Visit Devon’s Director Sally Everton has been busy continuing to drive promotion of Devon as a county and keeping the tourism industry up to date with everything that is happening nationally.

In December, Sally has been working on the following:

- Usual day to day admin with incoming emails and enquiries from members, industry partners and media including writing 5 articles for Tourism Voice

- Attendance of recovery group attendance - SWTPG; ECRG, HEROG etc

- Media interviews with R Devon, Radio 5 Live and Spotlight; as well as with some print media

Key activity

- Meetings re QBR and potential routes - request by DCMS and working with the South West Working Group; submitted 3 proposed routes dependent on DC's supporting

- Exeter Airport - new routes with Aer Lingus including international to US (5 destinations) opportunity to grow inbound from the US direct to Devon ** Sentiment tracker showing US as first inbound market to show recovery

- Excursions - prep work and coordination of ATP partners ** Since been postponed to March 2022

- Webex meetings with Visit Britain representatives in key sector countries such as US as green shoots of planned travel and enquiries coming in

- Meeting with Geri Panteva (EDDC) re tourism strategy for East Devon and collaborative working going forward

- DCC - Open up to Skills project and working group plans for 2022 Tackling the massive shortage of staff and challenges on recruitment