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 Ayrshire Chamber Tourism Committee

Committee Update March 2008

- Ayrshire Chamber have instigated the set up of a Chamber Business Forum to be private sector led and in place by the end of May once it has been cleared by the board.
- A feasibility study for Scottish Enterprise Ayrshire is underway for a proposed Burns Country Food & Craft Fair which should be complete shortly.
- ACTT reported launch of Burns Familiarisation CD-Rom training. Four face to face sessions running end April, beg May to help promotion.
- Ayrshire Makers Open Studios event details from www.ayrshiremakers.org.uk
- Food/Drink Fair 24th May, Antique/Craft Fair 25th  May, in Wellington Sq.
- AFN website, to be launched next month.
- Feedback good from Talking Tourism Conference.
- Homecoming Scotland 2009, there have been approx 200 applications for themed event funding, response date due 18th April.
- Developing sailing infrastructure.
- Burns Festival programme should be distributed shortly.
- Scottish Enterprise restructure, tourism is now under the banner of INDUSTRIES, INNOVATION & COMMERCIALISATION,

Background

Developing the tourism product of Ayrshire and Arran so that; VisitScotland, individual businesses and organisations have a more attractive product to market.   A cross section of tourism related groups are represented on the Committee, all with  a common goal to increase the number of visitors to Ayrshire.

Funding

Scottish Enterprise Ayrshire, European, Lottery, Trust Funds and the Local Authorities have helped to fund projects on an individual basis.   Ayrshire Chamber helps with secretarial and administrative expenses, events and networking activities.   Seeking sponsorship is becoming increasingly important.

Organisation

Possible activity is discussed and determined by members of the  Committee.
Industry-led, this committee has representation from all sectors of the industry, further and higher education, Local Authority officials. Scottish Enterprise Ayrshire and Chamber itself.

Currently the members are:
Howard Wilkinson, Petrie Fine Foods, Chair.
Alastair Dobson, Taste of Arran.
Alison Blair, South Ayrshire Council
Bob Leitch, Ayrshire Chamber.
Brian Young, Ayrshire Makers.
Carolyn Elder, Largs Yacht Haven.
Catriona Mackie, VisitScotland.
Chris Merry, Kilmarnock College.
Fiona Carswell, Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park.
Gareth Pashke, Ayrshire Hotels Association.
Daniel Steel, East Ayrshire Council.
Lord Glasgow, Kelburn Castle.
Lynne Pringle, Scottish Enterprise Ayrshire.
Maggie Broadley, West Kilbride Craft Town.
Malcolm Balish, Menzies Irvine.
Malcolm Simpson, Golf Tourism Ayrshire
Moira Birtwistle, SAC-Auchincruive.
Rona Fulton, Destination Arran.
Siobhan Drummond, University of Paisley.
Stephanie Connelly, Ayr Retailers.
Stuart Gibson, North Ayrshire Council.
Valerie Russell, Ayrshire Chamber.
William Ferguson, Ayr College.
Alastair Breckenridge, Project Manager.

The Tourism Committee appoints Project Groups to carry out identified activity, in line with national and local priorities.

Achievements

Project Groups have worked on wide variety of business development and training projects.  
These have included:
• Work leading to the formation of the Ayrshire Conference Bureau and Scottish Golf Southwest.
• Working with schools to enhance the perception of the tourism industry as a careers prospect.
• The development of training initiatives e.g. - ‘Taste of Burns’ Country’; Burns Familiarisation courses;
• The Local Knowledge of Ayrshire.
• The production of a training guide and video for the Family History/Genealogy sector.
• The creation of a ‘Get Started in Tourism’ website for budding tourism entrepreneurs.
• The organisation of ‘Tourism Awareness Weeks’ to get the message across that tourism is everybody’s business.
• Pioneered electronic newspapers for the industry.
• Created the ‘Ayrshire Food Network’ – a grouping of local artisan food providers and caterers using traceable local produce.

Current Projects in brief

• Ayrshire Food Network (AFN).
• “Ayrshire Trails” – Trails of discovery.  
• “All About Ayrshire”.   All the research has been completed under headings: Famous People; Famous Families; Fascinating Facts; Past Events; Family Names.  
• The Local Knowledge of Ayrshire.  
• “An Ayrshire Directory” – over 300 contact details of interest to the tourist and those who look after them (from Antiques to Wildlife, including town and village sites). Available free by email from alastair@breckenridge.fsbusiness.co.uk
• Tourism Training.  Working with Ayrshire’s colleges and university (The Ayrshire Consortium for Tourism Training) to satisfy the industry’s training needs.
• The Ayrshire and Arran Visitor Attractions Association.  
• Genealogy/Heritage tourism.   Looking at the Ayrshire product with a view to developing it further.
• Ayrshire Tourism Partnership.   Ayrshire Chamber Tourism Forum has accepted responsibility for:
- Increasing the number of ‘Friends’ of Pride and Passion.
- Working with the Homecoming 2009 team to coordinate and encourage Ayrshire events.
- Reviewing the Genealogy/Heritage product
- Considering more collaborative working between the food and drink sector and other parts of the industry e.g. crafts
- Communicating with the Ayrshire Economic Forum and the sector in general.

Apart from the organisations mentioned under Projects, the Main Committee, the Food/Gastronomy Project Group and the Culture/Heritage Project group, carry out this work.

The Ayrshire Chamber Tourism Committee also provides secretarial support to the Ayrshire Food Network, The Ayrshire and Arran Visitor Attractions Association and the Ayrshire Consortium for Tourism Training (see Associate Organisations and Training)