2018 Annual Tourism Conference

On Tuesday 9th October 2018, we were delighted to welcome members, patrons, visitor economy businesses and industry colleagues to our Annual Tourism Conference, funded by our European Regional Development Fund project ‘Growing and Developing the Visitor Economy within Derbyshire’.

Approximately 150 businesses joined us for an evening of celebration at Thornbridge Hall, as we reviewed our achievements over the last year and shared exciting news, plans and campaigns for the year ahead.

Keynote speaker, television presenter and Peak District champion Julia Bradbury, delivered an engaging presentation on her role in promoting the area as a world-class destination and stressed the importance of communication and helping each other as a business community.

Managing Director Jo Dilley emphasized the continuing need for close teamwork between the private and public sectors with powerful messages:

“Our mission is to make the Peak District and Derbyshire the destination of choice – regionally, nationally and globally. We want to offer a world class experience, encouraging visitors to share and recommend the area as a great place to take a holiday. The visitor economy is currently in very robust shape, and we are confident that next year will be equally, if not more, successful.”

Deputy Director Lindsay Rae showcased the successes of the year, and presented updates on our 2019 activities and the value of tourism.

Marketing Campaigns Manager Danielle Sorsby delivered an informative update on current campaigns and exciting future plans.

Guest speaker Councillor Barry Lewis underlined the key role that the visitor economy plays in driving economic growth for both residents and businesses – and his presentation focused on building a tourism offer that is truly world-class.

Guest speaker Paul Ince from Like Mind Media Ltd, presented guests with a valuable insight into how best use social media networks to tell compelling stories to help their businesses stand out from the crowd.

2018 Annual Tourism Conference Highlights