Growing a Successful Rural Tourism Business

Tourism in the South West is big business and can be an attractive way to build resilience and diversify your income stream. 

The 2018 CLA Tourism Forum aims to give landowners who are either setting up or looking to grow a tourism business a chance to access advice, make new contacts and gain inspiration that will help them to be successful.

You will hear from inspirational rural tourism business leaders and glean practical tips from those operating successfully in the industry.

DRAFT AGENDA
10.00 Registration & refreshments
10.30 Alistair Handyside, Holiday Cottage Advice Ltd; Chair of English Self Catering
Chair of Premier Cottages, member of Visit England Advisory Group, CLA Tourism Advocate
Chairman’s introduction
10.40 Key Speaker 1: Lyndsey Turner-Swift, Head of England Planning & Delivery at Visit England/Britain
11.00 Case Study 1: Bob Montgomery, CEO Longleat
The Longleat Story - needing to earn other income, learning, growing.
11.10 Key Speaker 2: James Del Mar, Rural Solutions
Making the most of tourism, getting started and improving the offer
11.30 Comfort Break
11.45 Case Study 2: (tbc)
11.55 Questions/Panel Discussion (morning speakers)
12.15 Key Speaker 3: John Sheaves, Taste of the West
Eating the Experience – Local Food and Drink at the heart of the experience
12.30 Lunch
14.00 Case Study 3: Rees Keene, Over Farm 
Creating the core attraction
14:10 Case Study 4: John Willis, CLA Cornwall Committee, Lost Gardens of Heligan and Pentewan Sands Holiday Park
Protecting your place in the market
14.20 Key Speaker 4: Simon Law, Cottages.com
Shaping and Marketing your offer
14.40 Key Speaker 5: Simon Glisten, Glisten-Deluxe.com 
14:55  Key Speaker 6: Dr Charles Trotman, CLA Senior Rural Business & Economics Adviser The Policy Plan
15.10  Key Speaker 7: Tobooka tbc
15.20  Questions/Panel Discussion (Afternoon Speakers)
15.45  Chairman’s thanks and concluding remarks
15.50  Seasonal refreshments and Festival of Lights