Latest News from VisitEssex

Visit Essex Promotional Weekend -
Visit Essex will be sponsoring the cricket match between Essex and Northamptonshire on 25th and 26th June and we have been given permission to use a marquee within the cricket ground throughout the weekend. We would like to offer you the opportunity to book a stand in the marquee FREE of charge and promote your business to the spectators throughout the weekend. The match will begin at 11am and finish at 6pm each day. If you would like to book a table at this event, please email correne.dedman@essex.gov.uk This will be booked on a first come first serve basis.

Anniversary event -
It is coming up to the first birthday of Visit Essex and we would like to invite members along to our anniversary event at Lifehouse in Thorpe-le-Soken on 27th July at 2pm. This event will give you the opportunity to network with other Visit Essex members and celebrate with us a very successful first year. If you would like to attend, please RSVP to correne.dedman@essex.gov.uk

Visit Essex Conference - save the date -
We now have a date set for the Visit Essex Tourism Conference. It will be taking place on 23rd November and will include a presentation from Visit England's chief executive James Berresford. The venue is yet to be confirmed but we will keep you posted.

Shows attending -
Visit Essex will be attending the following shows over the summer. If you would like to share our stand at these events at a cost of £50 or send along your brochures for £25, please email correne.dedman@essex.gov.uk

9 July Tendring Show
9 - 10 July Essex Food & Drink Festival
25 - 26 August Clacton Airshow
4 September Essex Pride
10 - 11 September Essex Country Show
7 November Group Travel Showcase (Central Hall Westminster)

Essex Tourism Awards -
Visit Essex are pleased to be working with Archant to host the Essex Tourism Awards for the third year running. The awards were launched on 26th May at the Colne Valley Railway and applications are now open. The awards ceremony will be taking place on 13th October at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Stansted and short-listed nominees will be put through to the national awards. If you think that your business has what it takes to win, visit www.tourismawards.co.uk to enter online or email events.suffolk@archant.co.uk to request an entry form. Entries close on 8th July 2011.

www.visitessex.com
The Visit Essex website has been given a makeover using a fresh new colour palette and layout and the new template now allows us to incorporate video clips throughout the site. Elli has agreed to commission some filming in the county which will start on 15th June but she is planning to do some more. If you are interested in taking part in this filming, please contact Elli Constantatou on 01245 430239 or email elli.constantatou@essex.gov.uk

Training Courses for members -
A Welcome International course has been booked for 4th October at The Atlantic Hotel in Chelmsford and we would like to give Visit Essex members the opportunity to book at the reduced rate of £55 per person including lunch. If you would like to take part, please contact Carol on 01245 435152 or email carol.jolly@essex.gov.uk

Business Tourism Launch -
Visit Essex for Business was officially launched on 19th May at Hylands House in Chelmsford with 30 Essex venues taking part in the showcase. Visit Essex chairman, Andy Edge, opened the event and the day included presentations from Business Tourism Manager, Carol Jolly and the owner of Osea Island, Nigel Frieda. This is the first time that Essex has focused on business tourism and feedback from the event has been extremely positive. There will be another Showcase in the autumn, plus a familiarisation visit to the county. To keep up to date with new developments at Visit Essex for Business, go to www.visitessex.com/business

Statistics -
Each quarter we ask you to send in your monthly visitor figures to help us look at the trends across the county and make comparisons with regional and national statistics. We are pleased to announce that the first quarter of 2011 has faired extremely well in comparison to the same time last year with visitor figures up by an average of 23.3%. This is better than regional and national figures which were up by 3% and 7% respectively. The good weather that we have experienced so far this year has had a very positive impact on the number of visitors at our attractions and we hope that the predicted scorching summer will keep the visitors coming.

Apprentices -
Visit Essex has appointed two apprentices to join the team for a year. Brandon Lattimer started with us this week and Natalie Halls will be starting in a couple of weeks and their main role will be to provide support to the Visit Essex team. They will also be helping to promote the county at the shows and exhibitions that we will be attending throughout the year as well as assisting in the organisation of our member events.

Membership - invoices -
Invoices for Visit Essex membership have now been sent out to all members. This membership runs from April 2011 to March 2012 and will include an entry in the 2012 visitor guide. If you are not currently a member but are interested in joining Visit Essex, please call Carol Jolly on 01245 435152 or email carol.jolly@essex.gov.uk  

Lisa Bone, Strategic Tourism Manager, 01245 437305, lisa.bone@essex.gov.uk
Elli Constantatou, Tourism Marketing & PR Manager, 01245 430239, elli.constantatou@essex.gov.uk
Carol Jolly, Membership & Business Tourism Manager, 01245 435152 / 07584 480072, carol.jolly@essex.gov.uk
Correne Dedman, Tourism Officer, 01245 437087, correne.dedman@essex.gov.uk
Brandon Lattimer, Tourism Assistant, 01245 437087, brandon.lattimer@essex.gov.uk