Content

9.1

Members considered
a report of the Executive Director, City Futures seeking
approval for Sheffield City
Council to adopt the Sheffield Destination Management Plan (with
Marketing Sheffield as lead) as the official framework to continue
growth around Sheffield’s visitor economy and perceptions of
place.

 

 

9.2

RESOLVED
UNANIMOUSLY: That Economic
Development and Skills Policy Committee:-
 
·      
adopts the Destination
Management Plan for Sheffield (to be led by Marketing Sheffield) as
the framework to inform decisions within the lifetime of the DMP
around the visitor economy (and those that may impact on the
visitor economy).

 

 

9.3

Reasons for Decision

 

 

9.3.1

•      
It provides an official
framework around which we will develop strategic partnerships and
cohesive planning to continue growth around the city’s
visitor economy and positive perceptions of place.
•      
It provides a framework to
inform all future decisions around the visitor economy (and those
that may impact on the visitor economy)
•      
It provides a plan to inform
some of the council’s other plans in this space eg culture,
events and city brand.
•      
It allows Marketing Sheffield
to retrospectively meet the criteria for Local Visitor Economy
Partnership status with Visit Britain
•      
It ensures Sheffield has its
own robust plan to dovetail into the South Yorkshire Destination
Management Plan (being led by the SYLVEP and SYMCA)
•      
It acts as a springboard for
increased stakeholder engagement in our visitor economy
plans.
•      
It enables us to take longer
term decisions around the future of the visitor economy.
•      
It is another step towards
assessing future needs within the current Marketing Sheffield
structure (and addressing the financial and capacity
challenges)

 

 

9.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

 

 

9.4.1

Sheffield City Council could choose not to adopt a
longer-term destination management plan which would likely result
in our LVEP accreditation being rescinded due to the lack of a
wider south yorkshire destination management plan. Sheffield would
then lose its seat at the table within the new national framework.
Sheffield will not be included in the national agenda for tourism
impacting both national and domestic marketing opportunities. This
would have a detrimental impact on working across the South
Yorkshire geographical area
leaving the region with no interface with Visit
England.

9.4.2

Sheffield City Council could choose not to adopt a
longer-term Destination Management Plan and deliver short term
campaign style activity. This would likely stifle the opportunities
for growth in the visitor economy through lack of a clear vision.
It would reduce the likelihood of significant private sector
engagement through what could be perceived as a lack of ambition or
credibility. Other key strategies would suffer without a holistic
view of how Sheffield can grow its visitor economy.