THE body set up to boost business in Bournemouth’s coastal suburbs says it has achieved ‘fantastic results’ in the last 12 months.

The Bournemouth Coastal Business Improvement District (BID) says it has levered more than £500,000 in investment in cash and kind on top of the £460,000 contributions of its members.

The BID’s year was reviewed at its AGM at the Menzies Carlton Hotel. It was set up following a ballot of businesses, form Westbourne to Hengistbury Head, in 2012.

Coastal BID manager Alun Williams said: “The Coastal BID has successfully delivered two innovative off-season marketing campaigns for Bournemouth over the last 12 months: the Golden Ticket campaign in Autumn 2013 and the Colour Your Life in Bournemouth This Spring campaign in 2014. “Both of these activities have seen significant responses through the various competitions and social media activity. The spring promotion boosted the likes on our Colour Your Life Bournemouth Facebook page by 400 per cent.”

The BID has used research by the National Coastal Tourism Academy to focus its off-season marketing.

Mr Williams said: “The research shows there are huge numbers of people who are aware of Bournemouth but have never actually been to visit, but could be easily persuaded to come.”

He added: “It has been an incredibly busy year. We’ve been very proactive and have achieved some fantastic results and made real progress delivering the BID’s five year business plan.”

 

BID chairman Des Simmons, MD of Bournecoast Property Agents, highlighted BID achievements through the year:
Acting as title sponsor for the Wheels Festival;
Working with the Town Centre BID to deliver the first Christmas Gardens of Light Festival, which won two design awards;
Funding eight events in the coastal villages;
Partnering with the Daily Echo on the Golden Ticket giveaway of 220 prizes;
Printing 80,000 Coastal Walking maps, double the previous year’s;
Extending the City Sightseeing Bus route to include Southbourne, Tuckton and Hengistbury Head.