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| Welcome to the Exmoor Tourism Update | |
This e-update is produced by the Exmoor National Park Authority as part of the Exmoor Tourism Partnership to keep tourism providers updated with the latest news and to encourage the development of Sustainable Tourism on Exmoor.
Please do let us know if there is any relevant sustainable tourism information that you would like us to cover in future issues.
Dan James Sustainable Economy Officer, Exmoor National Park Authority. |
| What do non-visitors think of Exmoor? |
 A new survey undertaken to try and find out why more people do not choose Exmoor for a break has been conducted by the University of Exeter on behalf of Exmoor National Park Authority and provides an insight into the holiday habits, preferences and perceptions of non-visitors to Exmoor.
The research was conducted to build on previous work commissioned by the National Park Authority which provided a strong overview of why current visitors are attracted to the area and how visitor dynamics have changed over the years.
Overall perceptionsof Exmoor are encouraging. 89% of respondents had heard of the area and nearly 50% of non-visitors had no particular reason for not visiting before. Several of Exmoor's selling points were rated as 'strongly desirable' or 'desirable' by over 70% of respondents.
To read the report in full please click here (PDF). |
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Do you want to catch up on past editions? Back issues can be downloaded here. |
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| A new brand for Exmoor tourism |
 A new tourism brand for Exmoor has been unveiled. The new branding has been developed to sit alongside existing brands to provide a single co-ordinated brand for the Exmoor, Coast and Quantocks tourism area.
The Exmoor Tourism Partnership aims to co-ordinate tourism marketing, development and support across the National Park and West Somerset. North Devon + and Somerset County Council have recently been welcomed as full members alongside the Exmoor Tourist Association, West Somerset Council and the Exmoor National Park Authority.
As well as being available for the marketing and promotional efforts of the Exmoor Tourism Partnership (e.g. Visit-Exmoor website, Exmoor brochure, national advertising campaigns) a version will also soon be available for businesses to use demonstrating their support for Exmoor tourism and raising awareness of the brand amongst visitors and potential visitors to the area. |
| Quality matters... |
 We all know quality matters but how do we best demonstrate this to potential customers? The Exmoor Tourist Association and Exmoor Holiday Group have joined forces to provide an opportunity for you to meet with Quality in Tourism, Visit England's appointed providers of the star rating scheme. This is a rare opportunity to hear what changes are going on at Quality in Tourism, have an open discussion with them and voice any concerns you might have.
The event takes place on 13 June from 11am at the White Horse Hotel, Exford. It is free and open to all, with priority to Exmoor Tourist Association and Exmoor Holiday Group members. To book please email Sharon Routley, ETA secretary at [email protected]. |
| Exmoor on the box | |
 Exmoor was recently featured as the prime destination in BBC1's Country File again, whilst Michael Portillo has been in the area recently visiting Exmoor's railways - the West Somerset Railway, Lynton and Lynmouth Cliff Railway and the Lynton and Barnstaple Railway for this Little Trains of Britain series to be broadcast next year.
Meanwhile members of the Exmoor Tourism Partnership marketing group have been developing the first promotional TV advert for Exmoor to be aired on selected freeview channels at the start of the summer - watch this space.
John Dyke, Chairman of the National Park Authority, recently wrote to Lord Patten, Chairman of the BBC, regarding its filming of the screenplay of James Herbert's book 'The Secret of Circkley Hall'. The book was originally based in Lynton and Lynmouth but the BBC chose to film the new series in the North of England. The Exmoor Tourism Partnership also submitted representations to the BBC on this matter. |
| Visit Exmoor - blog and e-news | |
Did you know that the Visit Exmoor website has a blog? It can be reached via the main website or direct at http://blog.visit-exmoor.co.uk. The blog is updated regularly with news and events to help promote Exmoor - do check it yourself but also consider linking your website to it in order that potential guests can get up to date information and inspiration about a stay on Exmoor.
 A quarterly e-newsletter is now also being published and distributed to visitors and potential visitors. Please encourage your guests to sign up to this for the latest news, offers and events. Sign up can be made within the Visit Exmoor website or via a free prize draw competition to win one of 7 free holidays on Exmoor using the following link: http://www.visit-exmoor.co.uk/exmoor_holiday. The prize draw is open until 1 September with prizes kindly donated by industry partners along with prizes donated to specific marketing campaigns currently being run in national publications such as Country Walking, Sky at Night and Coast Magazine.
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| Exmoor Unplugged | |
 A new electric bicycle hire scheme across Exmoor National Park and the Quantocks was launched recently at Tarr Steps, near Dulverton, Exmoor. Getting up the beautiful Exmoor hills is now as easy as if you were an Olympic athlete.
The electric bicycles, or e-bikes as they are commonly known, are available to hire from the White Horse Inn, Exford; the Tarr Farm Inn, Dulverton; the Staghunters Inn, Brendon; the Yarn Market Hotel, Dunster; and Exmoor Mountain Bike Hire at Wimbleball Lake and Brushford. In addition, a network of around twenty pubs, cafes and restaurants across the region have signed up as charging points, where customers will be able to recharge their batteries in more ways than one. For further information click here or visit www.exmoorunplugged.co.uk.
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| National Parks Week 2012 - Winning Landscapes! | |
 National Parks Week this year is a celebration of our beautiful winning landscapes and runs from 30 July to 5 August 2012. They have inspired generations of runners, cyclists, sailors, mountaineers and Olympic athletes to train harder and aim higher - sometimes with medal-winning results. A series of events will be planned throughout the National Parks, including Exmoor.
Exmoor based explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes says "I'm fortunate enough to live in Exmoor National Park where there is plenty of space to get out for a run and enjoy the fresh air. If you haven't explored our wonderful National Parks, you are, I assure you, missing out in a big way. Whether you are young or old, fit or rusty, I would seriously advise you to pay a visit whenever you next get a spare day in your diary!"
For further inspiration and information about National Parks Week please click here. |
| Battle the Bills round 2 |
 Battle the Bills is back with round 2 focusing on Renewables and Reactions. Whether or not you made the highly successful round 1 series of workshops or not the new round will offer a short 90 minute workshop offering jargon free, practical advice on: The different renewable energy & heat options; Deciding which is right for your business; Making sense of the financial incentives offered; Encouraging staff & customers to help you save and saving water through rain & greywater harvesting.
For dates, venues across Devon and to book your free session, organised by the South West Tourism Alliance with support from South West Water click here. |
| Show your excellence |
 The South West and Devon Tourism Awards are now open for nominations with a deadline of 21 June. The awards recognise some of the best tourism businesses and initiatives in the region and feed winners into the national Enjoy England awards.
Businesses in Somerset can enter the South West Awards whilst those in Devon can enter the Devon Awards which feed into the regional ones. |
| Put your bsuiness on the map! |
 Tourism providers are being offered an opportunity to 'put themselves on the map' with a special offer of an Exmoor National Park poster marking their business. Based on the popular 'National Park Pocket Guide' the posters are custom printed to pinpoint your business on the map and come complete with a PCFC certified pine frame measuring 32" x 23" ready to hang.
The posters cost �20 each. For more information and an order form click here. Orders will also be taken at the ENPA stand at the Exmoor Exchange. |
| Wimbleball Open Day |
 Take a look at recent developments at Wimbleball through the Outdoor + Active project at an open day on 24 June from 10am to 4pm. If you're feeling brave you can have a go at sailing, windsurfing, kayaking, high ropes, climbing and archery or hire canoes and surf skies. For more information call 01398 371460.
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