In 2018, Visit Kent (managed by Go To Places) were commissioned by Canterbury Business Improvement District (BID) to create a Destination Management Plan (DMP) for the city. The brief was to create a DMP which would focus on three areas, principally the visitor but also the educational and inward investment opportunities.
The BID was specific in that it wanted a DMP that would produce a small number of achievable actions for the next 3 – 5 years rather than a large report which did not give the city a way forward.
A full analysis of relevant research and data was undertaken and stakeholder engagement including a large number of 1:1 interviews. One key activity was a review of the perception of the city, particularly in terms of its on-line presence.
Following the initial presentation of findings to the BID Board, one member wrote: “I fear I was a little cynical when the BID decided to update the DMP as I expected another wishy-washy strategy paper. How wrong I was! You got under the skin of Canterbury and hit the nail on the head with your conclusions.”
The DMP for Canterbury is available to read here.
Canterbury Business Improvement District said......
“Visit Kent worked very closely with us at all times and this enabled us to react swiftly to insights and opportunities rather than wait until the final document. We were delighted to have been one of the first destinations to benefit from Visit Kent’s reinvention of the Destination Management Plan.” Lisa Carlson, CEO
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