England Marketing Strategy were published in June 2011 and implementation is being driven forward and monitored with industry partners. Three Action Plans have been working to a different timetable due to the complex nature of the issues they focus on and the need to reflect on the changes to the delivery landscape and Government policy impacting on these three priority areas. The three draft Action Plans can be accessed below:

- Quality 
- Skills
- Transport and Tourism

The Action Plans are not exhaustive lists of actions. These are the actions that the public and private sectors need to implement to ensure that the visitor economy in England continues to thrive, compete and grow in this three year period - and in transport's case - over the ten year life of the Framework.

The aim of this consultation is to gain feedback on the actions identified. As importantly is the need to identify:

- Who will take responsibility for leading each action and driving it's implementation?
- Which organisations, businesses and partners should sign-up to deliver the actions in their area, business, organisations, destination or association?

The draft Action Plans highlight lead partners and others who have a role to play in implementation and this will be firmed up through input into the consultation process.

Feedback is being sought from all parties with a stake in the visitor economy on each of the Action Plans . A set of consultation questions is included at the end of each Action Plan. Please respond by 1 March 2012 to FrameworkConsultation@visitengland.org, clearly labelling which Action Plan the feedback relates to or whether it is general and relates to all of the plans.

The completed Action Plans will be published in March 2012.

Please contact Lyndsey Swift, Head of Partnerships (lyndsey.swift@visitengland.org or 0207 578 1456) should you have any questions.

Latest on Strategic Framework Implementation

The Strategic Framework Action Plans were launched in June 2011 and a number of partners are now coming forward to help implement the actions outlined. Meetings have taken place with key delivery partners including the Local Government Association; Historic Towns Forum; British Beer and Pub Association; British Destinations and TMI/Tourism Society and further engagement activity is planned. For progress highlights on each of the Action Plans click here.

The Visitor Economy Forum on 1 December 2011 was a key opportunity to update on industry growth and implementation of the Framework. The Destination Management Forum which met on 14 July and 20 October 2011 is driving forward implementation by Destination Management Organisations. The Strategic Industry Advisory Group met for the first time on 26 October 2011 and discussed the role of associations in driving forward implementation collectively and by their members. For more information on VisitEngland’s engagement structures click here.

The success of the Framework relies on the industry taking it forward so please contact us and get involved. To review the action plans and find contact information for the VisitEngland lead click here.

The Strategic Framework will be reviewed annually. This will include an update on implementation and reporting against the Framework’s headline growth ambitions.

Action Plans launched at Partners for England Forum - 16 June

The completed Action Plans and England Marketing Strategy were launched at the Partners for England Forum on 16 June in London. 

This event was an opportunity for key industry partners to reflect on developments since the launch in March 2010 and how these have impacted on the Framework; recognise the progress that has been made and discuss how the completed Action Plans will be implemented by partners and examples of where commitments have already been made. This was set out in the 2011 Yearly Review of the Strategic Framework published at the event.

More information was also made available on how Framework implementation will be monitored and the new national industry and stakeholder engagement structures that will be introduced to drive forward implementation.

Action Plans Consultation - Update

The consultation on the nine draft Action Plans and the England Marketing Strategy closed on the 18 March. Over 90 responses were received from a wide range of partners (including DMOs, local authorities, LEPs, national bodies and trade associations). Key messages from the consultation feedback included the need to prioritise the activity to ensure it can be implemented; delivering new and innovative activity, not more of the same; demonstrating effectively the relationship and connections between each of the Action Plans and how they link with the DCMS Tourism Policy and ensuring that simple and transparent monitoring arrangements are in place to track implementation.

A huge amount of case study material and good examples of activity being undertaken in the Action Plan areas was submitted in the feedback and this will be put to good use in communications and further developed as part of the Framework. A number of partners have made specific commitments to deliver in key areas and these will be followed up in implementation.

Strategic Framework Launched

The Strategic Framework and Action Plan were launched on Thursday 18 March 2010 by Joanna Lumley at the Best of Britain and Ireland Trade Exhibition at London Olympia.The event took place during British Tourism Week, an annual event aimed at raising the profile of tourism and its contribution to the economy and employment.

Also speaking at the launch was the Minister for Tourism, Rt Hon Margaret Hodge MP.  The event was attended by more than 200 representatives of England’s public and private sector tourism industry.

To find out more about the launch and to view the images and video footage please click here. (www.enjoyengland.com/corporate/corporate-information/England-tourism-framework/launch.aspx)

Click here for the Press Release

Click here for background Briefing Notes

For media queries contact:

Sarah Long - Head of Strategic Communications, VisitEngland

email:   sarah.long@visitengland.org

phone:     020 7578 1452