Have your say in what makes Shropshire a fantastic place to live in, work in and play in

People are being asked to share their views on a new plan promoting Shropshire as a fantastic destination for anyone looking for somewhere new to visit.

The Shropshire Destination Management Plan has been presented to Shropshire Councillors and is now open to the public to share opinions and comments.

Rob Gittins, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for culture and digital, said:-

“Shropshire Council is leading a partnership of people, in both the private sector and public sector, to identify priorities and related actions that will begin to transform Shropshire as a visitor destination.

“The plan is a fresh start for Shropshire. It provides impetus and direction for everyone in the county with a stake in the sector and is an important driver of the county’s economy.”

Visiting the Shropshire countryside

The plan has three clear objectives:-

• Establishing ‘One Shropshire’: By 2025 public, private, voluntary and community groups will come together under the name of One Shropshire to focus on what makes us different from other rural destinations; to consider both physical and digital connectivity in a sustainable way; and to maximise public and private skills and capacities, and encourage business engagement.
• To grow value added by the visitor economy, which will grow at a rate of five per cent per year by adopting a sustainable model of development that includes longer stays, value over volume, addressing seasonality and by showcasing more of Shropshire to new audiences.
• Promoting Shropshire as a destination that can leverage resources and is worthy of consideration for any future tourism funding initiatives, because it is well organised, internally joined up and engaged with external partners.

When last assessed the total number of trips to Shropshire was 13 million a year, with nine out of 10 being day trips. The average length of stay for overnight trips was 3.2 nights, slightly above the national average, with the majority being made by UK residents.

Because there are more day visitors their contribution to the economy is lower than in other destinations. The average day visitor spends £24.45, compared to an England average of £34.65, and trip spend is £173 versus £187.

Rob added:-

“We want to grow our share of visitors and we want to do that responsibly and sustainably, making sure we balance the needs of visitors, the environment, our residents and businesses.

“The Destination Management Plan has pulled together a clear strategy for us to do that, and I would encourage people to look at it in detail and to get involved in shaping Shropshire’s future and promoting our county for what it truly is – a fabulous place to live in, work in and play in.”

To read the full Destination Management Plan and have your say click here. People can get involved and leave their comments until Friday 31 March 2023.