Lincolnshire Wolds press trip shows the strength of partnership working
Press trips are a key part of our destination marketing activity for Lincolnshire and earlier this year – working with East Lindsey District Council - we organised for Sarah Baxter from Wanderlust Travel Magazine to stay at Brackenborough Hall Coach House. It is just two miles from the lovely Georgian market town of Louth and 10 miles from the sandy beaches and nature reserves of Lincolnshire’s coast.
Journalist Sarah wrote a blog entitled ‘How to spend 48 hours in the Lincolnshire Wolds’. She took in sights including rare chalk streams and spent time in centuries-old pubs and browsing antiques in historic Horncastle, as well as meeting “fabulously flouncy Lincoln Long-wool rare-breed sheep”.
Paul and Flora Bennett own Brackenborough Hall Coach House, which opened in 2007, and they gave Sarah a farm tour during her stay in the Wolds.
Paul’s family have been farming at Brackenborough Hall since 1908 and he spoke to us about the benefits of press trips, including Sarah’s recent visit, and being partners with Destination Lincolnshire.
“We certainly like to be in touch with what’s going on and working with Destination Lincolnshire keeps us informed with that,” he said.
“We’ve had journalists stay here who have done articles that mention us. This has led to a few bookings and that’s the way we’ve benefitted the most. However, we are also doing a marketing course at the moment through Destination Lincolnshire which has been very helpful too.”
Talking about the most recent press trip, he added: “Sarah was really nice and relaxed and was lovely to chat to. We got on really well with her.
“We’ve done a few press trips before so we didn’t feel any pressure. It was a great benefit to us.
“We enjoy having people to stay and it was lovely to have her with us.
“We’d be very happy to have more journalists to stay whenever Destination Lincolnshire can get them to come to Lincolnshire.”
Destination Lincolnshire’s CEO Charlotte Goy said: “Press trips compliment the other marketing that we do across our own digital channels and it is important that we have a mix.
“The press trips and coverage that they generate are seen as credible sources of information from independent journalists. A journalist is not afraid to write about the good, the bad and the ugly , so people see them as honest reviews.
“Different visitors also turn to different marketing channels for information. Whilst younger visitors look to social media influencers for inspirational holiday ideas, others will seek out travel journalists who print stories in magazines and newspapers.
“We constantly review our research and data to check what we are doing has impact, and media trips remain one of the most effective ways to endorse the quality visitor offer that the Lincolnshire and the Wolds has.”
Charlotte added a “huge thanks to all the businesses and Destination Lincolnshire partners who work with us on this”.
Press trips are part of the service-level agreement Destination Lincolnshire has with local councils, including East Lindsey District Council (ELDC). By working together more can be achieved to support growth in East Lindsey’s visitor economy.
The aim of the destination contract with ELDC is to deliver marketing and destination development activities for the Lincolnshire coast and Wolds, working closely with the council’s Place Team to enhance the offer and drawing in more visitors.
Karen Edwards, Place Officer at ELDC, said: “Press trips are a key component of the work we do to raise the profile of the Lincolnshire Wolds and coast.
“We recognise the value of securing positive coverage for the area by targeting relevant journalists and media titles for our key visitor audiences as it provides a very good return on investment.
“To give a journalist an authentic experience of our destination, to explore the attractions, engage with the culture, meet locals and take part in activities, provides a greater understanding of the area and is one of the best ways to showcase what we have to offer.”
Jeffery Kenyon, Economic Growth Service Manager (Place & Projects) at East Lindsey District Council, added: “Working with Destination Lincolnshire, our Local Visitor Economy Partnership, allows us as East Lindsey District Council to promote our local activities better to those coming to the area.
“We are able to tap into their wider connections and knowledge to support the work we do.”