Title
Develop a destination action plan
Why is an action plan important?
Primarily it describes how the destination should develop over a period of time
It is a document for the whole destination agreed on by all of the stakeholders
It provides a summary of the current situation
It provides a list of projects for the working group to focus on
It can be used as supporting evidence in funding applications
Why is the process important?
Local people get to see – and be involved in - the bigger picture
The working group can begin to think long term
It can help identify commercial opportunities for local people
How do you produce action plan?
The findings from your engagement events and destination audit, as well as any visitor statistics and feedback need to be compiled and analysed. Then key areas of work need to be defined. These should then be assigned to the appropriate individual, sub group or organisation for action, with a timescale for delivery. Working group meetings will then be able to monitor progress against the action plan.
The action plan could include the following:
1. Introduction
Explaining how the working group was established when engagement activities took place and who was involved
2. The current destination
Broken down into sub headings such as Accommodation, Sense of place, Activities, Attractions, Infrastructure, Information provision
Use the information gathered from your engagement event exercise and from your destination audit.
3. SWOT Analysis
List the Strengths, Weaknesses Opportunities and Threats of your destination. Again use the information gathered from the engagement event exercise as well as any information that has come to light during the process.
Then list challenges and resources or training required to improve the destination.
Finally make a list of proposals which would improve the destination and make a record of which organisations or individuals have agreed to forward these projects giving a indication of timescales for development.
Once compiled, the action plan should be sent to every tourism stakeholder in the destination so everyone is aware of the work planned.
What next?
You may wish to have another engagement event including all the stakeholders to formally agree the content and the proposals - at this point working groups can be agreed and tasks can be allocated.
Form Sub groups
Taking project proposals from the action plan split the main group into groups of interest and work out which projects they would like to work on first.
How do you publicise the action plan?
Local press
Public meetings
On Destination Management Wales news pages