Agenda item

Context:

To scrutinise Monmouthshire Tourism Performance for 2016 against the objectives and outcomes set out in the Council’s Improvement Plan and to scrutinise the revised Destination Management Plan 2017-2020. The Select Committee received a presentation outlining details of the Plan.

Key issues:

The report card for Tourism provides a line of sight between Tourism activities and the outcomes and priorities which the council is committed to. 

The Select Committee is provided with the baseline information to assess where the Authority is and what progress is being made to demonstrate whether anyone is ‘better off’ as a result of the work being undertaken.

The purpose of the Destination Management Plan is to establish a clear framework for public, private and voluntary sector partnership working to address the identified priorities and deliver year round sustainable tourism growth to maximize the economic, social and environmental benefits of tourism across all parts of Monmouthshire.

Monmouthshire’s previous Destination Management Plan (DMP) came to an end on 31^st December 2015. This Plan has been reviewed and a revised Destination Management Plan for the period 2017 - 2020 has been developed in consultation with stakeholders. The draft plan has recently undergone further consultation and been updated to reflect feedback received. 

Member Scrutiny:

·         In response to a question regarding whether the Authority is on the right track with regard to tourism, it was noted that through the extensive consultation that was undertaken in the development of the plan and looking to the future on what the opportunities identified and what the growth markets were, the consultation responses received were positive about what was being achieved and what the Authority was aiming to achieve in the future.

·         With regard to future tourism performance, there is a lot of uncertainty regarding Brexit. In the short term favourable exchange rates have made the UK more attractive to overseas visitors but future tourism performance will depend on the actual Brexit terms agreed and the perception amongst potential overseas visitors of the quality of the welcome they will receive.

·         Airbnb is changing the environment with a lot of bed stock that is not within the regulatory process or the tax process.  This leads to questions as to how the Authority will afford to develop or maintain infrastructure in the future.

·         There could be a tourism tax imposed via Welsh Government in the future which could have create a negative impact on tourism. Until details are known this will remain an uncertainty.

·         The Authority has been working with its partners on the Living Levels partnership scheme. The stage two application is with Heritage Lottery Funding.  If successful, this will lead into a three and a half year programme providing a consistent approach to destination development across the levels.

·         The likely extension of the England coast path will meet across the Severn Estuary at Chepstow.

·         Working with the Wye Valley AONB Partnership, the Authority has made a joint proposal to Welsh Government to undertake a pilot for the Wye Valley to review countryside access.

·         The Alternative Delivery Model (ADM) will aim to work collaboratively and with local businesses.

·         The approach taken by the Authority to walking has been very good in the development and promotion of routes with the use of partnership working.  This model could be used to improve other leisure activities, for example, cycling.

·         The promotion of Monmouthshire’s heritage has also been good.

·         In response to a question raised regarding the 2016 performance, it was noted that the 2015 performance had been exceptional.  Growth in 2015 exceeded the rest of the Country and the region. The 2016 performance was due to the County’s bed stock.  If the bed spaces had not been lost, the performance would have been as good as the rest of the region.  70% of the benefit comes from 20% of the staying visitors.  This identifies how valuable each of the bed spaces are.  The Authority needs to be at a point where it has new service bed spaces opening and is not losing the equivalent amount from B&Bs.  Currently, the Authority is losing service bed spaces quicker that than new bed spaces can be provided.

·         In response to a question raised regarding investment in staff at Monmouthshire’s Tourist Information Centre’s (TICs) it was noted that the report referred to 2016.  In 2016, the TIC budget had been reduced by nearly 60% and that had led to continued uncertainty, particularly in Chepstow, about how long the TICs would remain in operation. This was an unsatisfactory situation. However, the TICs continued via deficit funding which had led to the inability to provided contracted hours for staff.  However, this year the situation is different in that there has been recovery within the budget and the TICs will be open for the year.  As a part of the recovery programme, officers have been looking to improve the product and explore other ways of funding and developing the service.  Therefore, the aim is to bring staff back onto contracted hours and this is being investigated.

·         In response to a question raised regarding a proposed cycleway in Caerwent, it was noted that this matter has been ongoing for some time, partly due to the agencies that the Authority is dealing with.  There is uncertainty regarding what the liabilities will be, particularly in relation to the motorway bridge.  However, progress regarding this matter is anticipated in due course. 

·          The Usk railway path is being developed in sections.  Considerable progress is being made with regard to the land between Coleg Gwent and the Usk Island site.  The Authority is close to obtaining an agreement with partners.

·         Sustrans has obtained grant funding to develop community routes across Wales. The routes in Monmouthshire are being looked at and connections into Torfaen around the Mamhilad site.

·         It was identified at the Strategic Cycling Group that there was a need for a cycling strategy to be established for Monmouthshire with a view to providing a delivery plan.

·         The Velothon Steering Group will be meeting shortly which will be the first meeting in which the 2018 event will be discussed. Run for Wales has been asked to provide details on the return on investment of the 2017 Velothon.

·         There is encouragement through Active Travel for cyclists to report incidents with regard to the quality of the roads in Monmouthshire, with a view to developing the product in a coordinated way.

·         In consultation with Welsh Government, it had been identified that there was a need establish a closer relationship between the walking and cycling agenda from Highways and the walking and cycling recreation agenda.

·         The internal tourism market is not included in the figures identified because these tourists have to be travelling from outside of the local Authority area and they need to have been spending a minimum of three hours in the County to be counted in the figures. However, it was noted that this type of tourism forms an important part of the local economy.

·         Rural Development Programme (RDP) funding has been secured to appoint a coach tourism officer who will be working with coach operators with a view to creating opportunities within the destination and encourage businesses to develop offers that are attractive to that market place.

·         The strategy is for more people to visit Monmouthshire with a view to them returning at a later date with the intention of staying for a longer period. Therefore, more bed spaces are required to have the capacity within the County to host visitors.

·         In terms of cycling within Monmouthshire, The Authority has a product that is mostly based on event cycling rather than family cycling. Routes such as country lanes are not conducive to providing safe family cycling.

·         The Wye Valley Forest of Dean Tourism Association currently runs an apprenticeship scheme where the apprentice spends time working in different businesses within the area with a view to gaining different skills.

·         The kiosks were installed with RDP funding as a pilot at a time when the percentage of the population owing a smart phone was much lower.  The software has not been updated.  This will be reviewed as part of the visitor information review. If the conclusion is that the kiosks are no longer useful, then they will be removed.

·         In terms of the spend from overseas visitors, this data is collected at a Wales wide level.

·         The Brecon Beacons and the Wye Valley are strong destination brands. Nestled between the two, Monmouthshire has the opportunity to capitalise on both of these better known brands. Cadw is also a strong (heritage) brand which brings visitors into Monmouthshire.