Cheap travel and rain hit tourism (From Stroud News and Journal)

Cheap travel and rain hit tourism

BAD weather and cheap foreign travel are among the factors blamed for a slump in tourism which has rocked the industry in the Five Valleys.

While 2003 was a bumper year for tourism this year has seen profits hit hard as visitors shun the district for sunnier climes or simply save their pennies as they fear for the future.

Nigel Messenger, owner of Stroud's Downfield Hotel, said it was a widespread problem.

"It's not just Stroud but it is quite serious," he said. "For us things were really good last year and at the moment we should be going flat out but instead it's up and down like a yo-yo.

"We're certainly seeing fewer foreign tourists and also fewer Brits. It came out of the blue, it dropped like a stone at the beginning of this year.

"To get to the reasons for why this is happening is extremely difficult and I don't have the answers but there are no doubt many, many factors involved."

He said the budget airlines were making foreign travel easier and more attractive, while many people believed black clouds hung over their financial future.

Many 'home-grown' tourists to Gloucestershire are retired, he said, and losing money in the pension crisis, or fear or doing so, was putting them off.

But, he added, there was little the industry could do to address the matter beyond crossing its fingers.

"We're convinced that generally we've got it right and it's no use us going into panic mode and altering our marketing for what might be a short-term blip.

"I think we have to sit down, tighten our belts and hope for the best."

He said there was a widely acknowledged problem with the district's marketing of itself and it hid its light under a bushel but that was not the issue here.

"That's a long-term strategy problem, but this is more immediate," he said.

Paul Moir, manager of the Rococo Gardens in Painswick, said most county attractions had been hit and would welcome more support from district residents.

The gardens had definitely felt the slump.

"We are probably ten per cent down on an average year but we're 30 per cent down on last year," he said.

"The weather has to be largely to blame, we had a bad start to the year and the summer has been a washout.

"But I think the fact that there was a big push to promote internal tourism following foot and mouth which helped and that has fizzled out now.

"Also the vast majority of British tourists we get are 50 plus and are probably the worst hit financially, with the pensions crisis."

Gloucestershire has recently joined the South West region of the tourism board after years in the Heart of England and there was a feeling that the county was being overlooked by promoters in favour of the traditional break in Devon or Cornwall.

"At the moment I think they are missing a trick," said Mr Moir. "But hopefully they will realise that Gloucestershire is the jewel in their crown."

"It's no one single thing, it's a little bit here and a little bit there. I think more needs to be done to promote the district."

Mr Moir claimed competing against local tourist attractions was counter productive and what was good for one was good for all.

"I don't want a bigger slice of the cake," he said, "I want a bigger cake and this year it has just got smaller."