LOOKING AHEAD: DEVON

It was a long and very busy season for the many businesses linked to the visitor economy across Devon, with an estimated 15 to 20% increase on visitor numbers to the county compared with 2019. And in the main these were ‘Staycationers’ with many people still not confident to take an overseas holiday. We saw a further increase in the millennial visitor with many attracted to the many outdoor activities we have such as paddle boarding, surfing, sailing, kayaking, rock climbing and high wires. 2021 has had in many ways, more challenges than the 2020 season. With the well documented skills shortage and recruitment challenges, we ran a short sharp and very targeted recruitment campaign to help businesses attract the staff they needed to enable them to provide the excellent customer service that our visitors expect from our destination. In the main, businesses coped with the increased numbers of visitors, but some with a reduced offering, with shortened opening hours, reduced menus, and less capacity. Alongside Cornwall, Devon was listed as the top destination to visit in England. Attractions have had a vital and muchneeded boost as weather was not all beach weather, some attractions breaking daily records for visitor numbers. Many extended the season and remained open until the end of October and traded well with the twoweek half term. However, the busy summer has not made up for the lost trading time during the lockdowns, and with businesses still having to limit access to certain things such as pools and rides but on a brighter note, it has been a major boost for business confidence. As mentioned, recruitment and staff shortages has been a major issue and still is. Without assistance from the Government to enable some EU staff back in, this shortage of staff is likely to continue (post Brexit and Covid, UK demographics point to this trend continuing). There are not the applicants coming through to fill the vacancies. Brexit is not totally to blame, some staff who were on furlough took other jobs

Deliver clean and inclusive growth to make it easier for visitors to make sustainable choices

To be the most accessible destination in the UK

Addressing seasonality; value per visitor; data and research and collaboration

Strengthen business networks; support businesses and protect consumers through a compulsory registration scheme, build community wealth and strengthen the supply chain

Kick start recovery by getting people back into employment; support growth businesses; improve digital skills and provide career paths

Promote the region to new and growth markets as a place for business events

Encourage and support digital and transport infrastructure improvements

during that time and left the sector to commence on other career paths that could offer more sociable hours. We are working with Devon County Council to improve skills in the sector and working with schools and colleges to promote hospitality as a choice of career not just a stop gap between jobs. As for the year ahead, forward bookings are looking strong going into 2022 and as it stands, all looks good for another year of the ‘Staycationer’. However, a word of caution, and a sting in the tail from some recent surveys show that 49% of consumers surveyed are planning to go overseas in 2022, with over 40% unsure and only 3% saying there will definitely be holidaying in the UK. The rest are undecided. The potential visitor has ‘blanket booked’ two or more holidays so can decide later which holiday they will take, dependent on the current Covid climate and potential restrictions. That said we need to be mindful and target other markets to fill the potential gap, such as inbound travellers. There is no room for complacency as a destination and we must plan now to ensure we don’t lose out. Devon and the wider south west has traditionally been a leader in the development of sustainable tourism with its Sustainability South West programme in 2016 and the Discover Devon Naturally Project in 2006. Historically, it has had a relatively high number of businesses belonging to the Green Tourism Business Scheme but this has recently reduced, which is thought to be due to failings in the scheme rather than lack of interest in sustainability. Understanding this further will be key to how we engage our businesses again. Visit Devon will be looking at working closely with our industry partners such as UKinbound, Visit England and Visit Britain to ensure we have a strong presence in the global market place, so as the pent up demand from overseas markets is recognised and we can be a welcoming destination with our open space, our beautiful coastal and stunning countryside and exceptional food and drink offering produced within the county.