National Review of Destination Marketing Organisations

Marketing Cheltenham are the official Destination Management Organisation (DMO) for Cheltenham, recognised by Visit England, and leading on the promotion of Cheltenham as a place to visit, live, work, and invest. We champion the town’s visitor economy and businesses locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally, through the Visit Cheltenham, Meet in Cheltenham, and We’re Moving to Cheltenham brands.

Sitting within Cheltenham Borough Council, we are part of the national network of DMOs, as well as a member of a regional tourism partnership with colleagues from across Gloucestershire and The Cotswolds.

In 2021, the Government commissioned an independent review of DMOs in England, conducted by VisitEngland Advisory Board Chair, Nick de Bois. This review made a number of recommendations about the current tourism support landscape and what role DMOs should take in the future, particularly in the context of the sector’s recovery from the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

The Government have now responded to this review and their response can be found here: Government response to the independent review of destination management organisations in England – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

The response recognises that Destination Management Organisations are a vital part of England’s tourism landscape, connecting with local businesses and Government agencies to attract investment and visitors across the regions, boosting the visitor economy. The response states that, for this to happen, it is necessary to transform the DMO landscape at a local level and address challenges with the structure, funding models and fragmentation of England’s DMO landscape.

Here at Marketing Cheltenham we are monitoring the national developments with interest and maintaining our existing excellent relationships with local, regional, and national tourism partnerships and delivery bodies. We will keep our members informed at every step of the way and will continue to champion Cheltenham and its fantastic businesses at every stage of the way.