South West Tourism is delighted to launch phase 1 of the new look regional tourism website, visitsouthwest.co.uk. The site has been updated and re-designed to support the region's £1 million promotional campaign launching next month across national media and uses the latest online technology.
The new website is designed to inspire potential visitors to take a break (or two) in the region this year and highlights hidden gems, offers itinerary ideas, includes extensive video footage of the region and promotes key experiences. The site has been developed in partnership with local tourism bodies from across the South West resulting in strong links to the official destination websites for Cornwall, Devon, Bath, Bristol, Dorset, Bournemouth / Poole, Cotswolds and Forest of Dean, Wiltshire and Somerset. Plus a number of other partner websites which offer great tourism experiences such as South West Coast Path and Farm Stay.
Kirsty Cumming, Deputy Director, said:
"The new site is all about inspiration. It's designed to take tourism's ‘floating voters' (those who have not yet made up their minds on their holiday destination for this year), from considering the South West as an option, towards making a firm decision that the South West is for them.
As a region we offer an incredibly diverse range of holidays, from city breaks to traditional family holidays to country activity breaks. We need to make the website simple to use and hit potential visitors, right away, with stunning images and simple ideas that will appeal to them. In order to do this we've incorporated bold imagery and combined this with the latest online technology, to create a really strong and instant visual impact.
When researching and reviewing the site we kept coming back to one major frustration among those planning holidays online, which is the overwhelming amount of information available to them. We knew from this that the site had to be kept simple and focused in order to be effective - and for us not to include too much information up front. Equally we were eager not to duplicate what our partners website's cover and so the natural solution was to build in really good links to our partner websites, where visitors can research accommodation and attractions in detail once we've sold them on the idea of taking a break in the region. We would urge businesses to check that their listings are on their local Destination Management Organisation (DMO) websites and that these are up-to-date".
The site is packed with video footage, both officially produced and YouTube footage, giving an authentic feel and presenting our confidence and true ability as a region to deliver really top holidays. We welcome more of these videos and invite businesses to send us links to YouTube footage that they feel would add to the site and inspire new visitors to the region.
With phase 1 complete we'll be planning the detail of phase 2 developments shortly, which will include more footage of the region filmed during spring 2010. If you have any other ideas of what should or should not be included, we'd be happy to hear them. Equally - if you have any video footage that you would like us to consider featuring - please contact Andrew Morgan: amorgan@swtourism.org.uk
Have a look at the new website and let us know what you think!
Date added: Monday 25th January 2010
Latest updated: Friday 7th June 2013
Comments
Robin Hooker, Devoncourt Holiday Flats. brixham
Excellent site, how to i advertise my properties at Devoncourt, www'devoncourt.info thank you Robin
Comment made: Monday 1st February 2010
Rob Arkell, Little Brendon Hill Farm
Good site but I think that you should have an EXMOOR area as opposed to just devon and somerset areas. Lots of the public think that Exmoor is in devon whereas its both Devon and Somerset
Comment made: Monday 1st February 2010
Communications Team, South West Tourism
Many thanks for your feedback Norman. You're quite right to highlight the high level of participation in the David Bellamy Conservation Award Scheme and its importance for the holiday park sector. As you are aware, rather than just promote one certification scheme, national and regional bodies have chosen to actively promote all schemes that have successfully been through an independent 'validation' process and we look forward to the David Bellamy Scheme (and others) joining GTBS in doing so. Having checked again with VisitEngland my understanding is that the recommendations from the validation process are with BH&HPA along with an offer to provide support with following them up should that be helpful.
Comment made: Friday 29th January 2010
Roy Griffiths, Spirit of the Sea Ltd
Great looking site, will you be featuring more regional events such as the 'Spirit of the Sea - Weymouth & Portland Maritime Festival www.spiritofthesea.org.ukRoy GriffithsEvent Manager
Comment made: Tuesday 2nd March 2010
Norman Bliss, Lower Treave Caravan and Camping Park
A good start and its beginning to feel a lot more 'joined-up'.Any chance of adding the David Bellamy Conservation Award Scheme link into the Feel Good Green Choices section. http://www.bellamyparks.co.uk/It is our sector of the industry's green accreditation scheme (620 parks at the last count) and deserves a mention alongside GTBS (6 parks). Thanks,Norman BlissVice-ChairBH&HPA Cornwall
Comment made: Monday 25th January 2010
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