Currently viewing the tag: "tourism"

Forget Disneyland Paris. Now it’s Paramount World … Swanscombe

By On October 17, 2012

In the world of rural economic development I occassionally came across someone promoting a scheme which was so outlandish I used to think they were either an escaped loon or a misunderstood genius. This article bought the heady days of the “noughties” when these sort of things were at their height to mind. [...]

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Jeremy Hunt told: don’t pretend London 2012 Olympics helped tourism

By On August 15, 2012

After the party – the hangover begins to settle in.

I often think of this year as being characterised by a national policy of bread and circuses to divert us all from the increasing gap between the metaphorical pound notes in our bags and purses. In what is a bit of a small town theme [...]

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Stonehenge gets £27m facelift to end ‘national embarrassment’

By On July 11, 2012

For a number of reasons I have never fully thought through I find Avebury more impressive than Stonehenge. I wonder if it is the bleak and functional nature of the current tourism accoutrements of Stonehenge which diminishes it for me? Avebury has a sense of being a living monument in the way it surrouds people’s [...]

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Is nothing sacred? The Solstice isn’t what it used to be…

By On June 22, 2011

If you wanted to experience something deeply ancient and magical at sunrise on the longest day why would you go to Stonehenge? This report highlights 20,000 visitors, arrests, punch-ups and rubbish. The article goes on to explain

“There was a high degree of narcotic and alcohol-induced revelry [this year],” said Philip Mould, an [...]

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Overcrowded, overpriced and overrated: welcome to Britain

By On May 11, 2011

This article makes me think: Just what is the role of local government and the public sector more generally in supporting and harnessing the economic potential of tourism?

This is a particularly interesting reflection in some rural areas where in many cases there are limited other work options.

The article explains: “With [...]

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