Heritage Tourism Strategy launched by MP for the Wrekin Wrekin MP Mark Pritchard recently joined with members of Newport, Shropshire’s ‘town team’ and the recently formed Newport Heritage & Visitor Economy Partnership to launch Newport’s first ‘Heritage & Visitor Economy Strategy’ and its top ten priorities for action.
Mark said “the timing of this event to coincide with English Tourism Week is ideal because it brings to life opportunities to make more of Newport’s rich heritage. Everyone knows that government’s number one priority is the economy and heritage inspired tourism will create real jobs for local people”. Tim Pryce, Chairman of the new Heritage & Visitor Economy Partnership, said the strategy is about raising awareness of Newport’s heritage, developing a clear offer for new and returning visitors, and providing a guarantee of the standards they can expect in terms of customer service, quality accommodation and gift products. “It is also about ensuring all stakeholders are on board and working together to deliver our ambitious plans including a bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund”.
The launch took place at the Newport Pop-Up Shop on the corner of Wellington Road and Upper Bar where Tim also hosts Newport’s Visitor Information Point. The opportunity was used to bring the MP up to date with progress of work of the Town Team and the emerging HLF bid proposals.
Mark Pritchard MP continued to say he was “impressed by the breadth and scale of work taking place in Newport to sustain retail and services provided in the town centre, develop a stronger visitor economy and improve the physical environment. Newport offers a fine example to towns around the country in aiming to make the best of its heritage assets, protecting existing jobs andcreating new ones. There is a real sense of community purpose here in Newport that I am proud to be associated with”. Katie Foster, a former Chair of the Heritage Lottery Fund West Midlands and a board member of the Telford Tourism Partnership concluded: “Heritage Tourism is one of the most important sectors of the national and local visitor economy.
At national level research in 2013 showed how Heritage has become more important in people’s holiday choices. For UK residents on holiday in the UK, 28% of total activities they undertook were to a heritage site or attraction. And 40% of overseas visitors cite heritage as their main reason for visiting. Heritage tourism is worth almost £27billion p.a. nationally and research into Shropshire visitor markets in 2011 showed that 80% were most attracted by Shropshire’s market towns, heritage and the countryside. So it’s a win-win for Newport!”
