Agenda item

9.1

Members considered a report of the Executive Director, City Futures seeking approval for Sheffield City Council to adopt the Sheffield Destination Management Plan (with Marketing Sheffield as lead) as the official framework to continue growth around Sheffield’s visitor economy and perceptions of place.

9.2

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That Economic Development and Skills Policy Committee:-

·       adopts the Destination Management Plan for Sheffield (to be led by Marketing Sheffield) as the framework to inform decisions within the lifetime of the DMP around the visitor economy (and those that may impact on the visitor economy).

9.3

Reasons for Decision

9.3.1

•       It provides an official framework around which we will develop strategic partnerships and cohesive planning to continue growth around the city’s visitor economy and positive perceptions of place.

•       It provides a framework to inform all future decisions around the visitor economy (and those that may impact on the visitor economy)

•       It provides a plan to inform some of the council’s other plans in this space eg culture, events and city brand.

•       It allows Marketing Sheffield to retrospectively meet the criteria for Local Visitor Economy Partnership status with Visit Britain

•       It ensures Sheffield has its own robust plan to dovetail into the South Yorkshire Destination Management Plan (being led by the SYLVEP and SYMCA)

•       It acts as a springboard for increased stakeholder engagement in our visitor economy plans.

•       It enables us to take longer term decisions around the future of the visitor economy.

•       It is another step towards assessing future needs within the current Marketing Sheffield structure (and addressing the financial and capacity challenges)

9.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

9.4.1

Sheffield City Council could choose not to adopt a longer-term destination management plan which would likely result in our LVEP accreditation being rescinded due to the lack of a wider south yorkshire destination management plan. Sheffield would then lose its seat at the table within the new national framework. Sheffield will not be included in the national agenda for tourism impacting both national and domestic marketing opportunities. This would have a detrimental impact on working across the South Yorkshire geographical area

leaving the region with no interface with Visit England.

9.4.2

Sheffield City Council could choose not to adopt a longer-term Destination Management Plan and deliver short term campaign style activity. This would likely stifle the opportunities for growth in the visitor economy through lack of a clear vision. It would reduce the likelihood of significant private sector engagement through what could be perceived as a lack of ambition or credibility. Other key strategies would suffer without a holistic view of how Sheffield can grow its visitor economy.

9.1.1

Members considered a report of the Executive Director, City Futures seeking approval for Sheffield City Council to adopt the Sheffield Destination Management Plan (with Marketing Sheffield as lead) as the official framework to continue growth around Sheffield’s visitor economy and perceptions of place.

9.1.2

The Service Manager, Marketing Sheffield outlined the aims and objectives of the Plan. Questions were asked by Members about heritage considerations within the Plan and it was acknowledged that the Council’s Destination Management Plan, its Culture Strategy and its Heritage Strategy need to align and talk to each other and further work would be carried out in this area.

9.1.3

It was highlighted that the team was working hard on bringing the Hospitality Industry together to facilitate enablement. The ambition was for more private sector involvement in the Local Visitor Economy Partnership in the form of a stakeholder group. This would help to drive the programme forward.

9.2

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That Economic Development and Skills Policy Committee:-

·       adopts the Destination Management Plan for Sheffield (to be led by Marketing Sheffield) as the framework to inform decisions within the lifetime of the DMP around the visitor economy (and those that may impact on the visitor economy).

9.3

Reasons for Decision

9.3.1

•       It provides an official framework around which we will develop strategic partnerships and cohesive planning to continue growth around the city’s visitor economy and positive perceptions of place.

•       It provides a framework to inform all future decisions around the visitor economy (and those that may impact on the visitor economy)

•       It provides a plan to inform some of the council’s other plans in this space eg culture, events and city brand.

•       It allows Marketing Sheffield to retrospectively meet the criteria for Local Visitor Economy Partnership status with Visit Britain

•       It ensures Sheffield has its own robust plan to dovetail into the South Yorkshire Destination Management Plan (being led by the SYLVEP and SYMCA)

•       It acts as a springboard for increased stakeholder engagement in our visitor economy plans.

•       It enables us to take longer term decisions around the future of the visitor economy.

•       It is another step towards assessing future needs within the current Marketing Sheffield structure (and addressing the financial and capacity challenges)

9.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

9.4.1

Sheffield City Council could choose not to adopt a longer-term destination management plan which would likely result in our LVEP accreditation being rescinded due to the lack of a wider south yorkshire destination management plan. Sheffield would then lose its seat at the table within the new national framework. Sheffield will not be included in the national agenda for tourism impacting both national and domestic marketing opportunities. This would have a detrimental impact on working across the South Yorkshire geographical area

leaving the region with no interface with Visit England.

9.4.2

Sheffield City Council could choose not to adopt a longer-term Destination Management Plan and deliver short term campaign style activity. This would likely stifle the opportunities for growth in the visitor economy through lack of a clear vision. It would reduce the likelihood of significant private sector engagement through what could be perceived as a lack of ambition or credibility. Other key strategies would suffer without a holistic view of how Sheffield can grow its visitor economy.