The official evaluation of the first-ever Destination Development Partnership pilot in England.
Overview of the North East Destination Development Partnership Pilot
The North East of England was chosen to deliver the first-ever Destination Development Partnership pilot in England, receiving £2.25 million from the Department for Culture, Media, and Sport (DCMS) over three years. This pilot has been the catalyst for the development of an ambitious ten-year plan that will double the size of our regional visitor economy and create a positive impact for our residents and those who call the North East of England home.
The pilot has generated a number of interventions to support businesses and the visitor economy supply chain improve their accessibility and inclusion, sustainability and regenerative tourism credentials and champion their excellence and quality. It has fostered a coordinated approach to visitor economy development, ensuring core functionality like travel trade engagement and international amplification is spread across all seven local authority areas.
Through dedicated communications channels, events and engagement opportunities, the pilot has supported thousands of businesses and has paved the way for further pan-regional initiatives and a joined up approach to delivery for the sector.
What is the Evaluation of the North-East Destination Development Partnership Report?
This evaluation focuses on lessons learned and contributions to the DDP's objectives, with data and activities captured up until December 2024. As the pilot concludes in March 2025, some late-stage impacts and long-term outcomes will not be fully reflected in this evaluation, though a framework has been set to measure these future impacts. As such, the purpose of this report is to provide early findings ahead of the spending review in late spring 2025. The DDP have committed to a further evaluation on completion of the final year of the DDP (covering April 2025 to March 2026) which will assist in capturing the longer term impacts of the programme.
