39 Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) have now been established across England, with responsibility for driving economic growth in their areas and working in partnership with key sectors and stakeholders. In LEP areas where tourism is a recognised tool for driving wider economic growth, work is underway on specific projects and initiatives in partnership with Destination Organisations who manage tourism locally.
In some areas of the country, a single entity is created to coordinate the management of the destination. The most common term for them is Destination Organisation, and they come in a variety of shapes and sizes, handling everything from management to marketing. They also coordinate the wide range of local stakeholders, including the tourism business community, local authorities, business improvement districts, transport operators, visitor information providers, major landowners, cultural bodies, retail associations and local community groups.
Destination Management Organisations
Destinations are disparate and multifaceted, host to numerous stakeholders with their own specific needs. The organisations responsible for the local visitor economy can also be varied. They might be public sector bodies such as local authorities with definitive boundaries, private companies, or partnerships between the public and private sector working across various geographies.
Well-managed destinations are more likely to sustain investment, business growth and employment without having a long-term detrimental effect on the environment or local population. The best-managed destinations are also likely to attract inward investment across a broader range of sectors, as well as value-added jobs and new talent. Making them great places to live and work as well as visit.
From promotional activity through to research and insights, we help destinations grow their local economies through tourism. Of the various tools we advocate to help generate growth in the visitor economy, the most effective are destination management plans. These help create an integrated, sustainable and long-term approach to destination management.
Find your nearest Destination Management Organisation in England.
