Buckinghamshire Council has launched a new Tourism Survey to help shape the future of Buckinghamshire’s tourism sector.
The council believes that residents, businesses and stakeholders have a wealth of knowledge and understanding of what the county has to offer, and they want you to share your thoughts on how they could make the most of Buckinghamshire’s cultural and natural attractions – as well as tell them what you think tourism businesses would need in the future to achieve their goals.
Share your views on where ‘must visit’ places in Buckinghamshire are, and where you recommend people visit to see the beauty and culture the county has to offer.
Tourism is an important part of our local economy, as visitors spending their time and money in Buckinghamshire support more than 13,000 local jobs and over 2,000 small businesses. This survey has been launched to help design a new strategy and action plan for the tourism sector, which will aim to identify new opportunities and to support communities across Buckinghamshire. All responses will be used to develop a strategy which will allow tourism in Buckinghamshire to flourish and grow, supporting local jobs, workers and industries.
Martin Tett, Leader of Buckinghamshire Council, said:
“Supporting the ‘visitor economy’ is important as it is a major contributor to the local economy, supports and creates many new job opportunities and contributes to the richness of the lives of local people. Whether you are visiting one of our market towns, walking in the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty or watching a play at the Wycombe Swan Theatre or Aylesbury Waterside Theatre, Buckinghamshire has lots to offer as a place to live, work and to visit.
“Through this survey, we want to reach a better understanding of how we can best support our tourism sector, and what stakeholders see as our core opportunities for Buckinghamshire’s visitor economy. We want to hear what residents think makes our county a great place to visit, and how tourism impacts them.
“We’d be hugely grateful for your input, letting us know what makes Buckinghamshire unique, and how we can encourage visitors to come and experience and enjoy the county.”
Clive Harriss, Buckinghamshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure, commented:
“Buckinghamshire has a rich and diverse tourism sector, employing thousands, which draws on exciting culture and leisure opportunities. We want to continue to offer new and exceptional experiences for residents and visitors alike in the future, and with Buckinghamshire residents’ input, we can get a better understanding of where we can best focus our support for the sector and what tourism businesses see as their main challenges and opportunities.
“This way, we can encourage people to visit the county in a more sustainable manner, which doesn’t undermine or threaten the great assets and communities that make Buckinghamshire special for tourists in the first place. Your views regarding tourism in our diverse county are a very important part of the process and we’d like to encourage people to share their thoughts, as we appreciate hearing what you have to say.”
The survey will be running until 17 February 2023 and can be completed by Buckinghamshire residents, business owners and other tourism stakeholders. You can complete the survey here.