Developing a Tourism Strategy for Northamptonshire: A Detailed Report

This report provides a detailed analysis of the tourism sector in Northamptonshire, focusing on its current state and potential for growth. The report begins with an executive summary, followed by an introduction to the region's tourism resources and a critical assessment of the challenges faced. It then evaluates the unit selling product of Northamptonshire, highlighting its countryside, canal networks, leisure facilities, and shopping opportunities. A marketing mix is presented, addressing aspects such as pricing, place, and promotion. The report also covers market segmentation, including demographics, geography, behavior, and psychographics, to identify the target audience. Recommendations are made for revitalizing the tourism industry through audio-visual presentations, social media campaigns, brand ambassadors, and sustainable tourism practices. The report concludes by emphasizing the importance of creating a positive perception of the product and encouraging sustainable tourism practices to ensure long-term growth and customer retention. This detailed analysis is crucial for developing effective strategies to increase tourism in Northamptonshire.

Running head: TOURISM STRATEGY FOR NORTHAMPTONSHIRE
TOURISM STRATEGY FOR NORTHAMPTONSHIRE
Name of the student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Executive Summary
The report analyzes the Northampton as a unique tourism product which has been experiencing
decline in the tourists. The report critically assesses the complex situations plaguing the
destination. After an analysis, unique strategy is laid to increase the tourists and revive the sector
from the slumber. The report also recommendations to propel the industry and reach its target
audience from all across the borders and from wide spectrum of demography.

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Introduction
The following report entails a critical evaluation and depiction of the resources of the
tourism of the Northampton. Aligning a relevant strategy for the promotion of the tourism of
Northamptonshire is presented through the lens of relevant marketing concepts. The report thrust
upon the vital aspects of the tourism and its essence of unit selling product in the backdrop of
declining tourism sector of the Northampton. Northampton is the located at the core of England
and referred as ‘The Roses of the Shires’. It covers an area of 2,364 square kilometres. Laid in
the lap of countryside, the place has ruminants of various cultural and tribal background.
Assessment of Tourism sector of Northamptonshire
A sizeable amount of this sector is still in the growing phase which can grow leap and
bounds if the sector is strengthened with a reinforced strategy to exploit the opportunity of the
place to the fullest. The key sector of this business generates over 10,000 jobs in various fields
like in catering, retailing, entertainment and leisure activities, accommodation and transport.
Despite the existing potential of the place has a low base (Watson 2013). The residential
population of the Northamptonshire is 6, 52,300 and the local per head expenditure reports is
lowest in the region when compared to places like Oxfordshire, Cambridgeshire,
Buckinghamshire, Warwickshire and others. The services from the catering sector has received
over £132 million and retailers of over £107 million while the transportation sector contributes to
over £51 million (Rydin and Natarajan 2016).
Evaluation of Unit selling product of Northampton
Northamptonshire is a county located at the core of England with extensive linkage of
road and rail adorned with beautiful villages and thatched cottages. Being one of an excellent

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countryside with beautiful lanes, canals, ancient woodlands and hilltops which allow tourists to
experience the lap of nature. The canal networks allows the tourists to explore the city through
some unique navigational passages. The leisure facilities available is one of the major attraction
of the city as it has amazing amenities for food and accommodation, theatres, galleries of
connoisseurs of art, museums and a spectacular night life to thrive upon. The extensive networks
of shops also caters to the demand of the shopaholics who find the city attractive hotspot for
shopping (Morrison 2013). The local sporting clubs and health enthusiasts often visit the city to
experience the thriving culture of sports like cricket, golf, football, rugby and other water sports.
Tourism is growing gradually yet the income generated from this sector is lower when compared
to its neighboring regions of England. According to the statistical reports, there are over 17.4
million visits of tourists to the Midlands of Northamptonshire which are currently generating
more than 350 million pounds. The overall contribution of workforce to the tourism industry is
over 12500 jobs which comprises almost 5% of the workforce of Northamptonshire (Liu and
Chou 2016).
Marketing Mix for Northamptonshire as a tourist product
Northamptonshire is a tourist product which inculcates to bring the entire sum of physical
and psychological satisfaction to the tourists through the exotic lanes of countryside and
wonderful landscape the place has to offer. Northamptonshire has unique range of activities
further the exuberance of the nightlife of the county is excellent to experience the glory of the
nature amidst the chores of urbanized England (Augustyn 2013). The three basic components of
a tourist product which is attraction, accessibility and accommodation is mired well among the
services that a Northampton has to offer.

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Price of tourist product
The per head expenditure hovers in the range of £18 to £20 mainly for visiting the exuberating
towns while £13 for visiting the countryside. The overnight market which accounts for merely
10% of visits needs to be expanded to grow its base wider with more varieties of cuisines and
increasing the frequency of the nightlife events so as to strengthen the footfall in tourism
(Council 2018). Northampton needs to revive its popularity among other competitive tourist
products which aims to increase its popularity amongst outgrowing rivals tourist products which
has been enjoying immense popularity.
Place of Northamptonshire
With an extensive area covering over 2500 square kilometres, the place has unique landscape
and canal museums which can be made more accessible with cheaper transport costs or facilities
like booking for tourist made done through various online applications as offers can coupled with
it to increase the number of footfall. The place have an historical, cultural as well as tribal
influence which needs to be advertised with unique pictures so as to attract newer customers for
the tourist product (Kavoura and Katsoni 2013).
Promotion of Northamptonshire
The promotion of Northamptonshire should be done with unique taglines and the cuisine of the
place need to reach the target audience. The place has been experiencing a decline in the number
of tourists visiting a place hence adequate promotion of the place can be done through
multimedia mediums like television advertisements (Hudson and Thal 2013). A social media
campaign can be ran online highlighting best venues of the county. The videos need to be shot
and glamourized through efficient digital marketing strategy.

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People of Northamptonshire
The people of Northamptonshire has been reluctant to spend on the tourism of the county. The
tourism place need to reinforced through effective strategy and reaching out to the tourist who
often visit England. These tourist need to be targeted when they book their tickets and explore
England. The increased online advertisements of the place can increase the number of visitors
manifold. The map and extensive networks, travel guide need to be published online so as to
propel the hibernating industry of Northamptonshire (Gretzel and Yoo 2013).
Market segmentation
Demographics – The demographics of the Midlands is mixed as their place is composed both of
urban and rural landscape. Census 2011 reports the area is mostly wealthy with low deprivation
thus the population enjoys better lifestyle. The ethnicity is vibrant and since 2011, the
county’s population growth has increased at a greater rate than across England as a whole. This
can largely influence the tourist sector of Northampton.
Geographical- The geography of the Northamptonshire is adorned with forests and woodlands,
extensive network canals further vibrant landforms like that of hills, lakes and rivers providing
an adequate landscape of countryside which has been its prior unit selling product. The
geography of the Northamptonshire has enriching floral beauty and provides a serene
environment to the tourists visiting the place however, being a landlocked county it has not been
able to attract due customers.
Behavioral- The place is ignored mainly it is lacking the seaside beauty for the beach
enthusiasts. The behavior of the customers and their preference to visit the seaside has called for
the greater attraction to other places in England (Ashworth and Goodall 2013). The midlands of

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the east need to be popularized through effective marketing strategy in order to pull the
customers and rejuvenate the lacklustre tourism industry.
Psychographics – The psychographics of the place need to be analyzed and accordingly the
preferences of the customers and target audience need to be integrated with the strategy of the
sector. Propelling the tourism by deploying a customer oriented strategy is required so as to
inculcate a common and wider overview of the place.
Target audience
The target audience comprise both domestic as well as international customers from all across
the world. Attracting customers from all across the world should be the aim of delving a strategy
as it enables a wider reach of the people. Use of online social media platforms help to reach the
customers from all over the world. Due to ever increasing presence of online and considerable
amount of time spend of these platforms helps to reach wide spectrum of customers (Antti
Pesonen 2013). A YouTube video can reach millions of viewers on real time basis. The video
should be informative to educate as well as aware the target audience adequately. The youth can
be a major target audience for the hilltops can be an ideal location for adventurous sports while
rivers can provide activities like river rafting to the adventure enthusiasts. However, such
enthusiasts needs to be targeted through attractive brochures and pamphlets in the universities of
United Kingdom. The strategy should be designed to motivate the potential customers to buy the
tourist products. Further, online blogs, newspaper advertisements can also be a potential medium
to reach the audience. The place can attract the newly married couples with couple packages as
well as the senior population for the county has excellent canal museums for the people of all
ages (Vellas 2016).

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Recommendation
Reviving the tourism industry can be chalked out strategically by understanding the needs of the
target audience. An audio-visual presentation can be popularized though various mediums like
television and radio (Hall 2014). Further, a planned social media campaign can be run on online
platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter with an attractive tagline like “FEEL THE
ESSENCE OF NATURE IN NORTHAMPTONHIRE”. A jingle with a particular music need to
be attached to this presentation so as to catch the minds of the audience. A jingle and tagline
which has been used repeatedly with a particular picture needs to be popularized in all mediums
so as to increase the remembrance of the place and they can associate with the picture of the
place (Truong, V.D. and Hall 2013). The campaign can make up a creative story so as to depict
the hotspots and prime locations. Engaging the audience through a story can attract the
filmmakers to use the location for shooting films thus spur the tourism sector. The tourism can
also be accelerated through involving popular brand ambassador which has the capability to
influence the audience. Northamptonshire has variety of sports activities hence a popular cricket
star can be associated to promote the tourism so as to increase the curiosity of the place among
the audience. Embracing an inclusive strategy, like affordable accommodation and discounts in
bulk booking can also increase the footfall. Extensive Usage of hoardings and billboards with the
tagline on the highways can attract the attention of the people who often go on long drives will
be moved to visit the place (Mariani et al. 2014). The brand ambassador associated need to
record his views and promote the place on various platforms. An image of him can be attached in
the picture. For instance, an image of the sport star relaxing in the countryside after his play in
the field can have greater influence on the viewers and audience. Practices of sustainable tourism
like efficient practices of waste management, better handling of plastic pollution and combating

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with hazards of tourist generated waste need to be marketed along with tourist product. These
practices not only engages the audience to explore the scenic beauty of the place but also to
propagate similar strategy to the neighboring regions thus inculcating the right spirit of tourism
among the people.
Conclusion
Northamptonshire has a natural landscape hence the concept of sustainable tourism can be
popularized amidst the concerns of climate hazards across the globe. Sustainable practices of
tourism can also be encouraged while increasing the marketing of the tourist product. It is also
necessary to create a positive perception of the product in the minds to create a long term
impression. The motive should be not only attract newer customers but also retain them thereby
increasing their frequency of their visits. Tourism has a potential to enthuse the economy to track
a positive growth trajectory thus creating opportunities of employment, increasing the livelihood
options of the people. This not only increases the income of the local people but allow the rural
background to have better conditions of living standards.

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