Firms are being encouraged to link up with the ‘outstanding’ Chilterns brand as a way of growing their businesses.
The Chilterns is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty stretching from north of Luton into Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire and taking in much of Dacorum borough.
Now on the back of positive messages sent out about England by the London Olympics The Chilterns Tourism Network has launched the first tourism website for the area at www.visitchilterns.co.uk The idea is to make the Chilterns much more a recognised tourist destination and get visitors to spend their money in the area.
Nick Phillips, manager for funder the Chilterns Leader Programme, said: “We are keen that businesses are able to communicate everything the Chilterns has to offer, but they don’t always have the tools to do so. By supporting them in this way, we can begin to define and grow a Chilterns brand; one that customers – both local and from further away – will begin to recognise and trust.”
The Sense of Place section of the website has been developed as a resource for tourism businesses in the Chilterns to help them promote the Chilterns within their marketing.
There are logos and that companies can use on their websites and promotional materials including adverts and press releases as well as free images.
Businesses are also being asked to provide ‘inside information’ on the Chilterns to help visitors go out and about to different parts of the 324 square mile area. This might include providing leaflets on local attractions using a template provided on the website.
The website has a range of sources of information for generating sustainable tourism, advice on the environment and auditing. There is also a Walkers Are Welcome scheme for towns and villages which have something special to offer walkers and resources for customer service training.