Press Release

Looking to the future with knowledge and some help from modern technology was the theme of this year’s Visit County Durham annual conference which took place on Wednesday 6 November.

Representatives from visitor economy businesses across the county attended the event at The Manor House Hotel in West Auckland to network and hear from industry leaders on the past, present and future outlook for tourism.

Michelle Gorman, Visit County Durham’s managing director, opened the day by addressing the audience of over 70 delegates welcoming them and highlighting some of the key projects delivered by the Local Visitor Economy Partnership over the past 12 months.

The annual event featured presentations from Amy Whitfield, award-winning food tour expert and the founder of Triple A Food Tours and digital and AI expert Pascal Fintoni.

Amy spoke about the importance of the food and drink industry in Durham and the benefits it brings to the county, as research shows it makes up 36% of the county’s £1.2b annual spend as well as creating jobs and boosting visitor numbers. She also focused on the importance of research and social media to target customers.

One of her take away messages was the benefits of engaging with businesses across the sector as well as gaining and sharing local knowledge to enhance the customer experience, giving everyone food for thought.

The importance of research and knowing customer’s needs and requirements was also a theme of the day as Lucy Wearne, research manager at Visit County Durham, gave an insight into how customer information is gathered and used to help predict visitor trends as well as key things customers are looking for, such as flexible booking options, sustainability, value for money and local experiences.

From research and trends the event moved to predicting the future as AI and digital marketing expert Pascal Fintoni talked about how modern technology can be used to enhance the visitor experience, from helping customers decide where to visit as well as how it will be able to plan itineraries and make dining and attraction suggestions tailored to individuals.

He emphasised the importance of everyone being ready for AI and to make sure that it is accessible to all and not ringfenced by major technology platforms. He touched on how AI can benefit the tourism industry in the next five years as well as a note of caution about how it could be used in negative ways.

Michelle Gorman, managing director of Visit County Durham, said: “It was great to see such a strong turnout at this year’s industry conference. Knowledge truly is power and hearing how we can use information, data and technology to enhance visitor experiences is fascinating and hugely important. Amy’s passion for the food and drink industry really came across to the delegates and Pascal certainly gave us lots to think about as we look to the future and the role technology will play in it.”

During the conference, delegates also received an update on the work and priorities of the national Destination Development Partnership pilot, which is being delivered by Visit County Durham, NewcastleGateshead Initiative and Visit Northumberland.