Project Title: Stonehaven it’s Special Tourism Strategy Delivery

Description: Developing a tourism marketing and promotional plan for Stonehaven. The need for a carefully considered marketing and promotional plan was underlined by the earlier work on the town’s tourism strategy. Stonehaven it’s Special Group decided that it should work to a suitably detailed and mutually agreed plan that could be implemented over a minimum of 3 years and thereby create a legacy for its involvement in the Interreg IIIc SusSET programme. Developing the plan was felt to be best practice and continued the learning experiences of the group.

Objectives:

1. To provide SiS Tourism group with a detailed framework for pursuing tourism development in Stonehaven over a minimum of 3 years activity, thereby providing a legacy for the Interreg IIIc SuSET programme.
2. To identify practical and structured marketing and promotional actions and priorities that will assist in the sustainable economic development of the town and its hinterland.
3. To encourage participation in partnership activity in delivering actions identified.
4. To provide a practical model for delivering the tourism strategy developed in 2005.
5. To attract visitors to Stonehaven and enrich the visiting experience.
6. To provide a foundation for future funding applications that will enable additional projects to be taken forward.
   
   

Process/Stages:

• July 2006 – a tender document was discussed and agreed. 3 tourism consultants were invited to tender for the project .the work was awarded to Elma McMenemy marketing & PR on the basis of the best overall tender submitted.
• Thereafter, the consultant met with SiS Tourism and Events groups, local stakeholders and businesses and researched available data.
• A draft plan was prepared and discussed with SiS group and appropriate changes were made.
• March 2007 – the marketing and promotional plan was agreed by the group and then circulated to all main organisations and participants in the town for comment and dissemination. Organisations were invited to participate in the delivery of the plan’s actions.
• A more detailed action plan is being prepared to assist delivery of the wide-ranging actions identified in the plan.
• Immediate projects have been identified and funding obtained to help deliver projects short term e.g. tourism promotion project, visitor information project, tourism research and survey project.
• The plan will remain a “live” document and will be used to implement future projects and to support the accompanying funding applications where feasible.
  
  

Outcomes/Results:

• The group has learnt how to tender for this work and to work with a consultant ensuring appropriate feedback is given during the development phases.
• A completed document has been prepared against which other projects are now being delivered.
• A detailed action plan has been drafted which will direct the SiS group activities post SusSET.

Download the document at: http://www.sg.webecombiz.co.uk/SiS Marketing Strategy 2007-10.final with logosdoc.doc

Learning Points:

1. The timescale for undertaking the work and leaving enough time to deliver follow-up projects was challenging and consultations processes need to be recognised by a great deal of lead in time.
2. The group is made up largely by volunteers with limited time available and this can slow any project timetable.
3. The actions identified are quite wide-ranging and underlines the need for the group to be enlarged, fully participating and able to share workloads adequately. There is a concern that hard working members may be alienated by a heavy workload.
4. It is preferable to invest resources in a well thought through plan that will provide a structure for longer term work and projects rather than risk a poor result due to lack of planning.
   
   

Contact Information: Robert Armstrong, Senior Business Development Executive, Aberdeenshire Council, Stonehaven (Tel: 01569 768294/ email)

Stonehaven it’s Special Tourism Group: Market Research Project 2007

Description: A tourism-related Market Research Project was undertaken in Stonehaven between May and July 2007.

In 2005, Stonehaven it’s Special Tourism Group (SiS) undertook a survey of visitors to the town, which informed the development of the group’s tourism strategy for the town and subsequently, it’s marketing strategy and action plan. This work was followed by a number of actions being taken e.g. the tourism strategy, marketing strategy and action plan were completed, published & promoted . The group then published and distributed marketing leaflets and a visitor information leaflet and map with the assistance of funding from the Interreg 111c SusSET programme. At the same time various groups had developed websites separately, the main one for the town being the portal site: www.stonehavenguide.net.

The development of the recent marketing and information leaflets relied on using the existing brand of “Stonehaven it’s Special” and explored the potential for using a strapline: “Your Coastal Playground”. The group decided that further market research was required to provide a better understanding of opinions about the town, its hinterland and accommodation, and to determine the awareness and views on of the main website, marketing material produced and branding used.

The Market research project employed a market research professional to undertake the work from May to July 2007 and consisted of three focus groups and one to one interviews based on pre-agreed topic guides. All interviews were tape-recorded, the responses were carefully reviewed and a report & recommendations was produced.

Objectives: To undertake market research with tourists, local accommodation providers and businesses to:

• Better understand visitors’ opinions of the town and its hinterland

And awareness and attitudes to:

• The official website and other relevant websites
• The new promotional leaflet
• The new visitor information leaflet & map
• The current “Stonehaven…it’s Special” brand (and associated strapline)
• Signposting within the town and its hinterland
• Accommodation
  
  

Process/Stages:

1. Successful bid made for Interreg111c SusSET funding based on project outline
2. Tender brief produced and competitive tendering process completed with contract awarded to Crawford Macewen Creative Marketing Ltd
3. Meeting to start project and agree topic guides and focus group arrangements
4. focus groups held & market research completed with draft report prepared and discussed by SiS
5. Final report produced and circulated to wider membership
6. Use information gained in future project delivery
   
   

Outcomes/Results:

1. Businesses and visitors have been engaged in the research process and have raised awareness of the town and its issues
2. The group has learnt about processes from commissioning and completing the project and gained a greater insight into the tourism product of the town and the issues that need to be addressed
3. A completed report with recommendations
   
   

Learning Points:

• The weather during the summer has been poor i.e. cold and wet. This has reduced the number of visitors to the town and created difficulties in holding the proposed focus group sessions. The deadline for completion of the project had to be extended. It is necessary to build in additional time for projects to cover unforeseen problems, in future.
  
  

Contact Information: Robert Armstrong, Senior Business Development Executive, Aberdeenshire Council, Stonehaven (Tel: 01569 768294/ email)