Teignbridge is to benefit from a new tourism campaign called Discover Devon, launched on Tuesday by Devon County Council, which sees the arrival of a new 'one stop shop' website and a national advertising poster initiative aimed at raising the profile of the county after the foot and mouth crisis.
Devon County Council is urging Teignbridge businesses to sign up free to the campaign, which aims to convey the 'Devon difference' and to ensure they have access to a national stage of potential visitors to the county.
Devon County Council and South West of England Regional Development Agency – with help, support and input from the Devon Tourism Partnership (DCC, district councils, unitary authorities and Dartmoor and Exmoor national parks) and tourist information centres – have put £250,000 into the campaign. This has included the setting up of a new portal website intended as a 'one stop shop' for internet users who want to find out more about holidays or breaks in Devon.
The campaign includes the siting of a large Discover Devon poster in London as motorists head west. There are also 1,000 smaller posters on tube trains and there are advertisements in The Times and The Guardian.
The new approach to the re-branding of Devon as a future holiday destination came in the wake of the foot and mouth crisis. Last year the county commissioned research and focus groups to better identify visitor attitudes and perceptions towards Devon.
As a result, this new campaign will focus on four key themes – countryside, coast, moors and heritage. Within these themes eight key strengths, integral to a Devon holiday, will be promoted. These are walking, culture, arts and crafts, food and drink, cycling, golf, gardens, events and festivals.
The campaign will incorporate all Devon promotions and Devon County Council's Celebration of Food scheduled for October will be used as a lynchpin on which to hook other 'discovery' ideas.
It will be supported by the existing Discover Devon Holiday phone line.
Visitors to the website will be unable to book online initially but the county council is hoping to make that facility available.
Cllr Derrick Spear is the county's economic regeneration spokesman and was instrumental in getting the new campaign up and running.
He said: 'I have lived in Devon for most of my life and consider myself to be a Devonian and yet there is a lot in Devon that I didn't know existed and lots of places that I have been to but forgotten about.
'What we are trying to do is retain the current market but encourage new visitors to come down here as well.
'We are trying to get away from the bucket and spade image that Devon currently has and give visitors a variety of reasons to encourage them to visit and then revisit.'
The website address is http://www.discover">www.discover devon.com and the Discover Devon Holiday Line is 0870 608 5531.
Teignbridge businesses wanting to find out more about how they can get involved in the campaign can contact Keri Denton, senior economic development officer (marketing), on 01392 383684 or Sandra Collins, economic development officer at the county council, on 01392 382837.