Visit Essex Conference Supports Hospitality Bounce Back

9th November 2021

Tourism body Visit Essex held its annual conference at Essex County Cricket Ground and provided a platform for leading hospitality and tourism providers to discuss the green shoots of recovery in Essex. 

Although tourism in the UK is still below levels experienced pre-pandemic, Essex-based businesses were able to hear about the measures in place to support industry. Visit Essex also unveiled their latest award-winning marketing campaigns for Essex and their focus on attracting new visitors to the county, plus extending the traditional season as well as challenging the perceptions of Essex. 

The conference included thought-provoking content from Essex County Council and Essex KnowHow on how to develop businesses to adapt to the climate crisis. Delegates were also given practical marketing and product development advice, and workshops on how to help boost their businesses by creating new visitor experiences and promoting products and services via influencers. 

Cllr Mark Durham, Chair, Visit Essex, says: “It was wonderful to have our first in-person event post pandemic. We were delighted to welcome visitors from leading tourist attractions from across the county, plus colleagues from top hotels, local councils, holiday parks, museums, restaurants and rail providers.”

He continued: “The last two years have been particularly tough on the travel industry, and we’re pleased to be able to support organisations with the bounce back.”

Delegates were also able to discuss the current shortage of workers in the industry and issues affecting supply chains. 

VISIT ESSEX
Visit Essex is the official tourism organisation and the only body specifically marketing the whole of the county to the visitor market. We work with visitor attractions, leisure/activity providers, accommodation establishments and other tourism related businesses (including the travel trade, media and wider partners), to ensure that the county remains a leading visitor destination.

Our work encompasses major marketing campaigns, high profile PR work, business support, and the management and promotion of the official Visit Essex brand. Visit Essex will ensure that the county gets the recognition it deserves as a desirable place to visit in the 21st century. We will work closely with partners to develop a sustainable tourism offering for the future, identify new markets and harness visitors at the county's major gateways of Stansted, Harwich, Southend and Tilbury.

For further information:
Hilary Collins, Big Wave PR, hilary@wearebigwavepr.co.uk, or call 01206 231807.