Visitor Elves

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Welcome to the Visitor Elves podcast. A place where, I chat with amazing people in and around West of England, working behind the scenes in tourism, hospitality, culture and events, and everything in between.

With our new ways of virtual working, I want to connect everyone back up on a deeper level, to help us learn from each other, and to know that we’re not alone in our challenges.

My name is Kelly Ballard and I’m a specialist in marketing in the visitor economy. Over the years I've managed marketing strategies and plans for many destinations, attractions and hospitality businesses. I’ve worked with hundreds of people and organisations across Bristol, Gloucestershire and Somerset and I am always intrigued about what people do and their stories. The people who work in our industry are inspiring and I know that their stories will inspire you - so this podcast brings them out from behind the scenes.
If you enjoy the podcast please subscribe and head on over to Instagram or LinkedIn to join the conversation.
Thanks so much for listening
Kelly x

To share your views on this subject and ask questions about the episode, head over to:
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LinkedIn This episode is sponsored by Hello Starling.

Hello Starling, is an award-winning Media Planning and Buying agency that specialises in delivering advertising campaigns with great results for visitor attractions and destinations.
They've worked with brands such as Bristol Zoo Project, Visit Shropshire, Visit Conwy, Visit Herefordshire and the National Tourism Office for Poland. If you want to be the centre of attention, visit hellostarling.com today.
FREE GUIDE - 6 Steps to finding your Ideal Customer
Do you want to know who your ideal customer's are and how you can focus your time and money reaching them? Download my FREE guide now.
If you have enjoyed this podcast episode, please take a moment to give me a few stars on Apple podcasts or Spotify, it helps to encourage more people to listen and learn from our stories. 🙏

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In today’s podcast I had the pleasure of chatting to two independent tourism organisations based in Gloucestershire who are leading the way in not only making their businesses as sustainable as possible, they are also on a journey to changing our thinking around how we spend our leisure time – including what we choose to eat and drink.

This week I was talking to Greg Pilley, Managing Director of Stroud Brewery, Sarah Brewster owner of Stonehouse Court Hotel and Visit Gloucestershire's sustainability lead Hannah McDonnell.

Greg and Sarah are both part of the Sustainability Champions network brought together by Visit Gloucestershire – one of the first Destination Management Organisations to make a commitment to Net Zero by 2050 as part of the Glasgow declaration for climate action.

As travel returns to pre-COVID levels, and overtourism and greenwashing remain a concern, there’s never been a more critical time for businesses to consider their own environmental impact and what changes they can start to implement now.

• Hannah talks about the purpose of the Sustainability Champions and how others can get involved or be inspired to set something up in their local area.
• Greg talks passionately about how he has set up Stroud Brewery as a certified organic brewery - one of only 5 in the country - and now has certified BCorp status.
• Sarah shares how she is transforming the 17th Century hotel with a variety of actions, from temperature controls in rooms to installing electric vehicle charging points.

We also discuss some interesting ideas around how a rural destination can support and promote its sustainability credentials and how businesses can do their bit to help visitors make more sustainable choices.

Connect with this week’s guests on LinkedIn:

Hannah McDonnell Greg Pilley Sarah Brewster

Find out more:

Visit Gloucestershire

Sustainability Champions partnership

To share your views on this subject and ask questions about the episode, head over to:
Instagram
LinkedIn This episode is sponsored by Hello Starling.

Hello Starling, is an award-winning Media Planning and Buying agency that specialises in delivering advertising campaigns with great results for visitor attractions and destinations.
They've worked with brands such as Bristol Zoo Project, Visit Shropshire, Visit Conwy, Visit Herefordshire and the National Tourism Office for Poland. If you want to be the centre of attention, visit hellostarling.com today.
FREE GUIDE - 6 Steps to finding your Ideal Customer
Do you want to know who your ideal customer's are and how you can focus your time and money reaching them? Download my FREE guide now.
If you have enjoyed this podcast episode, please take a moment to give me a few stars on Apple podcasts or Spotify, it helps to encourage more people to listen and learn from our stories. 🙏

Send us a text

In this final episode of Series 2, I am bringing you my story. I’m being interviewed by my Visitor Elf sidekick Shonette Laffy, Digital Marketing Manager of Visit West and fellow freelancer.
During my conversation with Shonette, I share how I got into the visitor economy and what life was like in marketing before the internet existed - remember that?? 25 years ago, virtually no one had a website, Friends Reunited was the closest thing we had to Facebook and faxing was still a thing. I share some of the ways we used to find and reach out to audiences before we had so much tech at our disposal.
This interview is a bit of a look back, but also a reflection on the challenges I have faced as a marketer who is juggling an increasingly complex industry.
I share some of the opportunities I see for the visitor economy over the next couple of years, including AI, chatbots and podcasts (no surprises there!), as well as some top tips for those of you working in marketing in this exciting industry.
I hope that this conversation resonates with those of you in marketing trying to do it all - trying to be the digital tech specialist, the planner, the videographer, the writer.
It will also resonate with those whose early careers were a little all over the place until you had your own sliding doors moments.
Enjoy the episode!
Find out more:

Westonbirt Arboretum
Super Weston
Visit West
Culture Weston

Other mentions in the show:

Noble Performs
Tech Pixies
Weston Wallz
Foodworks
Puxton Park
The Grand Pier

Kelly's favourites:

Revo Kitchen, Weston-super-Mare
Sakura, Weston-super-Mare
Prior Shop, Bristol

To share your views on this subject and ask questions about the episode, head over to:
Instagram
LinkedIn This episode is sponsored by Hello Starling.

Hello Starling, is an award-winning Media Planning and Buying agency that specialises in delivering advertising campaigns with great results for visitor attractions and destinations.
They've worked with brands such as Bristol Zoo Project, Visit Shropshire, Visit Conwy, Visit Herefordshire and the National Tourism Office for Poland. If you want to be the centre of attention, visit hellostarling.com today.
FREE GUIDE - 6 Steps to finding your Ideal Customer
Do you want to know who your ideal customer's are and how you can focus your time and money reaching them? Download my FREE guide now.
If you have enjoyed this podcast episode, please take a moment to give me a few stars on Apple podcasts or Spotify, it helps to encourage more people to listen and learn from our stories. 🙏

Send us a text

It's been a while but I'm excited to be back with my 30th episode featuring the team behind the Bristol restaurant absolutely smashing it on TikTok - Urban Tandoor.
Urban Tandoor are now apparently the most followed Indian restaurant account on TikTok, with many of their posts reaching views into the millions.

In today’s episode, I chatted with Sujith D’almeida Owner of Urban Tandoor, Bristol and TikTok queen Natalie Brereton from the agency Nonsensical.

We chatted about:

• How Sujith went from working on cruise ships through to owning three of his own successful Indian restaurants
• How important social media, in particular TikTok, has been on Urban Tandoor
• How Sujith manages to get his team so heavily involved in the creation of hilarious parodies and regular topical content
• The growth of TikTok - and it’s not just with those below age 25
• How brands such as Ryan Air and Lotus taking big risks on TikTok in order to push the boundaries of their brand and how they are achieving massive success
• The advice Nat has for any business wanting to make it on TikTok

Urban Tandoor is fast becoming a must-go destination restaurant in Bristol as a result of its success on social media.

There is just so much to take away from this episode if you’re interested in what TikTok can do for your business.

Enjoy the episode!

For links to the guests, contacts and mentions go to www.visitorelves.co.uk

To share your views on this subject and ask questions about the episode, head over to:
Instagram
LinkedIn This episode is sponsored by Hello Starling.

Hello Starling, is an award-winning Media Planning and Buying agency that specialises in delivering advertising campaigns with great results for visitor attractions and destinations.
They've worked with brands such as Bristol Zoo Project, Visit Shropshire, Visit Conwy, Visit Herefordshire and the National Tourism Office for Poland. If you want to be the centre of attention, visit hellostarling.com today.
FREE GUIDE - 6 Steps to finding your Ideal Customer
Do you want to know who your ideal customer's are and how you can focus your time and money reaching them? Download my FREE guide now.
If you have enjoyed this podcast episode, please take a moment to give me a few stars on Apple podcasts or Spotify, it helps to encourage more people to listen and learn from our stories. 🙏

Send us a text

In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking to Belinda Hunt, Operations Manager at Cheltenham BID (Business Improvement District).

The regency spa town of Cheltenham in Gloucestershire was made popular in the 18th and 19th centuries as a place the wealthy travelled to – for entertainment and to drink the spa water, said to provide ‘healing properties’. Today, Cheltenham is a cosmopolitan town with a population of 117,000, known for its horse racing, educational establishments and an enviable position next to the Cotswolds.

The town’s stunning regency architecture provides a beautiful backdrop for a packed programme of some of the UK’s best festivals and events, such as the Cheltenham Literature Festival and Cheltenham Jazz Festival. It has an assortment of fabulous restaurants, cafes and bars, plus a shopping offer to die-for (ok, maybe that’s just for someone like me!).

Cheltenham BID supports businesses in the heart of the town centre. And Belinda, who is originally from Zimbabwe, tells us about her job at Cheltenham BID and about the BID’s role in supporting local businesses. She talks about the need for collaboration and the type of events that drive footfall and sales for the retail and hospitality businesses of the town.

We chat about the different businesses that grew and changed during the pandemic and how the likes of high street retailer John Lewis is doing a great job of supporting local businesses with its initiatives.

It was lovely to find out more about Belinda, how she got to where she is today and what she likes to do outside of work. It was also wonderful to hear one of her amusing memories of Kevan Blackadder, friend and former director of Cheltenham BID, who sadly died in 2021.

Apologies for the slightly dodgy sound quality and I hope you enjoy the episode.
Find out more and connect on social:

• Connect with Belinda on LinkedIn
• Check out the Cheltenham BID website
• Follow Cheltenham BID on Instagram
• Follow Cheltenham BID on Twitter

To share your views on this subject and ask questions about the episode, head over to:
Instagram
LinkedIn This episode is sponsored by Hello Starling.

Hello Starling, is an award-winning Media Planning and Buying agency that specialises in delivering advertising campaigns with great results for visitor attractions and destinations.
They've worked with brands such as Bristol Zoo Project, Visit Shropshire, Visit Conwy, Visit Herefordshire and the National Tourism Office for Poland. If you want to be the centre of attention, visit hellostarling.com today.
FREE GUIDE - 6 Steps to finding your Ideal Customer
Do you want to know who your ideal customer's are and how you can focus your time and money reaching them? Download my FREE guide now.
If you have enjoyed this podcast episode, please take a moment to give me a few stars on Apple podcasts or Spotify, it helps to encourage more people to listen and learn from our stories. 🙏