Tourism agency outlines three year plan
The new managing director at Make it York, the city’s tourism agency has submitted her three-year business plan to councillors to be discussed at the next shareholder meeting on 28 March.
Sarah Loftus, who joined the destination management organisation in November, has already delivered events including the Visit York Tourism Awards and York Ice Trail and in her new plans sets the priorities he next three years, how to measure its success and ambitions for city centre activity.
If approved the plan will see events, culture and the reinvigoration of Shambles Market targeted by the organisation until 2025.
This will be the first plan since the renegotiation of Make it Yorks contract with the City of York council which saw the organisation’s remit changed, with the council resuming responsibility for inward investment and economic development.
Priorities outlined within this new business plan include:
- Growing Visit York membership, which currently has over 860 members,
- Growing the brand’s digital presence
- Developing York’s first market strategy
Loftus said: “Our first Make It York business plan demonstrates that we mean business and we are proudly focused on what we aim to deliver for this city. We have developed a clear and commercially viable plan, which will celebrate cultural and eco-tourism, as well as including more resident-focused activity in our marketing and event plans.”
The document also outlines how Make It York intends to enhance city centre vibrancy, by creating new experiences and supporting free events for residents and visitors to enjoy. Residents are a big focus of the proposed plan, with a pledge to include resident engagement opportunities in all of Make It York’s events moving forwards.
The publication of the business plan aims to increase transparency between the organisation and the city, allowing partners to hold it to account – a challenge that was often levelled at the now defunct regional tourism agency Welcome to Yorkshire.
