New venture to boost tourism
YORKSHIRE’S most famous sites and landmarks will be marketed to Chinese tourists by a new destination managment company – Exclusivity.
The company, which is based in Leeds, has been set up to help the region’s firms take advantage of the increasing number of people visiting the UK from emerging markets such as China.
The organisation will offer an innovative membership scheme enabling the region’s luxury hotels, major venues, hourmet restaurants and professional services providers to collectively market themselves to targeted organisations in China.
Members receive the benefits of a tailored marketing campaign for Chinese visitors, including a Chinese language website showcasing the region’s venues, direct access to major convention holders in China and familiarity programmes aimed at Chinese business and leisure travellers.
The venture, which is being supported by Marketing Leeds and UK Trade & Investment, already has the support of major venues such as Harewood House.
According to Angela Seager, managing director of Seager Associates and co-founder of Exclusivity, plenty of visitors are reaching the UK’s shores but not enough are going North.
“The UK is on the ‘must visit’ list of most Chinese tourists, yet many do not get beyond London and the South,” she said.
“Exclusivity enables British businesses to join forces to attract international travellers to the North to experience the unique attractions of the region.”
A two month sales and marketing programme is planned for Hong Kong and China from March, which will include “familiarity programmes” aimed at Chinese buyers, journalists and corporate clients in the meetings, incentives, conferences and events sector.
Exclusivity benefits from the expertise of three other directors including Joanna Lavan, managing director of Connect China, John Barker of the Business Catalyst Consultancy and Andrew McPherson, general manager at luxury castle hotel, Swinton Park.
Josh Wong, the DLA Piper lawyer who advised on legal and regulatory aspects of establishing the venture, said: “Although, like every other economy, China has suffered from the global financial downturn, there are still an increasing number of Chinese applying for passports and visas to travel abroad.
“This is being helped by the weakness of the pound against international currencies, which is making the UK an even more attractive option for Chinese visitors. Exclusivity enables Yorkshire businesses to effectively target this complex market.”
