The partnership responsible for promoting Dorset, Visit Dorset, is set to bring its next free event on digital marketing in the tourism industry, to The Kings Arms in Christchurch on Wednesday, November 1.
The event is part of a series of exclusive sessions planned for tourism businesses across Dorset and follows on from a successful launch event at Athelhampton House earlier in the year, as well as an event at the Hall & Woodhouse Brewery in Blandford earlier this month.
Guests will be able to listen to a panel of leading industry speakers through an ‘on the sofa’ debate, covering a range of topics on digital marketing in the tourism industry. The beginner-friendly debates will focus on the impact digital innovation and marketing can have on a tourism business in Dorset. Confirmed speakers for the event on November 1 include Jamie Sergeant from Crowd, Luke Williams from WarpSauce, Claire Timbrell from The MacGuffin Project and Matt Bowkett from eviivo.
The ‘on the sofa’ debates will be facilitated by Nigel Barker, digital marketing adviser for Department of International Trade in the South West.
Tourism businesses attending can expect to hear debates covering social media, digital engagement, strategy development and how to generate more bookings. The Visit Dorset team will also be on hand to answer questions about the visit-dorset.com website and how the tourism partnership brings many benefits to its members.
Tourism businesses interested in attending The Kings Arms event in Christchurch on Wednesday, November 1 can register their interest at https://visit-dorset-christchurch.eventbrite.co.uk.
Nigel Barker, digital marketing adviser for Department of International Trade in the South West, commented: “I am delighted to be working with Visit Dorset on these roadshows. The digital world doesn’t sit still for very long and it is now the number one medium for both researching and booking holidays globally.
“As more and more messages are pumped out every second, ensuring your business cuts through the white noise is more important than ever. Mobile technology has revolutionised the way we engage with businesses, but the next few years will see a huge surge in voice activated and responsive assistants like Siri, Alexa and Cortana and will affect tourism as much as any other industry.”
Chamane Epps, wedding and events manager at The Kings Arms in Christchurch, added: “We’re delighted to be hosting one of Visit Dorset’s roadshow style events. We’re all set for a great event but there are still a handful of spaces left so be sure to register your interest for what promises to be a really insightful and thought-provoking debate.”
Nick Thornley, on behalf of the Visit Dorset Tourism Partnership, said: “It has been a pleasure to welcome so many tourism businesses to our events at Athelhampton House and the Hall & Woodhouse Brewery in Blandford. For anyone interested in finding out more about how digital technology can boost their business we’d love to see you at either of the roadshow events in November.”
Visit Dorset supports local businesses by providing a platform for visitors to easily plan and book their visit to Dorset. The official tourism website for Dorset, www.visit-dorset.com, receives over two million visits each year. The website includes a new dedicated industry area providing a hub of up to date information and resources for Dorset’s tourism trade.