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£1m of funding: Milestones Outputs Targets Reporting

Our Land is a collaboration between protected landscapes, businesses & private sector partner responsibletravel.com to develop and promote sustainable rural tourism.

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£1m of funding: Milestones Outputs Targets Reporting

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  1. Our Land is a collaboration between protected landscapes, businesses & private sector partner responsibletravel.com to develop and promote sustainable rural tourism. www.our-land.co.uk provides a national platform for Protected Landscapes & is the leading place online for a visitor to find a locally distinctive rural holiday in a collection dedicated to National Parks & AONB’s. • £1m of funding: • Milestones • Outputs • Targets • Reporting Our Land is funded for three years (2011-2014) with nearly £1million from the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE), which is administered through Defra. The host authority is the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

  2. Achievements by end of funded period Over 1,000 tourism businesses representing 1,200 experiences, places to stay & things to do 12+ marketing partners National & Regional Media coverage 25,000+ bed nights generated 60business networking & development days held & attended by 700+business reps 7,350 Facebook & 1,047Twitter followers 14,200 Our Land visitor database • Challenge: to identify impact Our Land is having on business members and on protected landscapes • Research across the region (the 9 SEPLs) to establish: • evidence of the contribution Our Land is making to the rural economy • the impact Our Land is having in raising awareness of landscape and achieving behavioural change • Interviewed 22 businesses across 7 of the 9 landscapes

  3. Marketing & bookings • Bookings: some positive indications but tracking an issue • Marketing: making use of wide variety of online channels, so focus efforts on those that produce • Occupancy & spend: ‘don’t know’ and ‘around about’! • Why Our Land? • Emphasis on wildlife, nature, countryside • Location – landscape • Sense of area • Looking for something different • “… people don’t want sustainability rammed down their throats – we’ve gone past all that and so many are now doing it” “…they have made a conscious choice to look at Our Land, the AONB, the countryside – whilst on e.g. LastMinute.com customers are just looking for anything”

  4. Economic contribution • Employment • Small businesses, husband & wife team • Farms • Part time • “…they wouldn’t have jobs if our business weren’t here.” • Overheads & sourcing • No idea or incomplete info • Strong commitment to supporting local suppliers and producers • Rely on local knowledge • Aware of suppliers expansion • Anecdotal… “our customers account for up to ¾ of the pub’s business during the summer … new tenants told they wouldn’t make a go of it without the hostel and campsite” • Visitors • Almost always by car • Walking, cycling, sightseeing, attractions – and will travel • Recommendations – pubs & restaurants • Will support other businesses – appreciate networking

  5. Importance of location/landscape Custodian Stewardship Guardian Adding value Bringing in income Provides jobs & money for local economy Help enjoy Share knowledge Raise awareness Share appreciation Inform and enthuse Talk about it See myself as an educator Protect & enhance wildlife habitats Look after it though our sustainable ethos Maintain character of the Countryside Looking after it Cleaning up litter Try & keep as natural as possible

  6. Impact on business behaviour • As a result of Our Land • Already doing what is in the Promise… but it’s a progressive thing • Made me think more about what we’re doing • Made more aware of what’s around us • Highlighted need to act & think locally • Learnt more about area – provide more info about area • Kept us focused • Benefits • Has brought in bookings • Attracted right type of visitor • Contacts with more businesses • Made more aware • None! • Support wanted: • Events, training, networking, fam’s • Advice on grants • Literature, brochures • “Conversations like this” Challenge – how to continue providing such support

  7. In summary • A small research undertaking to gain an overview of Our Land’s impact • Able to provide the funding body with the information they require on our achievements • Would take a much bigger research project to quantify economic impact of Our Land on the rural economy • Some businesses could use support / guidance on the best way of collating data

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