As the South West settles down from a busy summer, we look to the changing seasons and how Devon and Cornwall keeps tourism on its agenda in the autumn and winter months.
Tourists flock to this beautiful part of the world for a glorious summer holiday, but more people are coming down for short breaks and spreading their visits across the year, rather than just through the warmer months.
With investments being made in Devon and Cornwall, it鈥檚 becoming a year round destination which offers up hotel breaks, spa packages, brilliant self catering stays and plenty of wet weather attractions.
As part of the Western Morning News鈥 Back the South West campaign, we explore the tourism challenge for the region and take a look at the pioneers who are responding to new trends.
The Pig group already has a successful hotel in Devon鈥檚 Otter Valley, and they will be adding to their portfolio with their first Cornwall Pig at Harlyn Bay in June 2020.
The group is a personal collection of small lifestyle restaurants with rooms where the focus is on authenticity and informality of design, food and service.
Robin Hutson, founder of the Pig Group, commented that the 鈥榞olden triangle鈥 of Padstow, Port Isaac and Launceston, has been put on the map thanks to Rick Stein, Nathan Outlaw and Paul Ainsworth.
He said: 鈥淚n the winter we've found that the staycation market is very robust, particularly in light of international uncertainty.
鈥淭he food tourism industry is a 12-month activity and not everyone wants to visit Cornwall or Devon for a bucket and spade holiday.
鈥淲alking, cycling, eating well is as important to many and this is perfect to do from November through to February.鈥
Malcolm Bell, the chief executive of Visit Cornwall, has seen a marked shift in the offering Cornwall puts out in terms of spa breaks, hotel stays and staycations throughout the year.
In March, Mr Bell said the county's tourism industry is expected to continue to rise boosting the economy by 拢521 million and creating up to 8,000 jobs, with particular interest from Americans.
He added that Cornwall currently has around 4.5m visitors a year and the industry is worth 拢1.5 billion.
Malcolm has been a part of the Visit Cornwall tourist board since 2010, and has witnessed the uptake of interest in Cornwall outside of summer.
According to Mr Bell, a new generation has taken over to offer up a new type of vacation in the Duchy.
鈥淐ornwall is a premium destination. Only 25 per cent of our business now is a main holiday, with many coming for different reasons, such as a short break or as an additional holiday.
鈥淚n the last ten years, Cornwall has become a big brand. Devon is still wonderful but Cornwall has differentiated itself from Devon.鈥
He added: 鈥淭here鈥檚 been important development of spa and wet weather facilities, and we have hotels which now have 85 per cent year round occupancy. There are more niche markets now, such as spa, recharge, wellbeing and self catering holidays.鈥
The Back the South West campaign has identified four key areas of success needing development to allow the Great South West to prosper, which are investment in digital, energy, transport and innovation.
On what the South West needs, Mr Bell feels more can be done in terms of connectivity. Long term, he would like to see a second primary route in to Cornwall via the A38 at the Tamar Bridge to Bodmin, which he says needs improving and making safer.
And whilst we have Flybe business flights into Cornwall, Mr Bell said we lack those lower cost routes.
鈥淲e need an integrated transport system and by that I mean buses that link up with trains, and airports and public transport to be better, 鈥 he said.
鈥淎lso, the reliability of a journey 鈥 M5 and other routes keep being closed, we need a better resilience plan and to be able to cope when closures do happen.鈥
St Michael鈥檚 Resort in Falmouth is one example of a hotel which has undergone a huge revamp to extend its offering to both locals and tourists.
The launch of the new St Michaels resort took place earlier this year following the completion of the first phase of a transformational 拢50 million investment.
The hotel now features a spectacular all-new spa, 32 additional bedrooms in the new Beach House, Arrival Lounge, Brasserie on the Bay and Garden Kitchen restaurants, as well as the innovative Health Club that has already attracted 1,700 members.
St Michael鈥檚 has benefited from significant investment from three major blue-chip companies, based outside of Cornwall, which have put their confidence in St Michaels鈥 vision and the county.
At the launch, a spokesman said that St Michael鈥檚 was 鈥渞aising the bar for beach resorts in the 海角视频, boosting employment locally and setting the trend and standard in the South West and beyond鈥.
Nigel Carpenter, the founder and chairman of St Michael鈥檚, explained how the hotel and Cornwall is adapting to winter tourism.
鈥淭here are definitely people taking more shorter breaks to pep up throughout the whole year than traditionally one or two longer holidays. As our road access, train access and air access improves, Cornwall will be stood in good stead.
鈥淧eople are searching out places more avidly that aren鈥檛 鈥榗ookie cutter鈥 - they鈥檙e looking for something that is not the same as everywhere else. We have an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the coastal path and beaches and customers are making more of it. It is harder to access that kind of experience up the line, so our uniqueness is valued more.鈥
He added: 鈥淲e run at over 80 per cent year round occupancy which is achieved through offering exciting packages and deals in winter and flexing pricing.
鈥淚t鈥檚 half the price to come in winter 鈥 a lot enjoy Cornwall in this season 鈥 it is a lot less crowded to wander on the beaches and there are no dog restrictions. Falmouth has a great independent shopping scene, too.鈥
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Pennon helped launch the聽 聽with the Western Morning News, CBI, LEPs, MPs, and other business, local and academic leaders in the wake of the EU referendum.
The campaign quickly gathered momentum, securing support from businesses of all sizes and sectors from across the South West, and helping define and raise the profile of a region with unique, untapped economic potential.
One branch of the business, South West Water, plans ahead for the busy summer season to keep things ticking along as they should.
Sarah Heald, director of corporate affairs at Pennon, said: "The tourism and food and drink sectors in the South West depend upon having reliable, high quality drinking water and wastewater services and the multi-billion investment made by South West Water since privatisation has played a key role in supporting the growth in each.
"Moving from summer into winter brings a different set of pressures and challenges for us 鈥 water resources are inevitably an area of focus in the drier months while winter storms test the resilience of our assets and networks. Throughout the year we are constantly adjusting and fine-tuning our operations and processes to ensure everything runs smoothly.
"Unlike other regions, the population of the South West increases tenfold in the summer due to visitor numbers and we also have around a third of 海角视频 bathing waters in our patch 鈥 our task is to ensure we can meet the additional demand (while encouraging people to use water wisely at all times) and that we continue to help protect and improve the high standards of water quality in our rivers and seas.
"As year-round tourism becomes more of a staple for the South West, we鈥檙e proud to be here behind the scenes, ensuring top qualiaty tap water for everyone while helping protect the region鈥檚 unique environment.鈥
Rick Turner owns the Big Sheep in North Devon, and he is a director of Visit Devon.
Big investment has been made at the attraction with the addition of a renewable heating system. They have also been working with a community Solar PV project and hope to have 80 per cent of the site run with renewable solar within 12 months.
The pre-school market at the Big Sheep is a 鈥渕assive鈥 expanding area for the business, to which they have introduced a hugely popular state of the art sensory room, and host toddler classes every weekday outside the school holiday periods.
Mr Turner said; 鈥淚t鈥檚 expensive and challenging to attract shoulder and off season business and the key for me is for us to all working together, so that there is joined up thinking with the attractions, accommodation providers and the success of Visit Devon improving the regional marketing and overseas visitors is helping too.
More South West news
鈥淥ne of the keys for the proposed tourism sector deal is a drive to extend the season which will also help with year round employment in the sector.鈥
He added: 鈥淢any of the attractions are opening through the winter months, following a significant investment of 拢250,00 in a biomass heating plant in the past few years, we are now in a position to be able to open every day all year with a warm and welcoming site and have used this opportunity to invest in year round facilities.
鈥淲e now host the areas biggest Christmas themed grotto with Christmas light show (a unique attraction imported from the USA).
鈥淟ike many of the other areas of the South West, local high quality food is a key draw to our region and we host a magical Christmas farmers and craft market which has become a focal point for North Devon Christmas."
