Exmoor's Good Tourism Plan
A collaborative approach to developing a better future tourism in Exmoor National Park that is:
- Regenerative
- Productive
- Resilient
Tourism has the power to transform lives and places for the better. It is through discovery and experience that people will be inspired to value and care for such places.
This plan is about recognising the balance in supporting Exmoor’s future tourism – encouraging everyone to enjoy and benefit from Exmoor, while contributing to the wellbeing of the communities and landscapes within.
To achieve Good Tourism on Exmoor our shared plan is focused around 3 strategic objectives for Exmoor's future tourism that is:
- Regenerative - Ensuring that tourism leaves Exmoor a better place, having a net positive contribution on our communities and landscapes of Exmoor.
- Productive - Increasing productivity and economic impact to reinvest in the community.
- Resilient - Improving the resilience of the sector and the prospects of its businesses and employees and their community contribution over the long term.
While Exmoor National Park Authority is facilitating this plan it is very much a shared plan. Oversight is provided via the Exmoor Tourism Network, which brings together key tourism players. The network has no formal status or legal governance, instead it is a coming together of relevant parties to share ideas, develop partnership initiatives and collaborate on delivery with a shared ambition to help visitors enjoy Exmoor while leaving it in a better place.
The plan helps deliver our National Park Management Plan objective for Exmoor to be promoted and managed as a regenerative tourism destination, and sits under the UK National Parks Regenerative Tourism vision.
Read all about it - a blog by our Enterprise and Communications Manager, Dan James, reveals more on the story behind our plan.
Good Tourism in action
There are already many examples of different partners working on initiatives that contribute to the ambitions of the Good Tourism Plan - a few examples are given below:
Regenerative
The National Park Authority’s CareMoor for Exmoor provides an opportunity for those that love and benefit from Exmoor to invest in its future by donating to support vital conservation and access work. Businesses acting as CareMoor Champions are key to spreading the message and linking visitors to the scheme. To date over £1m has been raised.
A community based initiative supported by Exmoor National Park Authority to reduce single use plastics within the National Park. Currently the project has recruited around 30 Community Allies and 30 Business Champions, and their collective effort led to Exmoor being the first National Park in the country to gain the status of being a Plastic Free Community.
An initiative aimed at celebrating and promoting local produce on Exmoor with the aim of increasing the uptake of local products by visitors and adding value opportunities to providers This has include training and workshops, brand toolkits and relevant Point of Sale material for retailers, producers and hospitality providers in addition to consumer marketing.
Productive
Facilitated by Exmoor National Park Authority over 60 events are hosted by local businesses and partners in each of these 2 week long festivals that take place in the autumn and spring respectively. They not only attract visitors at a quieter time of the year they engage people in the special qualities of the National Park.
A social media campaign promoting Exmoor all-year round, with content focusing on the different products
The Devon Tourism Awards and the Bristol, Bath and Somerset Tourism Awards provides an opportunity to showcase those tourism operators that are showing excellence in all they do.
Developed as a destination brand as opposed to an organisational identity the Exmoor brand allows businesses and organisations to affiliate themselves with the area, providing a joined up and consistent visual identity to consumers..
Resilient
Visit Dulverton have created a unique programme of events that not only attract visitors, often out of season, but also enrich community life. These range from a monthly farmers market over the summer to an impressive literary festival in the autumn, as well as antique days, fun runs and more
A community interest company runs the Porlock Information Centre. A recent move and rebrand has cemented the role of the Centre at the heart of the community as service for both visitors and the local community, enriching community pride.
An annual competition run by Visit Exmoor to not only celebrate the produce of Exmoor but to highlight hospitality career pathways for young people in the area.
Collectively partners have developed a number of opportunities to enable a wider cross section of Society to get out and explore Exmoor. These include self guided walks such as the Exmoor Strolls for those with mobility issues and Exmoor Sensory Stories for neurodivergent visitors. The Countryside Mobility project operates at sites across the South West including Exmoor offering the provision of all terrain tramper vehicles allowing those with limited mobility to enjoy the great outdoors.