Below is the latest Thanet District Council press release, however unlike their planning site one is not yet able to comment on it, so I thought I would post it here in case anyone has any thoughts.Tourism continues to grow in Thanet
New figures show tourism is now worth more than £175 million to the Thanet economy and the area is the second most popular in Kent with overseas visitors.
The Cambridge Model tourism research, undertaken by Visit Kent at Kent County Council in partnership with Thanet District Council, compared key economic markers in the local industry between 2003 and 2006.
It found that tourism supports more than seven per cent of all jobs in Thanet, with total visitor spending up 17 per cent over the three years.
In total, more than 2.7 million visitors came to Thanet in 2006, with day trippers spending a total of £72.6 million in the area and a further boost of £12.6 million from boating enthusiasts, second homeowners and residents entertaining visiting friends and family.
Thanet was the second most popular destination in Kent for overseas visitors with Canterbury topping the league table in 2006. Thanet was also the third most popular destination in Kent for UK visitors staying overnight, attracting ten per cent of the county’s total – narrowly beaten by Medway with 12 per cent and Canterbury with 11 per cent.
Even more encouraging for local tourism bosses is further research revealing that visitor perceptions of the three key resorts – Margate, Broadstairs and Ramsgate – have been improving since 2005, with the current overall opinion being that they are friendly, relaxed and traditional.
Cllr Roger Latchford, Cabinet Member for Economy and Culture at Thanet District Council, said: “This is excellent news for Thanet, especially the fact that our area is holding its own as one of the most popular destinations in the county. Hopefully we will see our overseas visitor numbers increase even further with the strength of the Euro making British holidays more appealing to the European market.
“Tourism makes a major contribution to our economy and that’s why Thanet District Council invests so much money in our beautiful beaches and unique town centres.”
Fran Warrington, head of Visit Kent at Kent County Council, said: “This is a tremendous vote of confidence in Thanet and all the hard work behind the scenes to promote the area.
“Tourism is a fragile and highly competitive market facing many challenges from outside the industry. Thanet’s businesses have really risen to the challenge and these figures reveal just how well they have been doing in providing the services and products that visitors from home and overseas are looking to experience and enjoy.”
I heard of some of this on the radio this morning. However I see it only covers up to 2006. I wonder what they would make of a survey today.
ReplyDeleteIt would be nice to think this is all sweetness and light but looking at Margate lately I don't feel very optimistic.
It certainly doesn’t tally with the sales figures for the bookshop here in Ramsgate, we saw a decline in Shop sales from 1992 to 2005 a levelling out to small decline in 2006 followed by a considerable increase in 2007 and what we have had of 2008.
ReplyDeleteI put this down to the café culture and people who were shopping in Margate shopping in Ramsgate instead, this seems to be confirmed by what our customers are saying.
The general impression I have is that Margate is in sharp decline, Broadstairs is on the level and Ramsgate is on the way up, I am pretty sure Margate’s decline predates 2006.
Its a wonder anybody comes here at all with TDC in charge....
ReplyDeleteHas anyone seen the latest Thanet tourist guide 2008/9?
For Ramsgate it marks Hereson Road Post Office as still there! The toilets next the Granville for a quick spend of a penny - only trouble is it beggars belief as TDC knocked them down! It states there is a museum in Guildford Lawn and so on and on and on and on!!!! Thousands of tourist going round in circles - perhaps that's how they get the high numbers, they are being counted over and over.
The TDC website is similarly aseless when you look to see which councillors are attached to which outside bodies as the site simply says 'Awaiting update after the May (2007!) election'
ReplyDeleteI have endeavoured to find out a bit more about these figures and how they were arrived at click here to look at the information I have a gut feeling that something is wrong here.
ReplyDeleteI hope to be able to find out more and any help would be usefull.
cllr latchford - thanet has done very well despite your best efforts to steer all visitors away - encouraging planes at rooftop height, opening an out of town shopping centre which has resulted in dozens of shops closing in margate and ramsgate (and now millets in westwood). ANd finally, the first hot weekend of the year, beaches in thanet are littered from top to bottom and ther are no litter fine enforcement people on sight.
ReplyDeletesuggest you start asking people why they visit, and start asking them what they don't like
Just an observation but all of these figures careful cite only Kent as a whole (admittedly that's the study they are talking about) but the same results relative to Kent could be obtained if all of Kent were crap. Prove that Kent is hot and happening and then the figures might mean something.
ReplyDelete