As Eynsham sits between the Cotswolds and Oxford – two popular tourist destinations – our village often attracts national and international visitors. West Oxfordshire District Council and Cotswolds Tourism have recently shared some resources with the Parish Council that we think could be useful for local businesses catering to tourists.
Any residents who currently offer holiday or short-term lets in Eynsham may want to contribute to a public consultation being run by the Government as part of the Tourism Recovery Plan. The focus is on the national tourist accommodation market. The consultation evidence will help shape policy to ensure the industry can recover post-pandemic. You can read more about the Tourism Recovery Plan and contribute on the Government website.
Many of our local businesses already recognise the value of having digital channels – whether a website or a social media platform – to help promote their products and services or to attract visitors. However, not everyone will have the experience or expertise to maximise the benefits of these channels. To help you upskill, there are a number of training videos on the Cotswolds Tourism website that explain the basics of digital topics such as SEO (search engine optimisation) and Google Analytics.
Marketing your business in the right way can make all the difference when it comes to attracting tourists. To better understand the motivations international travellers have for visiting the UK, VisitBritain research has collected evidence across 29 countries or regions worldwide. There are some interesting insights in the report that could help business position themselves to appeal to visitors.
Finally, anyone working on a project that links our community with local, regional or national heritage may be entitled to apply for a National Lottery Grant for Heritage. These grants range from £10,000 to £250,00 depending on the project. You can read more about the scheme and review the eligibility criteria on the official website.
As the summer holiday season begins and many tourists resume travelling locally and internationally, there is every chance that Eynsham businesses will see an influx of customers in the coming months. It’s encouraging to see the District Council teaming up with Cotswolds Tourism to provide some targeted support; we hope it will be useful and that all our local businesses have a successful season!