Tourism organisation predicts return of the Great British Holiday

A leading south west tourism organization headed by a Budleigh Salterton resident is calling for the industry to join together to build a better showcase for the region, claiming this is the best way to stimulate and revive the Great British Holiday tradition.

Left: Great Sloncombe Farm, Moretonhampstead, is one of the many West Country bed & breakfast businesses promoted by Cartwheel Holidays.

According to Cartwheel Holidays, a leading non-profit tourism firm exclusive to the West Country, the industry needs to link together all the elements that draw visitors to the region such as quality accommodation, locally sourced food, fun activities and local heritage, rather than promoting them separately if it’s to make the most of the holiday-at-home boom predicted this year.

In response to the changing economic climate, Cartwheel has just re-launched its website in an expanded format featuring not only its 570 accommodation listings, but also details of farm shops and farmers markets across the region where visitors can buy locally produced food, numerous attractions and activities, plus information about the region’s counties and towns.

It’s all about promoting the whole experience of the West Country,” says Gina Woodcraft, chief executive of Cartwheel Holidays which celebrates its 10th birthday this year. “Everyone’s feeling the pinch, but visitors are more likely to be drawn to the region if we share our local knowledge and make it easier for them to imagine and believe they will have a good holiday experience before they even book.

“Currently the tourism industry is very accommodation focused, but this is only a small part of the experience potential visitors to the West Country are after. If we can become more integrated, show and deliver the whole experience they’re after, it will encourage people to return year after year. I believe this is our best chance to revive the Great British Holiday indefinitely.”

Covering Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and Dorset, the Cartwheel website is believed to be the only one of its kind offering integrated holiday information across the region. It’s hoped this and others like it, if they’re developed, will help address the £400m hit taken by the wider economy due to the drop in visitor spend in the region last year, mainly through a fall in secondary spending on eating out and visiting attractions.

“We know visitors love being signposted to good food and fun activities, as it helps them make the most of their stay,” continues Gina Woodcraft, who lives on Exmouth Road. “By putting more information in one place, people can get a better feel for the area and the authentic West Country experience quickly and easily. This will encourage bookings and, once they’re here, help visitors find places that they otherwise wouldn’t know about.”

Food and drink organisation Taste of the West supports this approach and has provided Cartwheel with a comprehensive list of farm shops and farmers markets for the new website. “I think this approach makes a lot of sense,” says John Sheaves, chief executive of Taste of the West. “If we can get more people enjoying our delicious local food and drink during their stay here, it gives them even more reason to return. There’s no denying it’s one of the reasons people love visiting the region.” Above: Cartwheel is actively promoting West Country Farmers' Markets such as Budleigh's.

Cartwheel has grown steadily since the early days and now offers more than 570 independently owned properties to chose from, mainly in rural and countryside settings. This demonstrates how the region’s small tourism businesses are making more effort to market themselves professionally, which means they are well place to survive the economic slump.

Other new features on the Cartwheel website include searches by county, by town and also by niche, including fishing breaks, business breaks, pet friendly and toddler friendly breaks. In response to market demand there is now a new 'last minute deals' availability search with links to google maps.

Cartwheel’s primary aim is to offer visitors a true taste of rural life with the opportunity to enjoy the experience of a working farm or relax in idyllic surroundings in the countryside. “We select businesses that are family run and encourage the sourcing and serving of local food,” says Gina. “Cartwheel actively supports the protection and conservation of our landscape and wildlife habitats. We believe that the adoption of green tourism activities will enrich the holiday experience.”

For more information visit http://www.cartwheelholidays.co.uk/