Visitor experience masterplan Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve

visitor-experience-planning-nature-reserveClient Hampshire County Council

Nature reserve visitor experience masterplan – we developed a visitor experience masterplan for Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve. This considered investment needs, approaches to improving operational performance and enhancing the visitor experience. Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve is an attractive coastal nature reserve and covers approximately 149 hectares. The River Meon runs through the reserve. Our work included:

  • A site review to identify constraints and opportunities
  • Operational review and financial analysis to identify the baseline position
  • Extensive stakeholder and staff consultation
  • A programme of primary visitor research to identify visitors’ needs
  • Assessing a number of case examples to identify best practice within the wider visitor experience sector
  • Carrying out a detailed market assessment including demographic profiling and a review of the tourism market place
  • Preparing a visitor experience masterplan, action plan and capital cost estimates for the programme for the nature reserve

Future development initiatives focussed on:

  1. Activities
  2. Appropriate low impact nature play
  3. Learning
  4. Catering and retail
  5. Marketing
  6. Technology – the use of technology to improve the visitor experience
  7. The visitor journey and visitor flows around the nature reserve

The primary objective of our work was to identify and assess appropriate opportunities to increase visitor numbers, identify income generation opportunities and enhance the visitor experience at Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve. It was important to identify the sense of place the reserve and to ensure that each suggested action or initiatives respected the environment and special qualities associated with the reserve.  Photos kindly supplied by Hampshire County Council

How can we help?
If you have any questions about developing a new visitor centre or reviewing options for an existing visitor centre or are looking at income generation opportunities at your nature reserve please don’t hesitate to call Richard Linington on 023 9248 1999 or email richard@pslplan.co.uk