Visitor Economy Development Plan

Tourism stimulates economic growth. It provides and maintains jobs for local people and supports a large and diverse workforce with a varied skills profile. It strengthens a wide range of local companies and enterprises and increases their revenue both directly and indirectly. It also supports the facilities and services that provide local communities with a good quality of life.

This Visitor Economy Development Plan is the blueprint for how Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead intends to develop its visitor economy between 2024 and 2029.

Commissioned by VisitWindsor it has been developed by stakeholders from the public authority and the tourism industry with support from local and regional organisations, transport providers and the national tourist board.

An extensive planning exercise has examined where tourism stands today, identified the current issues for both businesses and communities and determined what stakeholders want the future to look like. The result is a plan that responds to a dramatically changed world where the global focus for tourism is sustainability and equality of opportunity. It anticipates participation of the borough in the new tourism management structure in England and addresses the critical issue of funding for destination management and tourism services locally. It describes an approach to visitor economy development that builds on existing assets, focuses on the visitor experience and supports growth.

Strategic aim

To increase the value of the Royal Borough’s visitor economy in a way that is economically, socially and environmentally sustainable and is supported by residents.

Vision

By 2029 the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead will be recognised as one of England’s most accessible and sustainably managed tourism destinations which celebrates world-class heritage, delivers opportunity to its residents and sees every departing visitor delighted by their experience.

High-level objectives

• Increase the value of tourism by 5% year on year
• Over 75% of the borough’s residents supportive of tourism
• Over 85% of visitors rating the borough highly for customer service and quality
• Improved staff recruitment and retention in hospitality sector
• More bedspaces while maintaining high occupancy levels
• Increased levels of businesses with sustainable and accessible accreditation.

Strategic priorities

• Sustainable Windsor and Maidenhead: joined-up transport and sustainable resource management
• Year-round Windsor and Maidenhead: focus on MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and events)
• Accessible Windsor and Maidenhead: accessible transport and up-to-date and comprehensive information provision
• World-class visitor experience: customer service and improvements to the public realm
• Extending the footprint: product development in rural areas and Maidenhead and joined-up transport
• Employment and careers for all: career paths and an inclusive and positive working environment.

Market focus and segments

Target markets: North America, London and regional England
Market segments: business visits and events, staying leisure visitors, day leisure visitors

Underpinning activity

• Improving data and intelligence: a stronger evidence base and revised performance indicators
• Developing the VisitWindsor Partnership: more members and input from local communities
• Financial stability for the destination management organisation: increased membership contributions and options for a tourism business improvement district.

Read the Visitor Economy Development Plan in full here.