Lincolnshire’s BOBI success

A special thanks to all our businesses that supported our Lincolnshire stand at the UK’s largest travel exhibition, Best of Britain and Ireland, last week. The event, in London, placed Lincolnshire side by side with leading destinations all over the UK.

In total five businesses and partners joined us, they included Waddington Air Show, The Olde Barn, Spalding Flower Parade, the Coast and De Vere Belton Woods Hotel.

Ben Callaghan, Sales & Marketing Manager from the Olde Barn in Grantham said “I was unsure of what to expect from the event, but thanks to Visit Lincolnshire, who invited us to take part in BOBI, it provided us with the opportunity to meet contacts we would never have had the chance to meet face to face otherwise. There was a steady stream of visitors representing quality business opportunities over the four day event, some of whom have already been converted into customers. I’d like to thank Visit Lincolnshire for enabling us to be a part of this national event and hope we can be there again next year.”

BOBI is an annual event, if you want to know more about future events and exhibition opportunities email keren@visitlincolnshire.com.

EnjoyEngland Excellence Awards 2010 – celebrate success in Lincolnshire

We’d like to invite you to enter this year’s regional awards and to join the elite of Lincolnshire’s tourism businesses. So, how do you go about taking part?

Why should you enter?
Do you want to build your business and attract new customers?
Do you want to raise the profile of your business with the media?
Do you want to receive FREE constructive professional feedback on your operation?
Do you want to stand out from the crowd?

Who is eligible?
All tourism businesses, no matter how large or small – from the smallest tea shop to attractions welcoming over 100,000 visitors each year.

What do you have to do?Decide which category you would like to enter (you may enter as many as you like).
Please check the eligibility criteria which will be available shortly.
If you are not eligible for one, you may be for another!

Register your interest by emailing sharon@lincolnshiretourism.com and the application form and guidance notes will be sent by return for completion.

When do you have to complete by?
Completed hard copy application forms need to be with the Sarah Gravelle or Sally Porter at Visit Lincolnshire, Beech House, Waterside South, Lincoln LN5 7JH by 3.00 pm on Friday 28 May 2010.

2010 Categories include:
Access for All
Bed & Breakfast/ Guest Accommodation
Best Tourism Experience
Business Tourism
Caravan Holiday Park
Large Hotel
Outstanding Customer Service
Pub Experience
Self Catering
Small Hotel
Small Visitor Attraction
Sustainable Tourism
Taste of the Region
Think Family
Tourism Event of the Year
Tourist Information Centre

Award Diary Dates

Monday 19 April - Win Awards, Win Visitors! Workshop @ The Petwood Hotel - get help with your application!
Friday 28 May 2010- Completed applications to be received by Visit Lincolnshire
June 2010- Short Listing
July/August 2010- Mystery Shop
September 2010 - Final Judging
Thursday 7 October 2010 - Regional awards
April 2011- National awards

The Celebrating Excellence Booklet is available on Monday 5 April 2010 if you want one please contact sharon@visitlincolnshire.com.

‘Harness the Power of Web Marketing’ with Susan Hallam

Members and non-members have been invited to attend Susan Hallam’s latest Web Marketing conference on Friday 14 May with discounted ticket prices.

Visit Lincolnshire members can receive a half price ticket (£175 instead of £350) until Wednesday 31 March. Contact susan@hallam.biz and quote your membership reference number, if you need reminding of your number please speak to fiona@visitlincolnshire.com or ring 01522 561676.

Grant funding may also be available, as long as you have five or more employees who need to learn more about internet marketing. If this applies to your business you can claim 100% funding for the first £500, and a further £500 is available at a 50% match. To apply for grant funding please email Susan directly (susan@hallam.biz)

VisitBritian invites you to ‘Get involved with the 2012 Olympic Games’

VisitBritain have launched a new tourism website, in partnership with London 2012’s Nations and Regions Group. Its aim is to help tourism businesses get involved in the Olympic Games.

If you work in tourism and want to know more about the London Olympic Games and Paralympics Tourism2012Games.org is the website for you.

Get an insight into the UK’s preparation to host the biggest event in the world and find out how your business can make the most of the Games. You can even sign up to the Tourism 2012 Games free e-newsletter.

Coming soon – We’re working with Lincolnshire Sports Partnership to hold a county based conference specifically for tourism businesses, the aim will be to explain how to get involved and reap the benefit of working with Sports Associations to maximize the potential of 2012.

Free Business Workshops throughout April

Have a look at these free business workshops run by the NE Group based in Boston.

If you’re interested in learning more about team work; speed networking or managing effective teams we think you’ll find this website useful.

Calling all heritage & cultural attractions

The BBC has launched a new History Campaign for the summer holiday and needs help from cultural and heritage businesses to get as many children and families involved as possible.

History is a major theme for the BBC this year and many programmes will be shown on TV as a result. To compliment the programmes the BBC wants to work with local businesses to help inspire families across the UK get ‘hands on’ with their past to help them discover history in their local area. As a result they want to provide businesses with Holiday History Packs bursting with ideas that will inspire heritage and cultural attractions to run family activities. In return any activities provided will feature on their website.

For more information email helen.sykes@bbc.co.uk.

Lincoln Book Festival – become a friend & attract visitors

Events act as a hook for attracting visitors and we need your help to promote the Lincoln Book Festival on 12th – 16th May. The programme has just been launched and can be viewed on the Book Festival’s Website from 25 March onwards.

If you want to support the festival please contact Sara Bullimore (sara.bullimore@googlemail.com). You can become a ‘Friend of the Festival’ by paying a small subscription fee, this will give you priority access to the headline events; or you can just request festival brochures, posters and other promotional material to display in your business.

Useful links
- Follow the festival on Twitter! /lincolnbookfest
- Become a Book Festival Fan on Facebook
- For the box office call (01522) 873894 or http://www.lincolndrillhall.com/