Evaluation of Chester as a Visitor Destination - Case Study Example

Name : xxxxxx Tutor : xxxxxxx Title : EVALUATION OF CHESTER AS A VISITOR DESTINATION Institution : xxxxxxx @2009 Table of Contents Section A Summary Introduction The Background of the Development of Tourism in Chester The Appeal of Chester as a Tourist Destination The contribution of Chester’s History to the Development of Tourism Chester’s Current and Future Marketing and Branding Strategies Section B Recommendations for the Future Development of the Tourism industry in Chester Conclusion References Summary Chester is a major tourist destination with international standards. Among British major historic destinations, Chester is ranked in the third place with regard to the number of visitors and the facilities available for tourism activities. Irrespective of the fact that Chester may be less known to the world than cities like York, Oxford, Bath and Edinburgh, the number of visits recorded in this city is relatively high. Chester thus records millions of both staying and day time visitors with an expenditure that has been estimated to be close to three hundred and seventy million sterling pounds. The tourism sector has been of a great contribution to the economic growth of Chester with a number of job opportunities being created for the citizens in this city. Introduction The quality of life among the residents in Chester is closely associated to the influence of tourism. The tourism appeal in Chester mainly revolves around the historic city center that has been distinct for ages with the black and white architecture. This has further been enhanced by the superficial shopping galleries. The tourism appeal in Chester has been fostered by the ideal shopping facilities alongside the various dining places. Chester is known to hold a number of major tourist attractions in the country including a set of city walls, a very fine cathedral and what has perceived to be a very attractive river Dee. There are a number of preferred tourist destinations that would never be ignored by long and first time visitors. The tourist appeal that Chester has been known for is thought to have developed over a very long period of time. This paper examines the background of the tourism appeal in Chester in line with the ideal action plan that should be adopted for future development of this industry. Background of the Development of the Tourism Appeal in Chester The development of tourism in Chester has been shown to have emerged around two thousand years ago. This is thought to have been the time when a number of visitors flocked to this region of the Roman Empire with the goal of visiting a number of relatives and friends with some coming to inspect the distinct legions of this place. With the shrine at St Werburgha, these visitors were later followed by a number of religious tourists who came for pilgrimages. With the conversion of the walls of this city from a defense medium to a highly fashionable promenade, the growth of modern tourism took root as at the onset of the 18th century (Chester City Council 2006). This is thought to have been the time when the rows were further redeveloped and the entire city highly promoted as a major health resort. As at the middle of the 19th century, tourism in Chester greatly picked up especially with the expansion of a number of facilities including the race course alongside the launch of the Music festival. This was further fostered with the development of rail transport which saw the great development of the hotel industry. The expansion of tourism activities in Chester continued over time with over a hundred and seventy hotels and resorts being developed in the city. In the year 1936, the level of tourism in Chester was highly boosted with the opening of the Zoo and the subsequent display of a number of illuminations. With the effects of the Second World War and the economic recession in most parts of the 1930s, the tourism sector in Chester declined with a number of major hotels and resorts falling out of operation as at 1947(Chester City Council 2006).The recovery of this industry emanated in the mid 1950s towards the 1960s with a number of hotels recording a major increase in occupancy. This trend in the increase of tourism activities was steadily maintained throughtout the 1970s to the 1980s. This is thought to have been a time when the level of tourism activities was almost similar to the higher rate that was evident in the early 1930s. The next twenty five years that followed this period was marked by an increase in hotel and resort occupancy with a number of other tourism facilities being developed. By the year 2005, the number of accommodation facilities had increased to a whole 2500. Chester is now credited as a major tourism city that calls for attention from the entire world. It is thus the focus of attention to the entire countryside alongside North Wales. This city faces very minimal competition from northern cities with regard to tourism. The network system in this city is such that can greatly offer the best to the tourism activities with regard to the fact that there exists very ideal road, rail and air transport systems. Among major historic sites that have greatly contributed to the development of the tourism appeal in Chester city is the East gate clock that is one of the highly visited sites. The East gate clock is as depicted in the figure below. This is one of the most photographed sites in Chester city located on the magnificent walls of this city. The strengths, opportunities, weaknesses and threats of Chester as a Tourist Destination Among the highly credited strengths of Chester city is the gilt-edged profile with regard to economic growth and the tourism appeal. This is coupled with the high quality of the environment within Chester. The natural environment of this city is acknowledged as a very considerable asset for the development of the tourism industry. With regard to the existing ecology, the nature of the landscape alongside the recreation and tourism appeal, Chester city meets regional, national and international standards of tourism. The surrounding rural region is also a vital aspect to the development of the tourism appeal in Chester (Chester City Council 2006). Chester has a number of opportunities that offer a great promise to the development of the tourism industry. The regeneration of the waterfront at Winsford is considered to be a very critical regeneration to the entire town. A lot has already been realized with this regeneration including the opening of a grant lifestyle centre alongside a learning zone currently being constructed. Other regeneration opportunities have also been identified via the Winsford Waterfront Development Brief including the proposal to set up a very big hotel and restaurant alongside the improvement of the waterfront and the overall quality of housing. These are all aspects that would foster the development of an ideal tourist appeal. Chester has also been recognized by the regional tourism strategy as a distinct brand which offers it an ideal opportunity to promote itself both at the regional and the sub regional level. Its heritage assets have attained international significance regardless of its current status as an ideal heritage destination. This point to the fact that Chester is highly recognized as a tourist destination with enough heritage potential to further establish itself on the international market. Among the major tourist attractions landmarks and sites are the complete city walls. These walls have been traversed by a magnificent footpath that runs through to the East gate. On East gate, is a major fascinating feature; the east gate clock that has been highly photographed by every one who come visiting, Chester cathedral, river Dee and its bridge, the Grosvenor museum, the Chester zoo and the Chester castle alongside the Amphitheatre. Other fascinating tourist sites in the city include the Marbury country park; the Ness Gardens, the Delamere Forest and the National water ways Museum among others. The figure below illustrates the Eleventh Century Bridge on the beautiful river Dee. The above bridge forms part of the ancient architecture that has greatly contributed to the tourist appeal on Chester city. Despite the fact that Chester enjoys an ideal tourist appeal, it faces two major weaknesses. The lack of enough parking space and ample retail space are two major weaknesses that need to be dealt with. This is such a challenge to the tourism industry especially in the event of a peak tourism period like at Christmas and on a number of holidays. The problem with Chester emanates from the fact that most of its quality retail malls are located within an hours drive. The lack of parking is such a big problem to a number of big retailers especially in the wake of the fear that a number of high street names are bound to emerge. The growth of the tourism industry in the future highly depends on the urgency with which the parking problem would be addressed (Ellams 2004). The only major threat that the development of the tourism industry in Chester may have to deal with is terrorism that seems to be threatening a number of tourists such that they may not feel secure when away from their homes. With the crack down on terrorism in a number of western countries, chances are the threat would one day be manageable such that tourists can have the pleasure of enjoying their comfort outside their own countries (Chester Local Development Framework 2009). The Contribution of Chester’s History into the Current Visitor Experience Chester was founded by Romans as Deva Victrix in the year AD 70. . The name Deva is thought to have emanated from the goddess of the Dee River. With this size of the fortress, a number of individuals have had the perception that this might have been intended to be the ideal capital of the Roman province in Britannia and not London. This is an aspect that has lured a number of tourists to flock this city with the aim of ascertaining the possibility that it would have been the capital and not London. The civilian amphitheatre of the very first century is yet another major historic site that has greatly contributed to the development of tourism in this city (Destination Performance UK 2007). This amphitheatre was built in a manner that it could comfortably accommodate about ten thousand people. The figure below is an image depicting a view of the amphitheatre. It is the biggest amphitheatre of its kind in the entire Britain. Other than being an amphitheatre, it also serves as an ideal scheduled monument. The Minerva shrine located within the Roman quarry is also adored as the only existing rock cut Roman shrine that is still in existence within Britain. The fortress is a historic feature within Chester that the legion garrisoned till the fourth century (Destination Performance UK 2007). With regard to Archeological developments, the excavations conducted in the Grosvenor Park in 2007 point to the pursuit of the Cholmondeley’s great mansion that is thought to have been demolished in the year 1867. The findings of this excavation have also led to the development of tourist interests in this park and in the museum where a number of the discovered artifacts are kept. The name Grosvenor has its origin in the Duke’s family which further explains that most of the major architectural sites within this city emerged during the Victorian age (Destination Performance UK 2007). Chester’s current and future marketing and branding strategies With its assets, Chester is well placed to benefit from the growth of national markets with regard to domestic and international tourism on various holidays. Tourism activities during the day would continue being an important experience in this city coupled with the excellent shopping, sight seeing and eating experience. The city has identified the need to achieve international recognition as a major tourist destination. The use of its website is highly credited for the creation of a world wide recognition of its status as an ideal tourist destination. In order for the city to attain this type of status, it has to highly consider the possibility of becoming what one would term as a must see European destination. This as identified by the tourism docket can only be fostered through efforts to improve the various elements of tourism. The city thus plans to improve the publicity of this industry and at the same time identify other ways of improving the manner in which tourists are received within the city (Lonely Planet Publications 2003). Plans are also underway to establish ideal links to the core of the city. Such plans include the focus on Northgate to regenerate and upgrade the city with focus on the cultural activities, the public realm and the incorporation of new retailing activities. The need to foster a great visitor experience in this city as planned for by the tourism board has focus on the culture park which has been interpreted as a new approach that would focus on the development of themes to point to the tourist experience. Plans are also underway to develop the tourist head quarter as a very ideal building with focus on the development of a number of hotel and accommodation facilities. The Chester Zoo is to be made in to an international zoo depicting on all the finest forms of art in Europe and around the world. With regard to the marketing of this industry, plans are underway to adopt a holistic marketing approach that would make the city a very ideal destination for tourists from all ends of the world (Lonely Planet Publications 2003). Section B Recommendations for the Future Development of Chester City as a Tourist Destination For Chester city to ideally develop itself as a tourist destination in the future, there is need for it to focus on the development and management of the visitor’s experience. There is need for this city to highly maintain its walled towns in order that its historic quality is not lost. Other than the conservation of the historic walls, there is also need for Chester city to focus on the protection and enhancement of a modern environment with the existing constraints on an ancient historic setting (Carrington 1996). The role of the transport network with regard to the development of the tourism industry can not be ignored. There are a number of transport related problems that should be quickly addressed to ease the parking and the overall accessibility of this city. The city needs to be properly connected to various destinations within Europe through the use of road, air and water transport to make it easy for the visitors to connect with its historic sites. Spatial planning is yet another aspect that the city needs to consider for the future development of the tourism industry (Carrington 1996). Such a type of planning would help in the management of systems that would create very vibrant modern places. This can ideally be done without necessarily compromising the existing historic distinction of the city. The ideal development and management of the existing cultural heritage is an aspect that needs not to be ignored. Identifying a mechanism of harnessing this cultural heritage is a driving force for the future economic development of the tourism industry in Chester (Carrington 1996). With the move to attain international recognition as an ideal tourist destination in Europe, Chester city needs to identify with ideal marketing strategies. The marketing of its tourist destination is an aspect that would help in the creation of world wide recognition. This can be done through use of various modes of communication including mass media, the internet where the city needs to greatly utilize its website in making itself known to the rest of Europe and the entire world. Being a service industry, the customer experience matters a lot and there is need for this city to identify ideal mechanisms of ensuring that the visitors are treated to their best expectations. For the city to attain its dream of being an international tourist destination, it is equally important for it to incorporate other important historic elements around the globe in its collections. This would make it possible for the visitors to enjoy a world class historic experience whenever they visit the city. Conclusion Chester is indeed an ideal tourist destination whose tourist appeal greatly lies with its history. The contribution of history to the development of tourism in Chester is depicted in the major landmarks that owe their existence to the dominance of the Romans in Britain. The postulation that indeed Chester would have been the preferred capital of the Roman Empire in ancient Britannia is an aspect that has lured many people in to coming to this destination. There is a lot for one to see for himself in Chester than can be told or written. The plans to redevelop the city in a manner that would conserve its historic appeal is very promising for the future development of tourism in this city. References Carrington, P 1996, Chester Discovered: The Archaeological Exploration of an English City, Chester Archaeological Society, Leeds. Chester City Council 2006, The Regional Strategic plan for North West, Viewed on 12th Nov 2009 . Chester Local Development Framework 2009, Image, Identity and Tourism, Viewed on 13th Nov2009 Destination Performance UK 2007, Destination Performance Seminar, Viewed On 12th Nov 2009 . Ellams, B 2004, The Clock Ticks on City's Fading Sparkle, Viewed on 13th Nov 2009 < http://www.chesterchronicle.co.uk/chester-news/local-chester-news/2004/02/06/the-clock-ticks-on-city-s->. Lonely Planet Publications 2003, Europe on a Shoestring, Lonely Planet, London. Read More