Cambridge launches new DMO
Cambridge is launching a new destination management organisation this week to promote the city and the surrounding area.
The DMO, which will be fully operational from February 1, is also aiming to persuade visitors to stay longer.
The public/private sector partnership is aiming to increase investment and support to the tourism industry and aims to be self-funded within three years so it won’t be hit by any future Government budget cuts.
A spokeswoman said it will work with partners to showcase the best of Cambridge and its outlying areas, encouraging visitors to explore beyond the city.
Cambridge attracts 5.3 million visitors a year, who boost the city’s economy by about £583 million and account for 17% of local employment. However, 86% are day-trippers. The broader Cambridgeshire economy receives more than 24 million visitors a year, bringing £2 billion to the economy and accounting for 10% of local employment.
Emma Thornton, CEO for Visit Cambridge and Beyond, said: "This exciting venture is an evolution of the previous Cambridge City Council-led, Visit Cambridge and Beyond tourism service and will continue to operate under the same name.
"Whilst many other DMOs across the country are under significant pressure as public subsidies are increasingly under threat, our business model presents an opportunity over time to increase investment.
"I am confident this will result in improvements in the scale and quality of tourism provision, and support for the tourism industry, which otherwise could not be delivered, whilst reducing our reliance on public subsidy."
Initially, funding for the DMO will come from a combination of commercial activity such as guided walking tours, ticket sales through the Visitor Information Centre, and a membership scheme for tourism partners. Additional sources of funding will be investigated and developed as the new DMO develops, said the company.
It currently employs 19 staff and has around 350 members.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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