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Thursday 3rd April 09:30 - 18:00
VisitEngland partnered with the Responsible Tourism Partnership on day one of RTD8 to focus on the challenges of tourism development and destination management, This was VisitEngland’s key event during English Tourism Week.
The venue was the Monastery’s inspirational Great Nave, a fitting place to hold this year's English Tourism Week conference and to address the question: how can tourism best contribute to making better places to live in and great places to visit?
10:00 Welcome
Paul Griffiths Chairman of the Gorton Monastery Trust and High Sheriff of Greater Manchester link
Harold Goodwin Professor Responsible Tourism Centre for Responsible Tourism Manchester Metropolitan University
10:30 Key Note - James Berresford Chief Executive Officer, VisitEngland What is the future for destination management?
10:45 - 11:30 What is the role of Destination Management in making better places for people to live in? Panel discussion and questions from the floor
This session will look at the role of destination management and tourism to create better places to live that are better places to visit, in particular the role of planning, economic development and the need for a strategic approach to tourism development. It will challenge the perceptions that destination management is just about promotion and highlights the need for wider engagement of local stakeholders and community.
11:30 The Road from Wigan Pier
Reflections from an Early Practitioner Professor John Swarbrooke, Centre for Responsible Tourism Manchester Metropolitan University
11:45 -12:45 What are the Future Priorities for DMOs? Panel discussion and questions from the floor.
Reflections from a variety of perspectives on how the role of destination management is changing and what their current and future priorities are. It will cover insights from international destinations, a national park, privately led partnerships, Business Improvement Districts and a traditional destination management organization.
12:45: Key Note: Caroline Brown, Why do UK Destinations matter to ABTA Agents and Tour Operators? ABTA UK Leisure and Tourism Group Chairman, member of the FTO committee and Commercial Director of Shearings Holidays
13:00- 14:00 networking lunch
14:00 What can we learn from the Wise Growth case studies? Panel discussion and questions from the floor.
Four panellists each asked to say what they learnt from their own Wise Growth case study and what they learnt from reading the others – panel discussion and engagement from the floor.
Chair: Professor John Swarbrooke, Centre for Responsible Tourism Manchester Metropolitan University
These are the VisitEngland Wise Growth case studies which the panel will be discussing:
County Durham | New Forest | Manchester|Â Newquay |
14:45 Key Note:Â Dr Jon Lamonte, The Contribution of Public Transport to Destination Management Chief Executive, Transport for Greater Manchester.
15:00- 15:10 The contribution of rail to tourism in England, Elaine Zekavica, Business Development Manager,  Virgin Trains
15:10- 16:00 What does success look like?
Presentations of new and successful destination management initiatives. Panel discussion and questions from the floor.
16:00-16: 30 Refreshments & Networking
16:30-17:10 The internet and the rise of the OTAs: compete or collaborate? More about the issue
Chair Kurt Janson, Policy Director, Tourism Alliance
17:10 - 17:15 Google Glasses and Augmented Reality - new opportunities for destinations
Dr. Timothy Jung MMU Tourism & Augmented Reality, Manchester Metropolitan University
17:15-17:55 Striking the balance! A debate: does tourism use destinations or do destinations use tourism? with questions and contributions from the floorÂ
