New ‘Shakespeare’s England’ group will manage tourism around Stratford and Warwick districts

At a meeting of Warwick District Council’s executive committee this month, members voted unanimously for the authority to support the creation of a joint destination management organisation to cover both areas.

The private sector-lead organisation, for which up to £40,000 of the authority’s tourism reserve will be used to co-fund with Stratford District Council, would be focused on the sustainable growth of tourism and would build on various existing initiatives including the work of the RSC Birthplace Trust, Warwick Castle and its Travel Trade marketing which work under the guise of ‘Shakespeare’s England’.

This brand could be used for the wider benefit of the area.

Cllr John Hammon (Con, Cubbington), who is responsible for policy on development services, said: “We have been left in a vacuum with the loss of Shakespeare Country and that has remained for too long. Frustration has been shown so we need to do this very quickly.

“We want this organisation to represent all areas across the district and also to have partnerships with the Coventry the Cotswolds and anyone else so it can benefit the whole area for tourism in the future.

“We need to modernise and this needs to be industry-led because tourism has changed considerably in the last few years.”

Both Cllr Hammon and Cllr Michael Coker (Con, Kenilworth Abbey) stressed the importance of having a good website in place for information and bookings while Cllr Andrew Mobbs (Con, Kenilworth Park Hill) said the creation of the organisation could fit in with the district’s local plan for which tourism is an important part of the council’s strategy to increase employment.

Further reports on the creation of the destination management organisation will be considered by the council in November and in March next year.