Working together to create new market- ready tourist experiences and products – Training for Mid and East Antrim Borough Council delivered by Chartered Marketer Christine Watson – 27 March 2019

Mid and East Antrim Borough Council’s tourism and hospitality industry training programme for spring 2019 includes a one day course by Chartered Marketer Christine Watson entitled: Working together to create new market-ready tourist experiences and products.

Mid and East Antrim Borough Council encourage businesses in the region to participate, to increase their knowledge, network with other industry professionals and provide the best
possible experience for visitors to the Mid and East Antrim area.

Course Date: Wednesday 27 March 2019

Course Time: 9.30am-4.30pm

Course Title: Working together to create new market-ready tourist experiences and products

Course Venue:

Arts Workshops,
The Braid
Ballymena
Town Hall

Course Capacity: 20

Cost to Attend: Free (fully funded by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council for based tourism and hospitality businesses in the council area)

Course Content:

Working together to create new market-ready tourist experiences and products in Mid and East Antrim

Your Trainer:

Chartered Marketer Christine Watson, Watson & Co Chartered Marketing

Purpose of course:

Over the past decade tourism in Northern Ireland has doubled it’s annual
contribution to £1 billion and we are set to work together to double it again. The
biggest tourism growth opportunity is offered by international visitors.
International visitors want memorable experiences and in Mid and East Antrim
we are competing with businesses across the world to be heard, to be seen and
to become a ‘must see’ and ‘must do’ in a tourist’s itinerary.
Do you offer anything unusual, different or interesting – meals, activities,
accommodation? Can you offer ‘money can’t buy’ experiences, surprise gifts or
added value? Would meeting the locals offer a unique opportunity for your
customers? This training is designed for anyone interested in partnering together
with other businesses to create and develop new collaborative experiences.

You will learn:

• How to partner together with other businesses to create and develop new
  collaborative experiences;
• The steps involved in creating and launching new, memorable, ‘money
  can’t buy’ experiences that both attract and pleasantly surprise visitors to
  your business and our borough;
• Knowledge about the local area, products and services, visitors to the
  area, your fellow local businesses that are collaborating for success, your
  competitors and current trends in the visitor economy;
• Ways in which you can promote the destination to complement your
  product/service attractiveness;
• Techniques to generate and develop innovative ideas;
• The tools you can use to generate useful feedback/intelligence;
• Why determining the 7 P’s in your marketing mix (Product/Service, Price, Promotion, Place, People, Processes and Physical Evidence) will increase the likelihood of success;
• Where your product/service can and should be found;
• Effective action planning to help you prioritise ideas and start to plan for launch;
• Accountability tips;

Delegates can expect to:

• Be challenged to collaboratively develop new experiences that will be
  taken to market to increase visitor spend both within the cluster
  businesses and within Mid and East Antrim borough as a whole;
• Be inspired by innovative co-opetition and partnership working that works;
  and
• Determine their critical steps to success.

You will need:

• A clear understanding of your current products and services;
• A commitment to work with other organisations and individuals to create
  new products/services – you will likely achieve the most from this
  workshop if you come with a collaboration partner from another local
  business;
• A receptive attitude; and
• Willingness to develop and grow your business.

Eligibility for Courses
Training courses are only available to Mid and East Antrim Borough based tourism
and hospitality businesses. A maximum of 2 participants will be permitted from
any one business, unless courses are under subscribed.
Places will be given on a first come first served basis. Once available spaces have
been filled, applicants will be placed on a reserve list.

Booking Method / Queries:
If you wish to reserve a space or have any queries regarding these training
courses, please contact:

Zoe Lindsay, Tourism Business Engagement Officer
Bookings Email: tourism@midandeastantrim.gov.uk

Tel: +44(0)28 2826 2379

All courses have been subsidised by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council.

Catering: Light lunch provided.

Please advise if you
have any special dietary requirements.

Cancellation Policy
Mid and East Antrim Borough Council reserves the right to cancel courses at any
time, if there are insufficient participant numbers.
In the event of participant cancellation, less than one week before the start of a
course or failure to attend a course, no refund will be given unless the cancelled
place can be filled from a reserve list of businesses. Substitutions may be made
from within your own business at any time, but please give as much notice as
possible.