The team
Jess, Tara, Emma and Lisa are now eight weeks into their new roles. David Jackson, Marketing Cheltenham’s new Marketing Manager, starts on Monday 8th July.
The launch of The Festival Town re-brand 10 July
The rebrand will be launched publicly on Wednesday 10th July as part of Cheltenham Music Festival. A short presentation will be given along with the launch of a short film about The Festival Town. This will be used to promote the brand on social media from that evening.
All VisitCheltenham digital platforms will be rebranded on 10th July and a press release will go out to announce the town’s rebrand. An asset pack will be available on the 11th for partners and members to help share the news and content through their channels and to present a unified town message.
Digital
We’ve seen an increase on our digitals channels with the channels performing well versus 2018 figures. VisitCheltenham.com unique users is up 71% compared to last April. Facebook followers have increased by 195%, Twitter 16% and Instagram 134%.
Whilst continuing to promote events to drive footfall, Lisa is working on content that drives traffic to member businesses, check out the Visit Cheltenham blog to see what she’s been working on. In line with our priorities for the next few months, Lisa has created and shared videos and photos across all social media channels to raise awareness of our retail and food and drink offer:
– Dunkerton’s – https://www.facebook.com/VisitCheltenham/videos/376867603179392/ 1.3k video views, 3.7k reach https://www.instagram.com/p/By553csH3cR/ 500 views
– Sibling Gin – https://www.facebook.com/VisitCheltenham/videos/912927395721649 1,140 views, 2.7k reach h 0ttps://www.instagram.com/p/BzAML09nl2m/ 500 views –
The Greenway Hotel and Spa – https://www.facebook.com/VisitCheltenham/posts/2257265810993735 – 4,150 social reach
– The Ivy – https://www.facebook.com/VisitCheltenham/videos/892014027816813 4k reach, 1.8k views https://www.facebook.com/VisitCheltenham/posts/2236372309749752 – 4,700 reach
– Monrose Boutique –https://twitter.com/visitchelt/status/1143980930945757184 725+ views
– Anthropologie opening – https://www.instagram.com/p/ByFplORHaSy/ 800+ views
Don’t forget, members are eligible to join our private Facebook group where we share news and opportunities as soon as they become available. Members and non-members are encouraged to add their events for free to the What’s On guide here.
Consumer Enews
Our subscriber fortnightly newsletter now has a featured hotel, restaurant and bar section – https://mailchi.mp/marketingcheltenham.co.uk/fathers-day-ideas-special-offers-unmissable-events. The growth of the e-news database is one of our priorities – currently 1,100. We are aiming to develop this channel in order to communicate regularly with regional visitors in particular. The new website layout and social media competitions will encourage more sign ups.
New Tourist Information Points
Throughout the town there are 18 information points with maps helping visitors to get around. We have been working on updating these in line with the 2019 visitor guide and map. We are aiming for these to be in place w/c 15th July 2019. Changes include new branding and promotion of the different visitor areas.
Promoting Cheltenham as a shopping destination
We have been reviewing how we present our retail offer on visitcheltenham.com. Including area searches, representation of the different types of shops and services. Each month four different businesses will be represented on the shopping landing page and there will continue to be blogs around seasonal shopping times e.g. Father’s day, teacher’s gift guides. We are also looking at ideas around monthly promotions on different types of products/shops eg homewares, technology, jewellery as well as fashion.
Dynamic Wayfinding
A workshop will take place in July over the need for more dynamic wayfinding around Cheltenham. Working with Bristol agency Calvium and involving University of Glos Digital department, Cheltenham Borough Council and Cheltenham BID are looking at new and innovative ways to move people around town to lesser known central areas to ensure they make the most of their visit. The opportunities being looked at include how businesses can interact with visitors when they arrive in and move around Cheltenham.
Events update
Cheltenham Festival of Cycling
Jess is working on Cheltenham’s first criterion that will create a buzz around Montpellier on 1 September. Working alongside British Cycling we are creating a 1.3km track around Montpellier and Bayshill for a day of competitive cycling with youth, amateur, corporate and elite categories, where we are hoping to attract some high profile riders. Before the competition starts the track hosts a Let’s Ride, which is an opportunity for cyclists of all ages and abilities to get involved.
Montpellier Gardens will be home to the Event Village where the national cycle team cars will be on display along with health and fitness and leisure traders and the local cycle clubs hosting e-bike and accessible bike demos, and coaching sessions on their kids track. The gardens will also feature a corporate hospitality space with a private bus bar. For more information on corporate hospitality and sponsorship opportunities, contact Tara: [email protected]
Christmas in Cheltenham
Plans are also moving quickly for Christmas in Cheltenham. We will be imminently submitting planning permission for the Ice Rink in Imperial Gardens. Where we are proposing the rink be in place from 21 November 2019 to 5 January 2020, this will coincide with the town’s Christmas Light Switch on 23 November 2019.
Though initial plans were to include the Christmas Markets within the Gardens after consultation with the Friends of Imperial Gardens it has been decided to look at alternative sites for Christmas Markets including the Long Gardens. There have also been a number of conversations around power supply to avoid using generators, both from a cost and environmental factor.
The Quadrangle has agreed to supply the power and we are waiting to discuss logistics with their service engineers.
Evenlode has been secured for this year’s Christmas Light Switch on with plans being kicked off later this month.
If you would like to benefit from our work and receive our regular updates of opportunities, become a member.
Marketing Cheltenham 