The Lanarkshire Tourism Marketing Partnership (LTMP) held its first joint meeting of the year bringing together two key associations to discuss how best to promote the area.
Held at the National Museum of Rural Life, the meeting was co-chaired by Mark Calpin, General Manager of the Holiday Inn Express Hamilton and Chair of the Accommodation Association, and Duncan Dornan, General Manager of the National Museum of Rural Life and Chair of the Attraction Association.
More than 35 people representing Lanarkshire’s attractions and accommodation providers attended to discuss how they can work together to help raise awareness of Lanarkshire as one of Scotland’s leading visitor destinations and short stay holiday locations.
The meeting praised the recently launched spring ‘Play and Stay’ campaign as an example of how members of both associations can work together. Participants were also made aware of key events taking place in 2010/11which may offer business opportunities, this included a brief discussion on the 2011 International Children’s Games, which Lanarkshire will host next year.
Comprising of representatives of North and South Lanarkshire Councils, VisitScotland and the private sector, the LTMP is a partnership initiative that is tasked with raising the profile of Lanarkshire as a tourist destination. Tourism contributes nearly £315 million to the Lanarkshire economy each year.
Stephen Balfour, from the Lanarkshire Tourism Marketing Partnership said:
“To ensure that we all work together to help promote Lanarkshire as a fantastic tourism destination for locals and for people further afield, it is vital that the key players are brought together.
“Lanarkshire boasts a range of great attractions and excellent hotels and guests houses, so it in important they get the chance to meet to see how they can help one and other to attract visitors to the area.
“Those who attended were enthusiastic and useful ideas where exchanged. We’re looking forward to working together to showcase what a great place Lanarkshire has become as a holiday destination, whether it is for an overnight trip or for longer.”