Bournemouth's Tourism

1. Introduction

The purpose of this report is to provide the reader with an in-depth analysis of the economic environment in which Bournemouth’s tourism industry take place.

Furthermore, the negative and positive impacts of tourism in Bournemouth will be examined, as well as, recommendations will be given on how to develop effectively further tourism activities in the resort.

It is very important to highlight that any tourism or economical statistics used in this report are not available online and were kindly provided by John Breakstone from the Market Research Group at Bournemouth University.

In addition to that, the data obtained is from 2004 and does not only refer to Bournemouth on its own, but will cover all visitors staying in resorts within the Dorset county, such as Poole, Christchurch, Weymouth, Portland and of course, Bournemouth.

2. Background information

Along with the industrial revolution and the development of transports, people’s quality of life improved, leading to more disposable time.

Therefore, resorts became very popular holiday destinations, especially into the 20th century.

Bournemouth, by offering an improved and modern tourism product, is a strong sea-side

resort and with great potential for future developments.

Bournemouth is one of the most popular tourist resorts on the south coast of England, and it is home to over 151,000 people.

In the 18th century, as an isolated, pine city, it attracted the wealthiest of societies from the whole world.

The isolation did not last long as with the development of transports, the railway was permitted to approach the city.

By 1890, Bournemouth was recognized by Queen Victoria. It gained the status of a Borough, and had its own Major.

Its success did not stop there. By the middle of the 20th century, the city was one of the most important in England.

In 1974, with a local reform, it became part of Dorset Council, and since 1997, it is now an independent local authority.

Bournemouth has great characteristics such as, mild climate, 7 miles beach, and a wide variety of entertainment, accommodation and parks. Moreover, it is surrounded by some of the most enchanting countryside in Britain.

In 2005 the resort won “four European Blue Flags and six Seaside Awards”, thanks to the cleanliness and safety of their beaches. It has also been recognized for having one of the highest recycling rates in the UK.

Tourism is vital to Bournemouth- estimated annual tourist income of

Ð'Ј365.2m (source: Bournemouth Housing Strategy, 2002).

Consequently, commitment from local and national government, along with private sector support is crucial for the sustainable, long-term and prosperous development of the resort.

3. Tourism demand and client profiles

As mentioned before, during 18th and 19th centuries, Bournemouth was a relaxation place for the wealthiest.

Nowadays, the resort is easily accessible and popular among holidaymakers.

Various types of tourists are attracted to Bournemouth, from mass tourists to explorers.

The key market for the resorts in the Dorset County is London and the South East as they send 35% of total visitors. There has been an increase in the number of overseas visitors, from 5% in 2001 to 7% in 2004. For further information see appendix 1, page….

But what has Bournemouth to offer to its visitors?

The resort has not only long beaches and pristine waters to offer, but also cultural heritages, great night-life, forests/ wild-life, festivals and events.

The following chart, extracted from the Bournemouth council website, show the purposes of the trips taken to the resort.

Holiday 924,000 62%

Business 303,000 20%

Visits to friends/relatives 215,000 15%

Other 11,000 1%

Study 29,000 2%

Total 1,481,000

Source: www.Bournemouth.gov.uk

Holiday is the main reason why tourists visit the area (62%).

Holidaymakers can be classified as psychocentrics. They will be looking for familiar surroundings and packages holidays at a lower price. From getting there to accommodation, everything is organized and a higher level of tourism plant is required, such as hotels, tours, etc.

With 20%, business is the second main reason why people visit the resort, mainly due to the great facilities it offers, such as the Bournemouth International Centre.

Visiting friends/relatives with 15% is another reason why people come to Bournemouth, greatly reflecting on the economy as, although most of these people will not be paying for their accommodation, they will be spending money in nights out, eating out and sightseeing.

Also, because of Bournemouth University, there will be people visiting the students, therefore visiting the resort.

Great attractions for holidaymakers are:

• the Oceanarium, where families can take their kids

• the Dorset Belles, a coastal and harbour cruise.

• Bournemouth's magnificent Victorian Pleasure Gardens, next to Bournemouth's riverside and the shopping area.

Heading outside Bournemouth, tourists can discover Dorset Stonehenge and the New Forest in a day out. In addition to these tours, there is the Discover Dorset Jurassic Coast Day Tour, where tourists will have the opportunity to see the Dorset Coastline, which has been classified as England’s first natural World Heritage Site.

These can be excellent tours for couples, as they represent the largest type of visitors, with 43%, followed by families with kids- 30% (Appendix 2).

Bournemouth will also attract Allocentrics as it offers cultural and environmental