Send us a text

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:
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 today's episode I was delighted to chat with Sarah Orchard, owner of award winning luxury treehouse The Hudnalls Hideout.

Sarah is not only owner of her own accommodation business, but she also runs her own marketing consultancy and online training and marketing club called Get Fully Booked.

After many years working in tourism marketing, Sarah and her husband Adrian moved to the Forest of Dean and built Hudnalls Hideout in their garden. Despite launching five weeks before the first pandemic lockdown, the treehouse is now fully booked until 2023.

The trend for glamping has been growing steadily over recent years. Camping has changed from being a cheap form of travel, to being a real outdoor experience. Camping and glamping experiences really lend themselves to the trends for wellbeing and sustainable living. But the simplicity of camping isn’t for everyone – so the demand for luxury, more upmarket ‘glamping’ experiences has boomed. And over the past two years, with overseas travel being off the agenda, people have turned to glamping in their droves.

In this episode Sarah tells us about her experience in the travel industry and what led her to building the treehouse. She shares some of the positive processes that have come as a result of the pandemic, along with her top marketing tips for ensuring the success of her business.

Enjoy the episode!

• Check out the Hudnalls Hideout website
• Follow Hudnalls Hideout on Instagram
• Take a look at Sarah's Get Full Booked online training and marketing club
• Watch Sarah on BBC1 series ‘I Escaped to the Country’ (episode 6, series 6, 10 January 2022)

For more information about Elves of the Visitor Economy, visit: http://elvesofthevisitoreconomy.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

It was an absolute pleasure chatting to Mike James at the end of 2021 for this conversation.

Mike is Blue Badge Tour Guide, Tour Manager and owner of the double gold, award-winning food tour company Savouring Bath.

As we all know, there is an increasing desire for experiences, where people want to immerse themselves in being hands-on, creative or indulging the senses. What better way to experience a culture than tasting its food and speaking to the passionate people who create it.

In this episode Mike shares how he experienced a record 2021, despite the set back of the pandemic.

Mike has been involved in the visitor economy, and the world of tour guiding for many years. I first met him when he was Chair of Cotswold Guides and running Cotswolds Ghost Tours. He is a fount of knowledge when it comes to managing and marketing tours and tour guiding. He’s also a passionate foodie and is on his way to becoming a certified Master of Cheese.

Find out the value Mike places on his local Destination Marketing Organisation, as well as the exposure given to his business by third party distributors such as GetYourGuide and Tripadvisor. Plus how the VisitBritain online distribution platform TXGB, is helping make his booking processes more efficient.

Find out more:

• Savouring Bath
• Mike's website
• Institute of Tourist Guiding
• TXGB

** Congratulations to Mike who has been nominated for Tourism Superstar 2022 in the Visit England Awards for Excellence, in association with the Mirror. Vote for Mike before 22 March 2022. **

For more information about Elves of the Visitor Economy, visit: http://elvesofthevisitoreconomy.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 today's episode I had the pleasure of chatting to Sammi Luxa – Sales & Marketing Manager for WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre in Gloucestershire.

Sammi has been in the visitor economy for over ten years where she started her tourism career at Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm in Somerset.

In this episode Sammi talks about marketing WWT Slimbridge as a visitor attraction during its 75th anniversary.

Together we reflect on the changing face of marketing attractions and how TV advertising is now more financially accessible – using Sky's AdSmart service, WWT Slimbridge has been able to advertise to an incredibly targeted audience and this advertising in turn has provided useful audience insights to help future marketing.

We also talk about Sammi's experience of lock down and her love of contemporary country music which she promotes in her spare time.

I hope you enjoy the episode.

• Connect with Sammi on LinkedIn
• WWT Slimbridge
• Follow your arrow – Sammi’s country music blog
• Sky's AdSmart

For more information about Elves of the Visitor Economy, visit: http://elvesofthevisitoreconomy.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

I’m delighted to share my conversation with Donna Speed, Chief Executive of Bristol science centre and educational charity, We The Curious. Located on the harbourside, We The Curious is one of the city's leading family attractions, operating at the heart of the community.

Donna started her career at Alton Towers and moved to Bristol when We The Curious (previously named At-Bristol) opened in 2000 and has worked her way up the ranks to the position of Chief Executive.

It is Donna's positive approach that has driven her through the challenges of the past few years in particular. From losing 20,000 Twitter followers, to having to drastically reduce capacity due to COVID restrictions, and not to mention having to cut a third of her team, it's been tough.

Donna is one of the kindest and most empathic people I’ve met. And what Donna regards as her Chief Exec hack – enabling people to be brilliant – says it all. It’s just so infectious when people love what they do.

For anyone who runs a business managing staff, you need to listen to this episode.

Find out more about We The Curious and follow on social media:

• Website: www.wethecurious.org
• Twitter: @wethecurious_
• Instagram: @wethecurious_

Connect with Donna:

• LinkedIn: Donna Speed
• Twitter: @speed_donna
• Instagram: @donnaspeedg

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. 🙏

Send us a text

In today’s episode I chat with the inspirational Vivienne Kennedy about her job as Head of Broadmead BID in Bristol. Viv joined the BID as a social media intern aged 47 and seven years later she is now running it!

Broadmead BID was one of the first Business Improvement Districts to operate in the UK and is responsible for supporting around 270 retail and hospitality businesses in the city.

If you have ever been to Bristol, it is likely that you have been to Broadmead. At the heart of the Bristol Shopping Quarter, along with Cabot Circus and Quakers Friars, it provides one of the best, most extensive, shopping experiences in the West of England.

In this episode, Viv and I chat about Broadmead and some of the challenges businesses are facing, in particular the recruitment shortage. Viv talks about Broadmead's evolution over the years and what its future might look like, despite losing large retailers Debenhams and Marks & Spencer.

As for Viv's personal story and career in the visitor economy, Viv shares how she got to where she is today, and some of the tips she would give to her younger self.

This episode is an inspiration for anyone who is not comfortable in the place they are right now. Viv shows how anything is possible with her ‘relentless optimism’.

There’s a lot to ponder from this episode – I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

For more information on Broadmead BID, go to:

• https://broadmeadbristolbid.co.uk
• https://twitter.com/broadmeadbid
• https://www.linkedin.com/company/broadmeadbid/

And for more on Bristol Shopping Quarter, go to

• https://bristolshoppingquarter.co.uk/
• http://instagram.com/bristolshopping
• https://www.facebook.com/bristolshopping
• https://twitter.com/bristolshopping

Connect with Viv on LinkedIn:

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 chat to Steve Gardner-Collins, Sales Director of The Hatton Collection and Director of Visit Gloucestershire.

Steve talks about The Hatton Collection's business portfolio, ranging from country hotels to pubs with rooms across the Cotswolds, Somerset and Jersey. Steve shares his insights and some of the challenges of working in hospitality over the past few years and how this was felt across the different business types and locations.

We chat about the role of Visit Gloucestershire, now in its second year, and its place in amongst the Destination Marketing Organisations that already exist across the county. Steve talks through what he is doing to unite the visitor economy in Gloucestershire and his focus on critical issues such as the skills shortage and sustainability.

I’m sure you will agree that Steve’s passion for the visitor economy and driving forward change is undeniable. For someone with so many hats, as well as having a young family, you wonder when he gets time to sleep! What is admirable is Steve’s desire to help and to make a difference.

Enjoy the episode!

Find out more

• The Hatton Collection: https://hatton-hotels.co.uk
• Visit Gloucestershire: https://www.visitgloucestershire.co.uk
• Connect with Steve on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevegardner-collins

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. 🙏