THOUSANDS more staycationers, short breakers and day visitors have been coming our way. Millions of extra pounds and euros have been spent with traders who sell Shepway’s holiday, leisure and entertainment experiences. Everyone has benefited. More jobs have been created. These upbeat messages come from a just-published report - ‘Economic Impact of Tourism on the District of Shepway 2009’ - commissioned by Visit Kent.

Comparing 2009 with 2006, the year when a same-model survey was last carried out, it estimates that the overall economic benefit of tourism activity in Folkestone, Hythe and Romney Marsh rose by more than 11 per cent, contributing upwards of £219 million to the local economy.

Here are some detailed figures about 2009, with percentage pluses over those of 2006 in brackets:

Overnight trips: UK visitors - 392,000 (+ 5%); overseas visitors - 50,000 (+3%).
Value: £69 million (+ 4%).

Day trips: 3.6 million (+10%). Value: £115 million (+14%).
Income for local businesses generated by trip expenditure: Direct - £182.8 million;
supplier and income induced - £36.4 million (+ 11%).

Business turnover from tourism expenditure: Accommodation - £24.6 million; catering - £60.5 million; attractions/entertainment - £21.9 million; retail: £46.9 million.
Other trip-related expenditure including stays with friends and relatives: £11 million.

Tourism-related jobs supported: 4,300, representing 9.9% of employment in the district.

These statistics relate specifically to 2009, of course. The implications of variations from figures gathered three years earlier are being closely scrutinised. Of particular interest is the estimated growth in the volume and value of day trips relative to longer stays. (To find out how the estimates were calculated see ‘Squaring round figures’ further down).

Did the upward trend continue in 2010? Here, it’s useful to read the report alongside an interview-based visitor survey commissioned by Kent County Council carried out at more than fifty locations in the twelve districts of the county between July and September last year. As well as an overall picture, it provides district-by-district details of the profile and origin of visitors, where they stayed, what they did, how much they spent and what they thought about the district in which they were interviewed. Features which attracted visitors to Shepway are well noted.

To read the full documents log on to www.visitkentbusiness.co.uk and click the Research and Development button.

Now for the £219 million question: What about 2011 and beyond?

With notable exceptions, most visitor-dependent businesses seem to regard last year’s trading as reasonable in economic circumstances which have caused customers to watch their wallets considerably more carefully. Pressed for a forecast, though, many venture cautious optimism that they can fare as well in 2011.

Encouragingly, as the ‘Tons more www trips’ item signals, there is no lack of interest in what’s on offer in Folkestone, Hythe and Romney Marsh. This issue also reports some of the many ways we are steering interest into decision-to-visit, thereby helping to keep up the momentum of recent trends.

Chris Kirkham, manager, Discover Folkestone, Hythe & Romney Marsh

Squaring round numbers

THE 2009 economic impact report was prepared by the research unit of Tourism South East (TSE), using a standard method of measuring tourism activity (the Cambridge Model). Curious about how the precisely-stated figures were arrived at?

The methodology had three components: existing information about local accommodation stock and occupancy rates, population, employment, wage rates, visits to attractions, inbound trips, etc; information about visitor trips and spending at regional/county level derived from national survey sources; use of multipliers derived from business surveys in England to estimate actual and full-time equivalent jobs generated by visitor spending.

To calculate the Shepway figures, TSE applied locally sourced information to regional estimates derived from the following national surveys:

• UK Tourism; International Passenger; UK Day Visits; Visits to Attractions; New Earnings;

• Census of Employment; Census of Population; Labour Force.

A standard formula was used to translate visitor numbers and spending into economic impact terms.

The sophistication of estimates based on the Cambridge Model, the report points out, depends on the availability of detailed and reliable local information to supplement other inputs.

Nevertheless, it provides useful indications of business performance in specific years as well as information about other destinations.

Tons more www trips

OVERALL, the number of January-to-December 2010 requests from information-seekers soared well above those recorded in the corresponding period of 2009.
E-mails and letters: 3,924 (+3%). Telephone calls: 10,221 (-15%). Website hits: 5,681,269 (+18%); unique visits: 536,276, a near-threefold increase.
Figures for the last two months – December and January – have continued the generally upward trend, and, reflecting the experience of other tourism organisations, with thousands more contacts via www.discoverfolkestone.co.uk and somewhat fewer by telephone, post and e-mail.

Requests for information are coming from all parts of Britain, notably from areas adjacent to motorways. In recent weeks, Germany has jumped above France, Belgium and Holland as sources of information requests from Eurozone countries, and there have been increases in numbers from Australia.

Focus on festivals

FOR top-line carnivals, family funfests, live entertainment, exhibitions and cultural events, Folkestone, Hythe and Romney Marsh are the places to be this summer. That’s the message of the media campaign we launched last month to promote the most exciting calendar of Shepway ‘happenings’ for years.

The line-up includes the return of the Folkestone Triennial (June 25-September 25), Britain’s biggest exhibition of public art. (Last held in 2008, it attracted 100,000 visitors). Live events organised by the new Folkestone Fringe will run throughout the three months.

The Folkestone summer season also includes the Multi-Cultural Festival (June 9-12), Green Eco-Fair (July 1 and 2) and Oldtimer Rally (August Bank Holiday weekend). Charivari Day and Folkestone Harbour Festival will be back in July, the HG Wells Festival in September, and, in the same month, Euro-Militaire, the world’s biggest military model exhibition, and, for live music fans, the Skabour Festival.

Hythe welcomes its biennial Venetian Fete on Wednesday, August 17. Lydd Club Day carnival is to be staged in June. New Romney Country Fayre will be in July.

More than 1,500 events – ranging from live entertainment in hotels, restaurants, pubs and clubs to band and classical concerts, art exhibitions, flower shows and sporting occasions -are already listed on www.discoverfolkestone.co.uk With more organisers due to announce their plans during the next few weeks, the tally is expected to more than double by Easter.

There’s always something interesting going on Folkestone, Hythe and Romney Marsh – that’s the way we always tell it. Certainly, there’ll be plenty to attract visitors and entertain residents this year.

Flying the flag

DRAWING visitors from across south east and southern England, the Group and Day Visits Fair organised by Sussex Top Attractions at Saint Hill Manor, East Grinstead, is one of the most cost-efficient annual events we participate in. Last week’s show was no exception. Our stand was busy throughout the four hours the fair was open. Conversations with representatives of clubs, societies and associations indicated strong intentions to organise visits in coming months.

Our next appearance will be at the fourth Kent Travel & Leisure Show at Dover Cruise Terminal on Sunday, March 13, organised by KoS Media. Last year’s event attracted more than 4,000 visitors looking for ideas for days out and short breaks.

Plans are under discussion for DFHRM participation, independently or with public sector and commercial partners, in more showcase events during the year.
Folkestone in Paralympics 2012 video

MAKING a video to show disabled visitors to the Games places within easy distance of the London venue, an Australian film crew whose presenter is himself physically impaired, was in Folkestone last week.

Our thanks to the Burlington Hotel, Quarterhouse and Shepway District Council for assistance with hosting arrangements.

Pitches to the travel trade

FOR the second year running DFHRM has been first to respond to an invitation to contribute to a series of editorial features in Coach Monthly magazine arranged by the British Resorts & Destinations Association. Our piece is due to be appearing in an early issue.

Response to a Folkestone, Hythe and Romney Marsh editorial and advertisement section in the Visit Kent Travel Trade Guide published in January in association with Group Travel magazine is still being counted.
Sign up for good deals

VISIT KENT is inviting tourism suppliers to sign up to a Fair Prices Charter which assures visitors to the county during this year’s Open Golf championship and the 2012 Olympics that the services they offer are reasonably priced. For information:  http://www.visitkentbusiness.co.uk/index/research-development/business-advice/fair-pricing-and-practice-charter/

Last but not least . . .

Visitors to the recent Shepway Careers Fair at the Leas Cliff Hall showed much interest in learning about the local tourism, hospitality and leisure industry – not just as a source of part-time, seasonal or stop-gap jobs but for its potential to provide progressively fulfilling and rewarding careers. It was a pleasure to meet so many positive young people. We wish them well – with the hope that Shepway’s expanding visitor business will provide many of them with an opportunity to achieve their aspirations locally.

DISCOVER FOLKESTONE, HYTHE & ROMNEY MARSH, 20 BOUVERIE PLACE SHOPPING CENTRE, FOLKESTONE CT20 1AU
Tel: 01303 258594 # E-mail: cckirkham@gmail.com # Website: www.discoverfolkestone.co.uk

The Remembrance Line has completed the first stage of its proposals for re-opening the Folkestone Harbour branch with the completion of its initial business plan.

The branch forms part of the key Folkestone Harbour development site and the group has been developing its plans to interface with the wider development proposals.

The Folkestone Harbour branch is currently out-of-use and the group’s business plan shows how it might be re-opened to a variety of rail based traffic. Proposals also exist to re-instate a fast ferry to Boulogne and the Remembrance Line is clear that its proposals would support the new service.

Consultants researching the viability of a ferry service placed their berthing request with Folkestone Harbour Company last month. The Remembrance Line has now shared its business plan with Network Rail who are responsible for the railway and the harbour station.

Both projects have involved experts in rail and maritime services at a senior level. Projected passenger numbers have been developed using data from both the UK and France.

With the town’s rich history and heritage the Remembrance Line believes that the Harbour Station and its historical connections adds one more reason to visit Folkestone. The station is also ideally placed to provide good opportunities for walking and cycling in the local area.

The group believes that there is an opportunity to be part of reconnecting Folkestone with Boulogne which will expand the number of visitors to both destinations. They see transport integration as key to a sustainable tourist offer.

The Seafront development envisages water sports facilities to add to the increasing number of art, music and literary events currently held and the branch railway can deliver visitors to the centre of those events. The Remembrance Line plans to operate services in conjunction with the ferry operator via connecting boat trains. They also believe there is a market for co-operating with the Creative Foundation for providing event trains ranging from 650 seat standard class high capacity to 200 seat Pullman trains with silver service dining.

FOLKESTONE TRIENNIAL 2011

Curated by Andrea Schlieker

SAVE THE DATE

Press View: Friday 24 June 2011
Public Opening: Saturday 25 June 2011
Closing date: Sunday 25 September 2011

www.folkestonetriennial.org.uk

selected artists

Tonico Lemos Auad
Charles Avery
CAMP (Shaina Anand, Ashok Sukumaran)
Martin Creed
A K Dolven
Smadar Dreyfus
Hala Elkoussy
Ruth Ewan
Spencer Finch
Hamish Fulton
Cristina Iglesias
Nikolaj Bendix Skyum Larsen
Hew Locke
Cornelia Parker
Olivia Plender
Zineb Sedira
Erzen Shkololli
Strange Cargo
Paloma Varga Weisz

organised by

The Creative Foundation

supported by

The Roger De Haan Charitable Trust, Arts Council England,
Shepway District Council, Kent County Council,
The Co-operative Membership Community Fund,
Henry Moore Foundation, UBS, Inspiring Communities,
Shepway Find Your Talent, Kulturstiftung Nordrhein-Westfalen,
Outset, Jerusalem Trust, Goethe Institut,
Bernard Sunley Foundation, The Folkestone Estate, SEACEX,
The French Embassy, Mondriaan Foundation, The Golden Bottle Trust,
Danish Arts Council, southeastern

The website for Kent and Medway people to sign up for My Kent Big Weekend will be fully live with all free tickets available from Monday, January 24, but there is no need to rush.

The event organisers at Visit Kent are reassuring residents that they have plenty of time to choose from the 13,000 tickets available to discover more than 100 of the county’s top attractions ranging from hidden gems to internationally renowned cathedrals and castles.

The website at www.mykentbigweekend.co.uk will be live for more than three weeks from Monday and visitors will be able to register an interest in the attractions they would like to visit.

Once the website closes at midnight on Thursday, February 17, tickets will be allocated in readiness for the My Kent Big Weekend on Saturday and Sunday, March 26 and 27.

The My Kent Weekend has grown out of the Kent Big Day Out, which was first launched by Visit Kent, the county’s tourism champions, five years ago.

The aim is to raise awareness of all the attractions and destinations across the county that welcome 44million visitors every year contributing more than £2.5 billion to the local economy.

Sandra Matthews-Marsh, chief executive at Visit Kent, said: “We are now ready to have a whole weekend dedicated to celebrating our world-class tourism, leisure and hospitality businesses. Two days will enable even more people to take advantage of the free tickets and explore the many new and established attractions on their doorstep.

“Last year we did experience IT problems with so many people trying to log on to our website at the same time. So this year Visit Kent is following in the successful footsteps of such popular ticket events as Strictly Come Dancing and Wimbledon

“We are giving people more time to look through all the attractions and destinations welcoming My Kent Big Weekend visitors. Once ticket registration has finished, we will hold a ballot and people will only be allocated tickets for attractions they have chosen for the day they have selected.”

Two free My Kent Big Weekend tickets are available per Kent household and anyone without access to the internet can register for tickets at their local visitor information centre.

Attractions taking part in the My Kent Big Weekend 2011 include historic houses, castles, gardens, steam trains, museums, theatres, river cruises, vineyards, wildlife parks, outdoor experiences and golf centres.

For full details of all destinations offering My Kent Big Weekend tickets, and to register the attractions you would like to visit, go to www.mykentbigweekend.co.uk

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Resurface Driveway Cold Calling: A resident in the Otford Area was cold called yesterday by a man in a white transit van looking for the (previous) elderly resident who had moved out. He gave out a flyer anyway, with “Special Offers for a limited time”. He offered to resurface the driveway. The resident found his behaviour suspicious.

The resident said no, and later tried the phone number on the card which wasn’t answered. He contacted the KCC Community Warden who alerted Trading Standards.

Spike Booster: Kent Trading Standards have received a complaint from a Kent resident who received a telephone call from a man trying to sell her a ’spike booster’ for a one off payment of £99. The spike booster was said to reduce electricity bills by 40%. The resident was asked for her bank details which she refused to give, although she felt intimidated by the ‘hard sell’ tactics of the person on the phone. She asked where they had got her details from and she was told it was from her electricity supplier, but she does not believe this to be true.

Kent Trading Standards recommends that family members and neighbours check with elderly or vulnerable members of the community to ensure they do not provide their bank details over the telephone to businesses calling them. If you are unsure about a business contacting you obtain their details and contact them back at a later date, when you have had a chance to research them and check them out.

Businesses are permitted to make sales telephone calls to consumers in their home, though the number of calls from companies offering to sell goods and services can be reduced by registering your telephone number with the Telephone Preference Service, which is free. Registration may be completed online at www.tpsonline.org.uk or by telephoning the Telephone Preference Service on 0845 070 0707.

If you would like shopping advice, or if you have had a caller at your door or on your telephone who you are concerned about please contact Consumer Direct on 08454 04 05 06. Further consumer guidance notes on scams, unwanted telephone calls and consumer rights are available online at www.tradingstandards.gov.uk/kent/consumer.

Kent Trading Standards operate an approved good trader scheme called Buy With Confidence. To find an approved trader please call Consumer Direct on 08454 04 05 06 or look online at www.buywithconfidence.gov.uk

Kent Trading Standards advise consumers to be wary when dealing with people turning up at their door offering to do work. We advise you to use tradesmen that have been recommended to you by friends, family and neighbours. You can also find traders via the Buy With Confidence good trader scheme, run by Trading Standards. Our Officers vet businesses on the scheme for trustworthiness and to make sure they comply with consumer protection laws.

If you have a caller at your door who you are concerned about please notify Trading Standards via Consumer Direct on 08454 04 05 06 or the police. To find out more about Buy With Confidence please also contact Consumer Direct.

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Recycling is so easy and what’s more, you can earn money for recycling with Kent Community Recycling.

Our exchange scheme has worked very well, very simply for 20 years, and yet it is still
the only scheme of its kind anywhere in the United Kingdom

How it works…

Each time you bring in your material for recycling, you can earn credit. You can then cash in your credits for yourself or a charity or worthy cause of your choice at any time. Alternatively you can exchange your credits for:

• bundles of kindling (discarded wood)
• soil conditioner (produced for Kent County Council from recycled garden waste.)
• dynamo torches
• water-powered alarm clocks
• recycled foil
• hippo water savers
• water-powered calculators
• pond dipping kits
• wind-up mobile phone chargers

Anyone wishing to open an exchange account simply provides a name for the account and a red book is issued, in which details of all deliveries are recorded.

Different materials are recorded separately, and accounts can be valued at any time in monetary terms by calculating weights delivered against the constant values we pay.
It couldn’t be more simple, - could it?

http://kentcommunityrecycling.org.uk/

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• Naked Takes the Wrap Off New Recycled Content Bottles (triplepundit.com)