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Coach tourism is worth £2.35 billion to Britain’s economy and could be worth even more to the local economy with investment in better facilities by local government says a major report launched today by the Confederation of Passenger Transport.
The report Britain’s Coaches: Delivering Prosperity to You, showcases best practice for national and local government, urban planning institutions, tourism organisations, and businesses across the West Midlands. It highlights the benefits and the potential the coach and its passengers bring to the West Midlands and across Britain by showing how destinations across the region can reap the economic and environmental rewards of attracting and boosting coach tourism in the region.
“Britain’s Coaches: Delivering Prosperity to You is a substantial step forward in outlining the benefits of the coach and showcasing best practice across Britain,” said Phil Bateman, Regional Manager, Confederation of Passenger Transport, West Midlands, “Where there are good facilities, the local economy will benefit from each new coach passenger.
“Make no mistake, the visitor economy is important to the region’s economy as a whole, and in Stratford Upon Avon and Lichfield our region has two good examples of destinations that have prospered from embracing the tourism business that the coach delivers.
Our message is all about challenging other towns Cities and high profile events to recognise the value the coach brings, and adopt similar coach friendly measures so they too can benefit”.
An estimated £5 billion is injected into the West Midlands economy as a result of tourism and the coach is a vital contributor to this. However, to fully garner the benefits the coach delivers, towns, cities, resorts and attractions can help encourage coach visitors through a range of initiatives:
- Convenient drop off points
- Secure parking
- Passenger and coach driver facilities at coach park
- Clear signage for coach drivers and passengers
- Destination information ahead of visits
- Allowing coaches to use bus lanes.
All of these tactics have proved effective across the West Midlands, particularly in Stratford Upon Avon and Lichfield, both of which have been awarded CPT Coach Friendly Awards for considerable improvements to coach facilities in recent years.
“In a recent speech in September the Prime Minister David Cameron emphasised the importance that tourism plays in Britain’s economy saying Tourism contributes £115 billion to our [Britain] economy every year. It employs nearly ten per cent of our national workforce. He went on to highlight the importance that local and regional activity plays in contributing to this, and the potential for the economy tourism – including the coach – offers in the coming years
“If local government and tourists bodies in the West Midlands work with the industry to invest in better facilities, we know that the contribution coach tourism makes to the local economy can be increased and will result in the creation of more jobs. With the launch of this report I am looking to Local Authorities to work with the Regions CPT to develop this further in partnership.” Concludes Mr Bateman.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
