Cardiff Capital Region Destination Profile, Baseline & Strategic Review

Client: Cardiff Capital Region

Planning Solutions Consulting (PSC) were appointed by CCR to prepare a Baseline and Strategic Review to understand the potential of the visitor economy and its regional assets and identify high-level options for future collaboration and improved joint working across the SE Wales region.

This commission builds on the Destination Investment Plan (DIP) for the region, prepared for the South-East Wales Destination Management Group (DMG) in 2018. An important output was to identify options for delivering effective governance and partnership between the City Region, local authorities, other public agencies and the private sector to deliver the level of investment and destination-building to grow the visitor economy. Our work included: A review of current performance in terms of the value and volume of visits and seasonal patterns of visitation; a light-touch assessment of the strategic context and market trends; consultation with the ten local authorities to understand local priorities, resources and regional assets; a review of regional governance models and lessons for South East Wales (good practice); an assessment of options, and summary observations in terms of moving forward.

The work demonstrates the value of the visitor economy to the City Regions, and building on ‘regional destination management’ good practice, identified a number of areas for enhanced regional activities for collaboration, including: Identifying and driving individual ‘transformational’ capital investments within a coordinated programme; joint marketing activity on a thematic/ market segment approach; addressing skills, recruitment and retention across the region and Destination Management (‘basics’), planning, transport, business support, visitor information etc).

How can we help?
If have any questions about sustainable destination development please don’t hesitate to call Richard Linington on 07866 742628 or email richard@pslplan.co.uk