The Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty

Rural Tourism Workshops

Join us for two free workshops and learn how to tap into the rapidly growing market for bookable visitor experiences!

Experiential tourism provides a brand new layer of opportunities well beyond the traditional tourism landscape. Visitors are seeking the opportunity to engage with local stories, culture and to connect with the essence of a place and its people. 

These workshops are designed for tourism businesses in the Chilterns and the North Wessex Downs AONB.

The sessions will

• Explore the essential ingredients needed to develop bookable experiences and guide you to develop your own
• Discuss options for distributing and promoting your product, including on-line booking platforms
• Help you identify and attract new audiences
• Ensure you are included in our Experiences promotion in 2022
• Meet other businesses and make valuable new contacts - and potential collaborators for tourism experiences!

About the workshops

There are two sessions:

• A 90 minute introductory webinar (online) on Monday 10 January at 10am-11.30am. This will give an overview of the market and explore the essential ingredients needed to develop and distribute bookable experiences.
• A follow-up 3 hour interactive workshop (in-person) on Thursday 20 January at 1pm-4pm at the Morrell Rooms in Streatley-on-Thames RG8 9HT. We will explore how your business can offer new experiences with a more detailed look at pricing, online booking platforms and marketing to create attractive new offers and reach new audiences. This session gives businesses expert practical guidance on how to deliver an experience and how to form the story that will glue the whole experience together. This interactive workshop will build on the knowledge learnt in the webinar, so businesses should ideally attend both. This session includes a local produce lunch at the start including a selection of delicious local cheeses!

The workshops will be led by tourism and marketing specialist Chris Brant from Unmissable England, supported by the Chilterns Conservation Board. Chris has over 20 years experience working in sustainable tourism and marketing. He has project managed Visit England’s Discover England Fund programme across nine National Parks developing over 70 brand new visitor experiences to take to market. Chris is the founder of Unmissable England (www.unmissableengland.com) a new booking platform and website with a unique collection of authentic experiences developed and hosted by small to medium sized tourism businesses from Cumbria to Cornwall. Unmissable England targets consumers in North America and Northern Europe. 

Booking 

The workshops are organised by the Chilterns Conservation Board in partnership with the North Wessex Downs AONB. They are FREE for businesses in the leisure and hospitality sector located in and around the Chilterns and North Wessex Downs AONBs thanks to grant funding from Mend the Gap and the HS2 Business and Local Economy Fund.

Places are limited to 30 and pre-booking is essential, book early to avoid disappointment.

BOOK NOW   

Can't make the workshops but interested in experiential tourism? The workshops are part of a wider marketing and business support programme. There will be follow on 1:1 business support available to a limited number of businesses. To find out how you can take part email Annette on aweiss@chilternsaonb.org