Locum Destination Review - Issue 6

The journal of record for the global destination industry

Editorial

We are nearing the end of a dramatic year for the destination economy. During the last quarter, the Dome ‘disaster’ and other high-profile failures have been put into perspective by the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington and their effects on all our lives, let alone international tourism. Prompted by these events, we launch a new column, ‘State of the destination’, which will report on the salient issues facing the destination industry world-wide. In this first installment, we examine the immediate effects of the attacks, and what is being done to improve the situation – on both sides of the Atlantic.

In the UK, the Gambling Review Body led by the distinguished economist, Sir Alan Budd, has submitted its recommendations to the Government and is awaiting a decision on which of its proposed changes are to be pushed forward through revised legislation. We speak to Sir Alan about the content and aims of the ‘Budd Report’, and consider its prospects as it undergoes DCMS review. We look at the economic achievements of Las Vegas, the self-proclaimed ‘entertainment capital of the world’, where casino operators have long been able to offer punters a number of the features proposed in the Budd Report, such as alcohol at gaming tables and live entertainment. And we hear from Marc Etches of Leisure Parcs Ltd, who believes that if Sir Alan’s recommendations become law, Las Vegas-style ‘resort casino hotels’ should be developed in the coastal town of Blackpool, as drivers of urban regeneration.

On the far side of the destination universe, meanwhile, we dedicate a whole section to an in-depth study of World Heritage Sites. Often mentioned, rarely explained or discussed, World Heritage Sites have been with us for almost 30 years. How does a destination become a World Heritage Site? And what benefits are supposed to derive from World Heritage status? As well as answering these questions, we bring you a series of case studies exploring the management of World Heritage Sites. We also examine how the shared industrial heritage of two European regions, South Wales and Germany’s Ruhrgebiet, is now being re-presented to visitors, in order to bring about social and economic renewal through cultural tourism.

Our coverage reminds us of an old truth: casinos and heritage sites may look like odd bedfellows, but they share certain critical characteristics: both are visited by those in search of memorable experiences; and both rely ultimately on the same sound principles of destination management for their sustainability – market knowledge, clear brand values, solid finances and product renewal. And let’s not forget that gambling in the UK actually helps to fund heritage destinations: the Heritage Lottery Fund, which receives 4.66 pence from every pound spent on a Lottery ticket and distributes millions of pounds to heritage projects each year.

We are also privileged to hear from one of the UK’s foremost commentators on heritage destinations, Simon Jenkins. Having published the definitive England’s Thousand Best Churches last year, he begins his ‘second odyssey’ here, this time looking at England’s finest stately homes. Peter Higgins, meanwhile, the award-winning creative director of Land Design Studio Ltd, addresses a key presentational issue affecting visitor attractions of all types: the use of interactive technology. Tony Hodges contributes the second installment of our ongoing series, Brandwatch, this time focusing on the marketing literature released by three of the UK’s national museums, while our independent guardian of the destination industry, Custos, offers a timely view on the present and future health of these museums as a whole. How will they cope with life after admissions fees? As Blackpool looks across the Atlantic for guidance on product development and destination management, so too, according to Custos, should these great British instutitions now look to their American counterparts for clues on financial strategy, not least in the area of private sector philanthropy.

At the end of this traumatic year, we wish our readers season’s greetings, and hope for peace in the New Year

Owen Burdekin
Editor