We’ve been on the beautiful Isles of Scilly this week, starting work on a study to help them plan their future approach to tourism. Pictured are Graham and Roger meeting with local stakeholder Richard McCarthy in a typical idyllic spot.
We caught the Night Riviera sleeper from Penzance last night and I was home in Brighton before 9 this morning. It’s the second time I’ve caught the sleeper in the last month, and it’s a great way to travel. Plus, the compartment costs less than a night in an average B&B. And you get breakfast in bed!
We were doing some thinking about the Visitor Journey model as we sailed back across the Atlantic yesterday afternoon – you know, the virtuous circle that starts with “dreaming, booking, planning” and ends
with “remembering, recommending and repeating”.
For years, destinations have looked for cost-effective ways of keeping the experience alive in visitors’ heads as they head home and re-enter everyday life. This morning I had proof of just how powerful social networking is when it comes to that final section of the circle.
Two tweets from Radio Scilly, which does a fantastic job of capturing the essence of the Scillies, read:
“A gorgeous sunrise today but definitely a chill in the air. Skybus and the helicopters are on time.”
And “Radio Scilly is getting reports that 150 dolphins are off the isles right now.”
I was back there in an instant.