16th March 2022
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A major campaign to drive staycation visitors across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole and position the region as a comparator to world-class destinations such as the Mediterranean, Bondi, Portugal and Miami, has launched this week.
BH Area Hospitality Association and Bournemouth Coastal BID, in collaboration with the Destination Management Board and BCP Tourism, have launched the Feels Like campaign, to support the bounce back of the local tourism, hospitality and cultural economy in the wake of the pandemic.
At a cost of £175,000, the Feels Like campaign is the biggest the resort has ever done, and targets families with young children, Gen X and Empty Nesters, who live within a two-three hour radius of the area.
It aims to revitalise the way these groups see the region by enticing them with the promise of a world-class holiday destination closer to home, with evocative images of boutique surf bars, blue seas for sunbathing and watersports, and cultural and historical gems.
David Bailey, Destination Management Board president, said the campaign aimed to encourage staycation trips by capturing the sentiment that everyone, whether visitor or local, feels like they are on holiday when they come to the resort.
He said: “We want to change people’s mindsets with this campaign and encourage them to look at the area differently. We want them to see that you can get that Spanish feeling here.
“We are the ‘Coast with the Most’, with 15 miles of warm sand and clear water so it’s no surprise we’ve been one of the UK’s top staycation destinations for years.
“But we also have so much more to offer within a short distance of the beach: the area is steeped in history, as Christchurch Priory and Poole Museum shows, and has a richly diverse cultural scene, including the extraordinary Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum, alongside many fabulous restaurants and outdoor activities, such as at Upton Country Park.
“We hope this campaign breathes life into our local tourism and hospitality industry both along the seafront, in the town and beyond the beach.”
The campaign is funded by £150,000 from the UK Government's Additional Restrictions Grant investment plus £25,000 from Coastal BID.
Key locations the campaign targets are Somerset, South Midlands, Surrey, Wiltshire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire, and Hampshire
Jon Weaver, BCP Council’s Head of Destination and Culture, said: “We’re a top holiday destination and we’re proud of that.
“Tourism contributed £1 billion to the Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole economy in 2019 and we aim to increase visitor numbers to pre-Covid numbers over the next three years.
“We want to ensure the staycation market performs well and this campaign will help us maintain that.”
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Paul Clarke, Bournemouth Coastal BID chair, said: “We are very pleased to be able to support our hoteliers on the East and the West Cliff by topping up the funding obtained by BAHA under the ARG scheme.
“Through partnership working we have been able to amplify the message and to really shout about what we have to offer as a destination.”
Tim Seward Chair of BH Area Hospitality Association said: “It is great that the association has driven this campaign to show everyone that Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole is the place to visit and to stay, not only during the summer but as an all year round destination.
“We believe this campaign will place the area and its hotels, guest houses and bed and breakfasts back on the map.”
The creative was developed by Bournemouth-based Make Studio, in partnership with Fabbrica Media and Warrior Agency, who are delivering proactive media and influencer PR.
Chris Bainbridge, founder and creative director of Make Studio, said: “This campaign celebrates the local talent and businesses and the change that is happening here. We’ve collaborated with great local photographers, music producers, suppliers and our creative team to create an authentic, fresh approach and vision for the area.”
A range of media will be deployed, including targeted out of home adverts in high footfall shopping and traffic areas within a two-three journey time aimed at reaching a desirable audience.
Native advertising will also be used, with video ads appearing within the content area of a website, alongside paid social media on sites such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
The campaign will also use paid search and programmatic display, to allow for an efficient and targeted reach across multiple websites.
Additional notes
BH Area Hospitality Association represents some of the finest hotels and accommodation providers in the BCP area.
The Destination Management Board (DMB) represents the interests of all businesses, groups and individuals that support the local economy and contribute towards the development of the destination as a place to visit, work and live. It includes high level representation of all tourism sectors, BCP Council and other tourism experts.
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Tourism, are the official tourist board for BCP and part of the Destination and Culture Directorate within BCP Council, working in partnership with hundreds of businesses across the resorts and wider Dorset. Its focus is to increase economic benefits of tourism across the destination and to promote the area’s world-class visitor experience across the UK and overseas.
For more information about the resort, please see:
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