Marketing toolkit, business advice and links for Swale tourism businesses
Swale Borough Council is committed to developing and supporting the visitor economy and, through working with the local industry, has produced the marketing toolkit as an aid for those involved in bringing visitors to our area.
Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant - NOW OPEN FOR APPLICATIONS
The Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant is a one-off grant for hospitality, leisure and accommodation businesses, appearing on the local rating list and trading on the 30 December 2021. Go to Swale Borough Council website for more details.
Share your tourism business news and stories in the monthly Swale Visitor Economy Newsletter - email tourismsupport@swale.gov.uk to sign up.
Swale itself contains three distinct destinations – Faversham, the Isle of Sheppey and Sittingbourne as well as their surrounding villages, countryside and coast – and each has its own story to tell.
Our strengths lie in our outstanding landscapes, our rich and varied heritage, festivals and events, food and drink, arts and creativity, and of course our people! These strengths make up our offer and are our greatest draw for visitors.
Visit Swale is a microsite hosted by our partners at Visit Kent Business, a great source of tourism business advice, news and guidance.
As a regional destination marketing organisation Visit Kent works closely with Visit Britain / Visit England on UK Inbound and domestic marketing of Kent's tourism offer.
Visit Britain also provides a Business Advice Hub which lists top resources as:
Visit Swale Team Webpage Articles - Share Your Good News Stories...
Whilst we do not publish external features on the Visit Swale website, the Visit Swale team welcomes Swale tourism business content for editorial consideration to inform and highlight in website copy it produces and publishes. The team’s aim is to raise awareness of the good news stories contributing to our successful local visitor economy.
Please send your news and stories for information to tourismsupport@swale.gov.uk , items will also be considered for the monthly Swale Visitor Economy Newsletter.
Swale Borough Council's Economic Development Team and Swale Means Business also produce a monthly economic development e-bulletin with the latest news, events, funding and business opportunities for ALL businesses based in Swale.
To sign-up for the e-bulletin please email economicdevelopment@swale.gov.uk if you would like to subscribe to receive this newsletter by email. If you wish to unsubscribe at any time, please contact us using the same address.
The team welcome contributions from businesses and support organisations about funding opportunities and events. Please email the details to economicdevelopment@swale.gov.uk if you would like your story to be considered for inclusion in a future issue.
Insights - Swale Visitor Economy Data and Reports
This infographics below summarise the volume and value of tourism and the impact of visitor expenditure on the local economy in 2019 and again in 2020. The results are derived using the Cambridge Economic Impact Model under licence by Destination Research Ltd and commissioned by Visit Kent in partnership with Swale Borough Council
Download the full Swale Economic Impact of Tourism Report 2019
Download the full Swale Economic Impact of Tourism Report 2020
TWO FREE BUSINESS SUPPORT PACKAGES THAT WILL HELP!
As the UK continues to emerge from the pandemic and consumers look for visitor experiences and destinations where they can reconnect with family and friends, the visitor economy is beginning to rally.
However, consumers are also Covid-aware and anxious their visit is going to be ‘safe’. There is growing evidence showing that a business demonstrating it is Covid-safe provides two key benefits: one, it offers the business a positive sales message and two, it gives the consumer the confidence to visit.
We’re pleased to announce that Visit Swale is working alongside Visit Kent, Visit Britain, Quality in Tourism and Sandberg Solutions to promote two valuable business support schemes. Both schemes are FREE and designed to help you re-assurance your customers that your business is ‘Covid-safe’.
Remaining ‘Covid-safe’ is a sales tool
Those already involved tell us both packages provide businesses with a great sales tool, deliver invaluable advice and help strengthen customer confidence to visit.
Sign up now! Joining is easy and both packages are FREE to join
A FREE in-depth 1:1 session (virtual or face-to-face) with experienced, personable, industry experts, that follows the ‘visitor journey’ to reveal practical Covid-safe / general operational advice that will help you improve business performance. Read more here
A UK wide industry standard / kite mark that provides a ‘ring of confidence’ for residents and visitors that clear Covid-safe processes are in place and your business is safe to visit - a great sales message! Also FREE to join. Read more here
What to do next? To find out more about Quality in Tourism, click here and to find out more about the schemes contact Mark Sandberg at mark.sandberg@visitkent.co.uk to arrange a call-back.
The We’re Good To Go scheme, launched last year by VisitEngland in partnership with the tourism boards of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, has been recognised by the WTTC as meeting its international global standardised health and hygiene protocols and for its role in supporting the recovery of the UK tourism sector. The WTTC stamp enables travellers to recognise destinations around the world which have adopted global standardised protocols - so they can experience ‘Safe Travels.’
"HEALTH AND WELLNESS POST-COVID: Trends and statistics for 2022" (link to insurancemarket.ae)
Additional Event Guidance - Organising a safe event, 3 steps to running an event safely - simple guide from Zurich Insurance (download pdf)
In order to successfully run an event, you’ll need to ensure that there’s a considered plan in place for managing health and safety. This should be documented and communicated to other organisers, volunteers and vendors involved in your event. This is necessary for all events whatever the size. The level of detail should be proportionate to the size of the event and the activities taking place. You have a duty of care to people working at or visiting your site.
1) Before the event: What information do you need to gather to enable you to plan the event?
2) During the event: What needs to be considered and maintained during the event?
3) After the event: What needs to be done after the event?
Read more by clicking the link on the image below
